Gaona Family Update: Christmas Comes To The Leper Colony

About a year ago, an opportunity opened up to visit a leper colony in Nepal and they welcomed us gladly since visitors to the compound are very few. The first bumpy bus ride to the outskirts of town was filled with thoughts that raced through our minds like “would we touch the lepers” and “how would we respond if someone wanted to shake hands”. But, knowing that these people are outcast from society and in desperate need of love….we didn’t want to miss what the Lord would have because it was outside of our comfort zone. We knew the stories in the bible where Jesus spent time with lepers, but we never thought that our lives would include hanging out at a leper colony.

Wow – are we glad that we said YES that day! As the bus door opened and we entered the courtyard at the Leprosy Colony a woman by the name of Ritu threw her arms around us and hugged tightly saying “thank you, thank you, thank you for coming”. We had over thought every aspect of what it would be like, what we would do and how we would respond. We almost missed out on the countless blessings, friendships, miracles and life altering moments that have filled this past year as we have spent time with these precious people.

Since that first day, we have visited the Leprosy Colony over a dozen times bringing hygiene kits, distributing food and cooking items, serving meals and sharing the love of Jesus Christ. So much of the physical blessings have been provided through visitors that we have been able to take with us. There have been concerts, dance parties, testimonies, and messages from the Word that have rung out in that place this past year to encourage the 200 families that call the Leprosy Colony home.

This past month, our friends from Believers World Outreach sent a team to serve and they asked if an optical clinic would be needed. We responded with a resounding YES PLEASE! Bond and the team spent the first week in the village doing an optical clinic at a new church planted by one of our CCBC Nepal graduates. Hundreds lined up in the early morning to see Dr. Dennis (eye doctor) who brought a $15,000 machine to properly evaluate each patient and get them the exact prescription from the 3,000 pairs of eye glasses that were provided and brought by BWO. People walked for miles, waited for hours, were given glasses to see again, hundreds were prayed for and invited to come back to church as services in the new building that will begin soon. The team worked tirelessly to serve each and every person that came in the village.

When the team returned from the village in early December, we were extremely excited to learn that the Leprosy Colony gave permission to hold an optical outreach on-site. The eye team set-up in the director’s office, the eye charts were hung in the courtyard, the construction team was working on building walkways and leper after leper lined up. What a gift to be able to share about Jesus who invaded history and is the reason we celebrate Christmas with each person living in the leprosy colony! Imagine never hearing who Jesus was or why we celebrate his birth (Christmas) and in one day you get to see both physically and now you see your need for a Savior! As Heather helped one of the ladies in the leprosy colony choose glasses and put them on, she exclaimed “I Can See”. What an incredible Christmas gift that lepers were receiving sight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is because of your prayers, financial support and endless love that we were able to bring Christmas to a Leper Colony this month in Nepal and share the love of Jesus with these precious people throughout the year! Thank you for letting us be your hands and feet this past year to those who may not otherwise be reached with the love of God.

Merry Christmas With Love,

Bond, Heather and Breanna