For nearly 34 years, Kittan lived with the devastating effects of leprosy.
But eventually, the greatest question facing him wasn’t how long he had lived with the disease.
It was whether he would survive another day.
At 71, Kittan’s body had become terribly weak. A severe ulcer required medical care he didn’t have access to. He had gone days without food.
Hungry. Thirsty. In pain.
And alone.
Kittan remembers believing his life might simply end that way.
“I thought I would die hungry and thirsty, without anyone to treat my ulcer.”
Then Someone Came
Embrace a Village regularly travels into villages and leprosy-affected communities throughout Tamil Nadu, bringing medical care and protective footwear directly to people who might otherwise have little or no access to the help they need.
It was during one of these outreach visits that our team found Kittan.
His condition was heartbreaking.
He was extremely weak, suffering from a severe ulcer, and desperately needed help.
Our team knew this couldn’t simply be another medical visit.
Kittan needed somewhere safe to go.
They brought him to the Embrace a Village Hospice in Coimbatore.
And there, his story began to change.
A Bed. A Meal. Medical Care. And Something More.
At the hospice, Kittan began receiving regular ulcer treatment and medical attention.
He had nutritious food to eat.
A safe place to sleep.
People watching over him.
Day after day, his strength slowly began to return.
But something else was being restored too.
Hope.
The man who had wondered whether he would live through another day began smiling again.
Today, Kittan spends time with the other hospice residents. They talk. They share meals. They experience the ordinary moments of companionship that become extraordinary when you’ve spent so much of your life alone.
The hospice became more than the place where Kittan’s wounds were treated.
It became a place where he could live again.
No One Should Be Forgotten
Many elderly people affected by leprosy live in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Some have been rejected by family or community. Others are simply left without anyone capable of caring for them as they grow older.
EAV’s hospice exists for people like Kittan.
Here, residents receive nutritious food, medical attention, regular ulcer treatment, companionship, and compassionate 24-hour care.
But we believe caring for someone means more than meeting physical needs.
It means looking into the eyes of someone who has felt forgotten and communicating something profoundly important:
You are seen.
You are valued.
Your life still matters.
Through prayer, fellowship, compassionate care, and the faithful service of our staff, we have the privilege of reflecting the love of Christ to people who have endured years of pain and rejection.
You Helped Someone Come
Kittan never imagined someone would find him.
He never imagined people would care for his wounds, give him food, welcome him into a safe home, and surround him with friendship.
But someone came.
And because of the prayers and generosity of Embrace a Village supporters, we can continue going.
Into another village.
Down another road.
Toward another person who may be wondering whether anyone sees them.
Sometimes saving a life begins with simply noticing someone the world has forgotten.
Thank you for helping us see them—and for making it possible to bring them home.