GFA World Media
Photos: Counter Cultural Love
People living in a leprosy colony find the friendship and love that was torn away from them after contracting the skin disease.
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A team of four young ladies, specialized women missionaries called Sisters of the Cross, has dedicated their lives to serving the people in this remote region of Asia. These sisters minister in rural communities, where most of the houses are made of dirt, wooden pillars and beams.
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They serve among leprosy patients, most of whom are dependent on others to help them with many of their basic tasks. Cooking, bathing, cleaning wounds, washing dishes and other common household chores are very difficult for leprosy patients to do. They love and appreciate the Sisters of the Cross team for being so friendly and caring toward them.
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Many of the leprosy patients whom Sister Prashanthi and the other Sisters of the Cross minister to have lost toes, fingers and even legs due to this chronic, nerve-killing disease.
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Most people are rejected by their families and friends and are sent away to leprosy colonies. When the sisters touch them, it brings great joy to leprosy patients, who may not have had physical contact with another human being for many years.
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The sisters help people with cooking, cleaning and other household chores. When a person is lacking limbs and digits, it's difficult to accomplish many of the normal tasks that need to be done.
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Without her fingers, Pramada finds it very difficult to eat or drink on her own. Sister Prashanthi and her team cook food for her and feed her by hand twice a week when they come for a visit to the leprosy colony.
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Many leprosy patients need to have their wounds cleaned on a regular basis. Sister Prashanthi and her team have been trained to clean and dress these wounds. Cleaning and dressing open sores is necessary to prevent infection and further loss of extremities for leprosy patients. Although it requires hard work and witnessing much grief, Sister Prashanthi and her team are passionate about their ministry to those affected with this disease.
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Although the children of leprosy patients may not have the disease, their lives are greatly impacted by it. Their chance of receiving education or acceptance into society may be hindered by the stigma or poverty their families endure.
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Not only are these leprosy patients eager for the physical care that Prashanthi and her team provide, but they are also hungry for the spiritual care the sisters bring.
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At the end of a long day of ministering, Sister Prashanthi and the other Sisters of the Cross walk home and work together to prepare their evening meal.
Photos: A Drop in the Ocean
A GFA-supported Bridge of Hope worker shares about how one center was started in a community where children were neglected.
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In the area where this GFA World-supported Bridge of Hope centre is located, around 40 to 50 percent of children drop out of school after fifth or sixth grade. Thankfully, these children pictured will have a higher success rate because of the help and encouragement Bridge of Hope is to them and their families.
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Here, Ashima receives a few gifts that will help her and meet some her family's needs. Most parents of these Bridge of Hope children are unable to afford their child's school fees let alone other essentials, such as stationery and other school supplies, uniforms, toiletries, etc. Bridge of Hope provides all these essentials, relieving the parents of a great financial burden.
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Here, children are excited to see what's in their supply box given to them by Bridge of Hope staff.
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Bridge of Hope staff visit the children and their families periodically at their homes, which helps strengthen their relationship. The children enjoy talking and playing with the Bridge of Hope centre staff whenever they visit. The love and kindness extends beyond their school life into their home life as well.
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At the centre, Bridge of Hope staff have fun with the children during their recreational time.
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Bridge of Hope staff make sure each child has a meal to eat to get them through the day. Many of these children come from homes where families entrenched in poverty struggle to put food on the table every day, multiple times a day. This meal is something the children look forward to.
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The kitchen staff at this Bridge of Hope centre love and care for each child as if they were their own. Every day, they serve them a hot, nutritious meal-which may be their only real meal for the day.
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Before and after meal time, each child washes their plates and hands. At Bridge of Hope, they learn the importance of cleanliness and hygiene.
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Bridge of Hope is a safe place for the children in this area, who may be growing up without much parental guidance. At Bridge of Hope, they are shown how much they are loved and cared for.
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Because of Bridge of Hope, these precious children now have the chance for a future their parents could only dream about.
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Photos: Unexpected Gift Exchange
Tin sheets turn into piglets, which helped bring a man and his family out of poverty's iron grip.
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The villages in this region are nestled in hills surrounded by thick forests.
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Missael; his wife, Malli; children; and father begin their day together with the Lord.
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Missael received pigs as a Christmas gift. He and his wife, Malli, diligently care for their three pigs. Cleaning out their pen and feeding them takes a lot of work!
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Missael's three pigs will grow up in a very short time. Eventually, they will multiply and may even grow large enough to sell for a very nice price as he has need. These pigs are like a growing bank account!
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Missael goes to the forest every day to collect leaves and roots for cooking slop for the three pigs.
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Here, Malli prepares to cook food for their pigs.
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Malli fixes dinner for their pigs on the porch of her village house. She and her husband discovered that one of the reasons their pigs were healthy and growing faster was because they mix pumpkin in the pig slop while cooking it. The pigs seemed to like it very much.
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Malli feeds their pigs twice a day.
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Feeding pigs takes a lot of water! Like this woman, Malli has to walk to the river to fetch water for meeting the needs of her family. Cooking pig slop also requires water from the river. The women in the village make this mile-long trek each way for water, several times a day.
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At the river, the village children can be found playing in the water whenever they get a chance.
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Washing clothes and dishes in the nearby river is also normal for the people in this remote area.
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Once the vessels are full of water, the women have an arduous walk back to the village carrying pots and jugs full of water.
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The river is almost a mile away from the village where Missael and Malli live, so going to the river to wash and bathe requires a long hike up a steep trail. Water is carried in pots balanced on their heads, and baskets carry everything else.
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A large banana leaf serves as a dinner plate for the family. Rice and dhal, a type of lentil, are very common foods in this region.
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Malli gathers many varieties of vegetables and plants from the forest for the family meals.
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Whenever he gets a chance to earn some extra cash, Missael takes advantage of the opportunity. On this day, he and a friend use a bamboo raft to travel a couple of miles up the river to an area where they will cut logs into boards for a local businessman.
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It's hard work cutting logs into boards using a large hand saw! The extra money Missael and his friend earn will be a big help to the family.
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Missael and his family are very active in their local church. This place of worship is constructed out of bamboo, which is plentiful in their area.
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Missael and his family are so happy the Lord provided them with piglets. This gift has truly transformed their lives and is helping them break free from poverty.