Published Tue, Jul 13, 21. Written by Kathleen Connors.
Thanks to your contributions, Mavuluru Papaiah continues to assist the people of the Adharsa Nagar Leprosy Colony. Monthly stipends to 34 lepers keep them from begging for a living, and they also receive general healthcare assistance. Mr. Papaiah thanks U.S. donors for their continued support for those with leprosy. Your help has been even more vital during the pandemic, as he was able to distribute additional food to the families during lockdowns. The colony keeps PIME USA supporters in their daily prayers.
Mr. Papaiah also informed us that PIME Superior in India, Fr. Ravi Marneni, and PIME Treasurer in India, Fr. Bala Joji, visited the colony in early 2021.
Visit of PIME Missionaries to the colony in early 2021.
Fr. Ravi Marneni (center), Fr. Bala Joji (right, behind Fr. Ravi), and Mavuluru Papaiah (right, with cane).
Published Fri, Aug 07, 20. Written by Kathleen Connors.
Mavaluru Papaiah has updated us on the Adharsa Nagar Leprosy Colony. He wrote: “By the Grace of God all children and elderly leprosy people are safe and doing well in the colony. We always remember you all in our daily prayers. I am distributing monthly pensions every month. In this hard time and it is really a great help for our people. I am herewith sending some photos of the leprosy people while distributing pensions. Once again thanking you so much for all you are doing to the poor and needy people in our colony. Because of this pandemic disease, everyone is staying at home and all are safe in our colony by the grace of God and very much thankful support from you. And we all are praying for you also. I have arranged for some government doctors to help and to make some valuable precautions to not be affected by this disease. We have also distributed rice 5Kgs for each family in this tough time; they are so happy to receive rice.”
Thanks to the help of PIME USA donors, the Colony is staying safe from the virus and free from hunger. Thank you for your support of the most vulnerable of God’s children.
Published Fri, Mar 20, 20. Written by Kathleen Connors.
Mavaluru Papaiah wrote to us to thank you for your support for the Adarsha Nagar Leprosy colony and update us on this ongoing project. He wrote, “Leprosy is considered by many as not merely a medical condition, but as a condition encompassing psychological, socio-economic and spiritual dimensions that debilitate the individual progressively unless properly care for. Because of the stigma associated with the disease, leprosy patients used to be forced to leave home; some were admitted to asylums or sanatoriums. Today, however, they remain within their families, although they are often looked down on and may receive little or no support from their communities.
The elderly and the other leprosy patients often become sick as they are weak. They suffer from body and joint pains, diarrhea, arthritis, gastritis, seasonal fevers, fatigue, non-healing wounds, kidney issues, and illness due to their wounds in the summer. They are given medical assistance and medicine and bandages are purchased and distributed to them regularly.The Adharsa Nagar Leprosy colony in Kurnool is exclusively for them. There are 50 families living in the colony. Among the families there are 34 elderly patients who get monthly pensions [of about $8 USD per month] from PIME. Some of the patients who cannot work due to their physical deformity sometimes beg in the cities and nearby towns. Whereas others who are better physically do jobs that they are able to do, like sweeping in front of shops in the morning and evenings, some of them are night watchmen, etc. That is if they feel healthy enough, otherwise they remain at home in the colony and depend on the family members and the monthly pensions from PIME for their daily food.
As the cost of living is increasing day by day, the life of the people in the leprosy colony is very challenging and people are struggling to get 3 meals a day. In this vulnerable and helpless condition, the support of the PIME USA donors for monthly pensions and medical help is most precious. It plays a major role in living their daily life with dignity and respect. They are so happy to have this help and to live their life peacefully. Most of the patients are uneducated and simple people.
PIME not only helps us with medical care and pensions, but through the PIME sponsorship program education is given to their children, and this gives them great hope. The community has community prayer three days a week in the chapel community hall in their colony. Christmas and Easter are the major holidays they celebrate. Community games are organized, and prizes are distributed for winners in the colony during Christmas and Easter celebrations. They celebrate together any marriages or other celebrations that take place in their colony. All the community members attend church every Sunday. They pray for PIME and the benefactors every day.
Through your loving service to the elderly lepers of the colony that Fr. Frank Raco, PIME, started here, our hope and prayer is that all of us here may come to experience and know the Lord’s LOVE and realize how precious we all are to GOD. Thank you for caring for us in such a personal and marvelous way."
Leprosy Colony Patients with Mavuluru Papaiah (back row, far left):
Emmanuel is the only son of his parents. His father, Dadamia, is a Leprosy patient and his mother, Adivamma, is also a leprosy patient child and a daily coolie. He is in his ...
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Himambi is the youngest child, her older sister is already married. Both of their parents are leprosy patients and have no way of supporting Himambi or her education.
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JOHNWESLY is the eldest child for his parents. He has one younger brother named JOHNWILSON studying the 5th class in the same school. Both his father & mother are leprosy patients’ chi...
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Johnwilson is the second oldest of four children coming from a poor family in Adharsanagar, India. His mother is unable to work, so his father is the only one working to care for the l...
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MANOHARJOSHI is the last child of his parents. He has an elder sister, DEEPIKA, who is studying in the 12th class. Both his parents are leprosy patients’ children. His father, Elisha, is a...
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Ribaka is the youngest child of her parents. She has one brother named Sheshukumar, studying in tenth grade, and one elder sister, Ebsiba, who is in 7th grade. Their father is an alcoholic and c...
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Sindupriya has an older sister who is studying at the same school. Her parents both suffer from leprosy, and her mother also has epilepsy. The parents both work as day laborers. An education for...
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To provide pensions and health care for 35 people at the colony in Kurnool Diocese. This includes the distribution of medicines, bandages, etc
The Adharsa Nagar Leprosy colony is located on the outskirts the City of Kurnool, which is 130 miles from the capital city of Hyderabad in India. Fr. Frank Raco, PIME, built the colony in 1991. The...