Leprosy

[Sister Alvear]

Yes, I have that book.a If I am not mistaken his daughter married a man that had leprosy.
Here in Brazil I worked many years at a leper colony and baptized some of them and prayed them through to the Holy Ghost.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Yes, I have that book.a If I am not mistaken his daughter married a man that had leprosy.
Here in Brazil I worked many years at a leper colony and baptized some of them and prayed them through to the Holy Ghost.

I was not aware of his marriage to one from the colony, but the book clearly declares how he came to respect many of the lepers due to their deep and incredible faith.

Sister, I bless you in Jesus Name for the sacrifice of your life in the declaration of the Kingdom of Our Lord, and the "ministry of reconciliation."

[Sister Alvear]

[Sister Alvear]

I Sat Where They Sat

The room that we walked into was filled with lepers. "Come in Missionary," they said. "We have prepared for you a cake and coffee." Up to this point, we had never eaten in their homes. Not even as much as a cup of water. As the leper reached for the piece of cake, I saw blood on his fingers. As he picked up the piece of cake to give to me, I silently whispered: "Oh Lord, you’ve got to help me." As I took the cake from his hand the lepers stood watching. It was the "love test." Would I eat their cake and drink their drink? They were watching for my reaction. Oh the sacredness of that moment. Holding the piece of cake in my hand as I looked at them, they faded from view, and it was no longer a little group of bleeding lepers, but it was Jesus handing me the cake!
Jesus was standing where they had been. A tear trickled down my cheek as Jesus said to me: "I baked this cake for you, I wanted to see if you would eat a cake I baked." Suddenly my mind went to when Jesus ate at the house of Simon the leper. Yes, I would eat their cake. They were precious souls that Jesus had died to redeem. In their deep poverty, they had reached out in love to me.
There are thousands of lepers in Brazil, and leprosy is on the increase. Brazil is second in the world population of lepers, behind only India. Their foremost need is Christ. Only He can fill their world with joy unspeakable.
The people of the heathen world are not just cold statistics. They are real living, breathing, ordinary people like you and me. There are many others just as the ones mentioned in this book, still waiting for their turn to hear the Gospel.

[Sister Alvear]

Emilia

In my mind is yet a vivid picture. I still remember the first time that I walked into Emilia's room. Just a small little lady with no legs or fingers. After a few introductory words, she looked me in the eyes and said: "Missionary, are you afraid of us lepers?" Looking at her small helpless frame, suddenly I realized that all fear was gone "No, Emilia, we are not afraid." She said, "Then come sit on my bed and talk to me." For sixty years, she had been a leper! It was yet during her life time that lepers were caught like wild animals and put away in walled cities that were like prisons. No one was even allowed to leave.
Slowly she told the story that soon we would hear from so many, the frightening experience of discovering that you are a leper. The shame, the agony, the pain, the fear that lepers know so much about. We became good friends. Every Thursday, we read the Bible to her, and since light is stronger than darkness, we soon notice her soul's awakening. Plans were being made for our first service at a church at the colony. Sister Sonia, sister Olga and I were so excited. We had cleaned the church building that had been loaned to us. Emilia asked: "Is it true you all are having a baptismal service Sunday?" "Yes," we replied at the same time. With a twinkle in her eyes she asked: "Would you consider baptizing a poor limbless leper like me?"
She had heard the music of His call. Emilia was baptized in the lovely Name of Jesus, and it has made a difference in her life. Even though she has since then gone blind, she still has a smile, because her life has been changed.

[Sister Alvear]

Jesus Really Does Heal Lepers

Standing in the background I watched as a group of our sisters were witnessing at the leper colony. What caught my attention was a leper lady asking Sister Sonia: "Is it really true that the Bible says that Jesus healed a leper:" "Yes it is really true, and I will read it to you," Sister Sonia replied. Sister Sonia read Matthew 8:2,3 and Luke 5:12-14. After she had finished, one leper lady looked at the other one and said: "See, the Bible really does say that Jesus heals lepers."
Needless to say tears were in my eyes and my heart overflowed with compassion in the midst of seemingly irreversible circumstances. But you see, our God specializes in impossibilities! Since that day we have seen our God work many healings and miracles among them. We have seen many of their homes transformed by the Word that lives and abideth forever! Most of the people that Jesus healed during His earthly ministry were impossible cases, and we know that our God still reigns beyond the curtained skies of a leper colony.
Walking into a little home at the colony, a lady whispered: "Come in Missionary, I am very sick. She had strep throat, and was really very sick. Immediately after prayer, her voice returned and her fever left. She was amazed that a miracle had happened in her life. Her healing took place before our very eyes. Now she knows that there is power beyond the power of the Catholic saints and chalk Gods. A Christ that could become living reality in the world of the "living dead."

[Sister Alvear]

The church pastored by a leper was destroyed by a tornado...we are raising funds to rebuild it...

[Sister Alvear]

I thought of the song...when you have nothing else but God...their only hope is that God will speak to somebody to help them...You may help by sending an offering to our home address...