Leprosy may start with discoloration or irritation of the skin, but this disease is far more than skin deep. While the physical impact of this debilitating disease is astounding, we often forget to look past the physical ailments and see the emotional and spiritual...
Throughout history, we meet people who lived with leprosy—at city gates, on the borders of neighboring regions, in small towns, and along the roads of Jerusalem. Men, women, and children lived with what was considered an unclean disease, one that made them outcasts...
Children related to people with leprosy tend to grow up in poverty and often don’t have access to quality education. While the initial focus of Embrace a Village was to help leprosy patients, Joe’s wife, Pat, helped us expand our vision. Pat recognized that many...
Sivasami was sixteen when his journey with leprosy began. As a child, Sivasami struggled with epilepsy and would often fall. He was a happy child who loved playing with his friends, but one day, he fell a little harder than usual. His father took him home and noticed...
As we move into the new year, we would like to take a moment to reflect on a sweet testimony from our friend, Harikrishnan, or “Hari.” Hari was ten years old when he noticed patches on his hands and legs. His parents thought it was a skin allergy from a worm or...
Today we would like to share a story about our sweet friend, Jayamari. Her heart is one of gratitude and stands out in a world of challenge and chaos. When she was ten years old, Jayamari’s father and mother died. A couple of years later, she was diagnosed with...
The depths to which leprosy affects a person or family is varied but often tragic. It is common for leprosy patients to experience rejection from friends, family, and society. It becomes challenging to work, and a sense of hopelessness often sets in. It is our mission...
At Embrace a Village, we hear and witness some of the most beautiful testimonies of God’s goodness. Today, we would like to share the story of a sweet couple we get to serve and know! Kannan and Devi have been married for thirty years. They came to us just a couple of...
One day during a routine traffic jam, a man encountered leprosy patients for the first time. It was during this temporary inconvenience of traffic that his life changed forever. He discovered that these beautiful people didn’t have proper medication or support....
Here at Embrace a Village, we get the immense privilege to hear, know, and care for people’s stories. Today, we would like to share the testimony of a man we get to serve and know! Meet Arumugam. "My name is Arumugam – it actually means the sixth face. I was the sixth...
Children of those with leprosy face significant barriers in attaining an education. Although healthy themselves, they are stigmatized and often turned away from schools because of their connection to the disease. They also very likely have grown up in poverty, putting...
Many times people with leprosy cannot travel due to various wounds or other effects of the disease. Leprosy often takes away their ability to work which prevents them from being able to pay for medical care. It also inhibits their ability to care for their families,...