Ibrahim touched by love

I visited the center for leprosy in Pemba early this week. While I was there, Gabriel, the beautiful health worker volunteer, was planning to do a dressing change on Ibrahim, a 60 year old man whose whole life has been plagued by leprosy. Most likely, the severity of his leprosy was due to many attempts to complete the year long treatment which thwarted by wars and lack of access to medication and poverty. He must of suffered from a young age as he had no children or wife which for an African is a horrible thing.

We bathed both elbows and hands and dressed the wounds of his feet with gauze. “Ibrahim- do you know that God loves you so much?” and sweet Abraham nodded with a very big smile. “I know.” Chema, the Director of the program who himself is a recovered leper and has totally contractured and stumped fingers, said, “Bichos—ele tem bichos” and was pointing to several small raised scabbed areas around his elbows and hands.

“Bichos” are larva worms that have embedded under the skin. Thankfully Ibrahim didn’t have much feeling in those areas and was completely blind so couldn’t see the disgusting process of removing them. For the next half hour, Gabriel and I picked out about over 40 of them. We dressed him in a new pair of pants before leaving which put a great big smile on his face and we assured him that he has a sisters and brothers who loved him.

Two days later, in between classes, I saw Gabriel at the Iris base and he looked distraught. “Ibrahim died.” I asked him to repeat himself to make sure I understood. He had died some time on Sunday.

I was both sad that he had to suffer so much and maybe even die alone, but glad for this dear man to now be fully restored in heaven. Love is amazing—it transforms us and can give us such peace to let go into the Arms of Love. I think we did that in some way for this dear man with leprosy, whom now is totally whole again!

Please pray for me for wisdom to know what to do after the mission school in January and for a long term missionary partner to serve the lepers with me and wisdom as to how to move forward in this grace. Thanks and God bless you!