When I was a wee boy I lived in Glasgow. one day a man from the Leprosy Mission came to our church. He showed us slides of people who suffered from leprosy and asked for our help. We were all invited to take a box and fill it with coins.  our family took one because we were all moved by the plight of the leperosy sufferers.

I remember the box was L shaped made of wood  and coloured red.  We used to go collecting for the Mission on the streets. We didn’t have a permit but no one ever questioned us in those days. I never thought that many years later i would be standing with my arms around a person who has had to suffer the curse of this dreadful disease.  It also makes me feel so angry that people with this illness have to steal themselves away and live in seclution from the rest of society. Many of the people who live at the Chengalpattu Settlement are unable to support theselves so they have to take to begging. We were told that a good number of them go begging in the street Monday to Friday and return home at the weekend to Chengalpattu.

It was quite an emotional sight seeing memberrs of St Andrew’s moving among these broken people praying with them and asking God’s blessing upon them. Later on this evening members of the team shared their own stories of enrichment relating to this visit today. One of the projects of Mount Zion Church in Chennai is to visit this community which is about 60 miles away  twice a month with food and a time of prayer  and fellowship many of the group have been responding to the gospel.

 We were able to spend just a limited time with these unfortunate people before heading out on the mini bus for another hour to reach Padappai. this is where Paul and Grace Moses have set up an extra- ordinary Orphanage called the Sangita Charitable Trust in memory of their infant daughter  Sangita. If you would like to read more about this work and it is well worth the effort click over to our India  Blog.

Well its time for me to sign off. I know a number of people are reading my blog but it would be great to hear from some of you.