A Surprise Gift
We have some amazing partners and our supporters are awesome. I have to tell you about the most recent gift we received. It comes from an unlikely donor and just blessed us so much that it brings tears to my eyes and the story will touch you as well.
We serve the people that this culture considers the least and lowest of the region. The lowest and most rejected are the lepers who are considered worthless by the community and are even thrown out of their families and villages. It is a less than human, existence. We have a leper residential rehabilitation center called “Tamariska” which means “Dwelling Place of Kings.” It is a safe and very nurturing place for these rejected souls. The lepers who come to us for help live in the residential units and are treated as a part of our family. They receive daily care by our medical staff and it is a time of healing and emotional growth. Several years ago a leper by the name of Hendrik came to the base. He had been banished from his village for 15 years and suffered alienation, ridicule, and the physical effects of his disease. Hendrik is no longer infectious. He has lost his toes and fingers but he can walk and is just a delightful man. I love spending time with him and he loves to play UNO. He is actually really good and delights in putting a Draw Four on anyone who might be getting ahead in the game.
Hendrik recently heard that we were running low in the general medical fund. We have faced this challenge before and during those times, we just pray for the increased support. Hendrik came to the office and gave his donation of $550,000 Rupiah (about 60 USD). That is all he had. We do not even have the slightest idea where he got that amount of money. It is a big mystery and we are just in awe. Hendrik is like the widow who gave all she had—her two coins. He gave all he had to help others. I am just so touched by the generosity in his heart and I know the gift he gave was given in love, without expecting anything in return. The next time I see him I am going to give him a huge hug, and then settle down for a wild game of UNO!