by Alvirda Pah'or THE LEPERS OF BANGALORE, INDIA
Early on a misty morning in Bangalore, India, I was in a Rickshaw, stopped in the middle of an awful traffic snarl. Car horns were honking, drivers were yelling at one another. I'm sure they must have thought the way would be opened to the loudest horn and the shrillest of the voice, but that was not to be no matter how angry they were.
Suddenly, the sun broke through the early mist and I saw it twinkling on small, silver pails that people were holding as they moved, weaving in and out of the stalled traffic. The clothing the people wore was gray white and so ragged. They were like a dream coming toward me out of the misty, sunny morning.
I asked the Rickshaw man, "Who are these people?" He said," They are the Lepers of Bangalore , they are supposed to stay on the outskirts of the city, but they are hungry today."
All of a sudden, one of the men appeared at the open side of the Rickshaw, holding out his pail to me. He held it by his wrist because his fingers were just stubs on his hand.
I found out later that leprosy is caused by an infectious disease cause by an organism and variously characterized by ulceration, loss of fingers and toes, skin covered by scales and peeling. Anesthesia, stealthily and treacherous, causes the loss of feeling and pain in certain nerve regions.
As I looked into the man's eyes, his dark brown eyes, I was startled! It was as though he was looking into my soul. We both looked deeply at each other. I saw calmness, warmth and peacefulness in his eyes. Time seemed to stand still for us. Most of the beggars I had seen had that haunted, desperate look in their eyes. That was not in his eyes. I wanted to take him by his pail, he would never allow me to take him by his hand, and take him to a side-walk café and talk and talk until we knew each other inside out. I often think about him and hope to see him again when I return to Bangalore.
I was reminded of the Words of Jesus when I thought about him later on…."Come, you blessed of My Father, for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me. I was in prison and you came to see Me. Then the just and the upright will answer Him, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcome and entertain You or naked and clothe You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and came and visited You? And the King will reply to them. Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least of these My brethern, you did it for Me." ( Matthew 25:34-40).
Alvirda Pah'or is a traveling Christian evangelist, bible teacher, and founder of Choose Life Ministries (1980). [Deuteronomy 30:19,20A]. Her work frequently takes her on extended travels to India, England, Ireland, Scotland, and many parts of the U.S.
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