A person cured of leprosy needs to be careful for the rest
of his life with self care. Many even today do not know that leprosy is
treatable and curable.
Before we go to meet Laxmibai*, healed of leprosy, I
should say a few things about leprosy that I have learned. It is wrong and a
big mistake to call a person by his disease, at least today. (Of course, we
have the word leper used in the Bible
in older versions. I am yet to check if it is corrected in the latest
versions). It’s only some years ago I had learned that leprosy is the least
communicable disease. I am sure you will be interested to read and learn more
about it from sources that are just a click away from you, while you cannot learn
about Laxmibai unless I tell it myself to you.
I had met Laxmibai in her village in Andhra Pradesh during one
of my footprint documentation trips on a leprosy rehab project. She had been
severely affected by the disease several years ago and developed deformities in
her foot and hands. She went through all
the treatments and procedures.
Now Laxmibai joins along with a few others for self-care
exercises everyday at the veranda of a public office in the village. She wears
a pair of Microcellular rubber (MCR) sandals specially made for her size to
save her foot. The MCR sandal should protect her foot that have lost its
sensations. The footwear was really worn out.
She complained of the new pair given to her as not so comfortable as the
old one she was wearing. We asked her to
show us the new pair she had collected some time ago. In no time she hurried
and returned with the new sandals. We asked her to remove her old sandals that
were put on. It was repaired by a local
cobbler and had a lot of nails on it!!!
As I leave the rest of the story for you to guess, let me
ask you why Laxmibai did not want to forsake her old sandals. There is a Laxmibai in each of us most of the time.
We do not like to get rid of certain things that we are so used to for a long
time. It can be artifacts, our own habits and practices. Whether we lead people or deal with people,
follow or make a following, this should be seriously considered. If I am a preacher
and others can not follow my model; if I am a counselor and am vulnerable to
become myself an abuser; if I am a translator of the Word and my life is not at
all transformed, and I do not believe the Word for myself, I think I need to
get rid of those things that are so stuck to me.
In some of our worlds (sphere of activity, work or
community) a person abused does not come out openly to accuse or expose the
abuser; a follower will not like to point his finger at a leader (like a lamb
at the shepherd). Which is easier, belling a cat or blowing a whistle? I
believe both are not easier or less risky. So many of our elephants can walk
like a cat and most of our culprits can go a cake walk!!!
Shall we put off those worn-out falsehood and habits and put
on what we need to, so that we will be genuine and good in our words and deeds.
May be the sharpness of our guilty conscience had been smoothened and every
time we continue on our strong points (some say ‘weak points’) it soothes ing effect. Or we must have lost our
sensations so that we do not recognize sins any more. May be we have gone too
far from the grace and become so wicked that repentance is near to impossible. Probably we
are moving from a cliff to a
deepest pit. But now, can we pause a
minute and identify those items in our lives to put off and help ourselves?
Let
us linger no longer.
- Philipose Vaidyar
______________________
*name changed