This is the post I have most looked forward to. But at the same time, dreaded. I say dreaded because I so much want to be able to put my feelings about the colonies into words. My experiences at the Leprosy colonies is something that I cannot adequately explain. I must say that before we went out to the colonies I was a little nervous as to how I would react to seeing the people who have leprosy - missing toes and feet and fingers and legs and hands. Open sores that are eating away at their bodies. I didn't know how I would react. But it was nothing like I had expected. It was comfortable, warm, humbling, and spiritual.
Our main purpose in going out to the colonies was to wash their feet and hands, or what was left of them. Many of the leprosy affected have ulcers that are eating away at their limbs. Rising Star Outreach provides a medical van once a week to the colonies where the Rising Star volunteers go out to the colonies, along with a doctor or nurse. The volunteers wash the feet and wounds and the doctor or nurse applies medicine and wraps them in bandages.
I will never forget my first time washing the feet of a woman who had leprosy. She sat in a chair, I sat on the ground at her feet. I had filled a tub full of water from a near-by water well. This beautiful woman had lost all of her toes, except one. As I took her foot and washed it with a small bar of soap, I looked up at her. She was smiling the most thankful smile I have ever seen. Her eyes were full of love and appreciation. It was such a beautiful experience. To my surprise, I felt no fear at what I was doing. It didn't seem gross or uncomfortable at all. In return, I felt an overwhelming love for her. A woman whom I had never met, with whom I could not communicate in words. But it didn't matter. We didn't need to know each other. We didn't need to be able to speak words to each other. We love those whom we serve. Washing the feet of the leprosy affected was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had.
Moot Leprosy Colony
Here Raegan washes the stumps of Christian. He has lost both feet and part of one leg along with both hands. He scoots around on a square board with wheels on the bottom. He was amazing.
There are seven leprosy affected people living at Moot Colony. Three married couples plus one man whos wife had passed away. This is one of the married couples.
Another of the couples. This man was so funny! A true comedian. He spoke a little bit of English and was such a jokester. He had us all in stitches! He and his wife seemed to have the least amount of physical scars from their leprosy compared to the others there at Moot.
India is hot. Very, very hot. Here this woman tries to cool down her home by throwing water on the outside.
Raegan painting the fingernails of one of the leprosy affected women.
Showing off her beautiful nails! She was one of the lucky ones to still have fingers.
This tiny woman has been greatly affected by her leprosy. She cannot stand upright and she scoots around like a monkey.....that's the best way I can describe it. She is blind in one eye (from the leprosy).
We brought a television out to the colony with us and boy, was she happy! She wanted it in her little home. She immediately took control over the remote and I could quickly tell that she wasn't going to give that up for love nor money!
Dr. Scott and Myra watch the t.v. with her in her home.
Inside their 2-room house.
This man lost his wife not too long ago. He had so lovingly decorated his little home with pictures of her and his two daughters. His daughters, I imagine, have disowned him as to not be associated with the terrible stigma of leprosy.
He was the only one at the colony who had a bed.
With photographs of his family.
Their only mode of transportation.
Some bones and hooves hanging out to dry....to be used in a meal.
Raegan with the tiny woman.
After our morning at Moot Colony, we made the two hour drive back to Rising Star to get the dentists. I'm sure you can imagine the need these people had for dental work. Back at RSO, we quickly packed some dental bags and jumped back in the medical van for another two hours back to the colony.
Here John, Steve, and Scott prepare to extract some teeth on the man on the scooting board.
Steve shows his patient the tooth he just removed.
John giving an injection to this sweet man before pulling out all three of his remaining teeth.
One of my favorite pictures.
I am sitting in the medical van now looking out the window as we are ready to leave Moot Colony. This is right when I completely broke down into tears. To look at these wonderful people, children of God, putting their hands together and bowing their heads in gratitude to us. It broke my heart to say goodbye to them. They were my friends and I knew I would not see them again. It was so difficult to leave. I couldn't speak for much of the drive back to RSO as I was so overcome with emotion.
This is the most important thing I learned from them.....what happiness really is. These amazing people were SO happy, yet they have virtually nothing - no worldly possessions to speak of, bodies that are riddled with disease, and families and a society who have disowned them.
We sat with them, on the ground in a circle, for about an hour just enjoying each other and that's when I realized how truly joyful these people are. After some time, we finally asked one of the men (the comedian who spoke a little English) why he was so happy. He stopped and looked at us like we were from Mars....like why would we ask such a question. He finally responded and said, "Why am I happy? Why would I NOT be happy? I have my home, I have my medicine and I have my friends. What more do I need?"
We sat with them, on the ground in a circle, for about an hour just enjoying each other and that's when I realized how truly joyful these people are. After some time, we finally asked one of the men (the comedian who spoke a little English) why he was so happy. He stopped and looked at us like we were from Mars....like why would we ask such a question. He finally responded and said, "Why am I happy? Why would I NOT be happy? I have my home, I have my medicine and I have my friends. What more do I need?"
These people have a free ticket to the highest place in heaven. I guarantee it. And if I don't see them in heaven, I'm in the wrong place.
One of my adorable students. (Darn, I wish I could remember all of their names! I have a hard enough time remembering 
A group of students walking by us in the grove, on their way to the coconut grove for their dance lesson.
Suganya, so happy to be learning English!
All finished with their lessons :)
Another of my adorable students.....I wanted to bring each one of them home with me. I'm sure you can see why!
Raegan in-between students, writing up a review on the student she just finished tutoring.
Maimonisha again, happy after her lesson. 
Lance, thinking he is SO clever to sneak up on and attack unexpecting Raegan with a palm branch. However, she was SO on to him!
Suganya.
On their birthday, the children get to dress up. They also hand out candy to everyone, which this little birthday girl did to us. Doesn't she look pretty?!
Inside their classroom.
Peeking out of their classroom to smile for the camera.
Jordan and Karthik looking at the photo she just took of him. The children absolutely LOVED pictures taken of them. Every time we'd get our camera out to take a picture of one child, suddenly there were 10 of them in our picture. They would all come running to get in the picture, then they would immediately want to see the it on our camera!
