We are so grateful for your interest in Embrace a Village. Today we have a special story about a man named Jagan Nathan. He is 80 years old and has lived with leprosy for the last 50 years.
Jagan Nathan
Today, he is happy, living with us in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and thanking God that he can live out the rest of his life at our hospice. Jagan Nathan is a joyful man with lots of energy and enthusiasm and he loves to dance in celebration whenever music is playing during our gatherings.
But that was not always the case for him. When he arrived at our doorstep, he was on the verge of death, but many people prayed, and now he is alive and strong!
Jagan Nathan is from a farming family and was affected with leprosy at the age of 30. He says his life was filled with pain and sorrow, not only from people outside, but also from his family.
Not allowed to buy tea
In the early days, he was not even allowed to get tea from a tea shop. There were only a few people who would give him food or tea – and even then he had to carry his own teacup. Rejection and painful experiences were part of his life.
In 2004, Embrace a Village began serving in his village. It was there that he experienced deep joy and a lasting sense of peace. Since then, Jagan Nathan has become a dedicated member of the weekly prayer gathering.
Painful loss and loneliness
A couple of years later, his wife passed away. He was by himself and surviving on the rice and medical supplies we provided. As time passed, and there was no one to take care of him, his health declined. By the time Jagan Nathan arrived at our hospice, he was in bad shape. Our team didn’t think he would live long.
But through much prayer and care, Jagan Nathan is stronger and vibrant as you can see from his smiling face in the photos. He is now a joyful man walking around and encouraging other patients in hospice to trust God fully and remain steadfast in prayer.
Even during this pandemic, Jagan Nathan is praying for all the people that are affected by Covid to have a quick recovery from this horrible situation.
He has become an example for all of us to trust God in every circumstance.
We know how crazy life is right now, so it’s not lost on us when you take a moment to celebrate with us. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.