Leprosy project

Before the 1950’s, very little was known about leprosy in China. Leprosy was believed to be highly infectious and so very much feared. If a leper was to show his or her face in public, he or she was generally burnt alive. Cases such as these happened throughout China, including the Wumeng mountain region of Guizhou.

As Chinese civilization developed, leprosy patients where eventually sequestered to leprosy “colonies” or “villages” where they could live, marry and have families though their disease continued to be misunderstood and stigmatized.
When Briton Samuel Pollard came to Shimenkan (Stone Gateway Village) in the early 1900's he worked hard to research leprosy and increase the community’s awareness. He wrote articles, recorded data and created leper colony along with a specialized leprosy hospital (the earliest leprosy hospital recorded in Chinese history) several kilometers from Shimenkan where leprosy patients could continue to live out their lives in peace.

A second addition has been added to the same compound built under Pollard's successor's orders, after the Cultural Revolution, where leprosy patients, now non-infectious, live; still sequestered from society.
In 1988, thanks to a 12 month multi-drug therapy introduced to China in 1982, there are no longer active cases of leprosy left in the Shimenkan “colony”, though a doctor and nurse are still available for patients. The colony is no a legitimate “village” called Liushu (Willow Village) though local people still refer to it as the “Leper Village”. There are 13 patients still living in Liushu and 63 of their relatives—still stigmatized by old Chinese tradition.

In 2005, money was donated to build a third addition. New “dormitories” or “apartments” for the leprosy patients and their families. All together, 20 20-square-meter rooms were constructed. Families with less than 5 people live in one room, and families with 6 more members have two rooms. Each patient receives a 25 RMB (3 USD) stipend every month from the government. Unfortunately, this is not enough to support the living costs of one person, much less a family

In 2005 the money to build a primary school was also donated. However, due to the lack of a teacher, the school was not able to officially begin until 2007. There are around 30 children attending this primary school, aged from six-12, all together in one room.There is one teacher who travels around four hours round trip from Shimenkan to teach the children each day. His salary is 400 RMB per month (50 USD) and is donated by a local Shimenkan church.

We were lucky enough to arrive on the first day of school for these children in Liushu.
After having a chance to teach a short English lesson (including “If you are happy and you know it”) Cammie gave stickers and love to the children attending class. By the time we left, the Chinese teacher was leading the students in a song “…we go to school, we love study, we love labor….” As we know, where there is education and knowledge, there is hope.

Financial Needs and Projects-The government only provides 25 RMB (3 USD) per month for each patient (some of which have over 6 family members). They have been given a bit of land to farm potatoes and corn, but it barely provides enough for daily nutrition needs, and definitely not enough to sell.If they can’t get enough food for their families from the bit of land, they have no money to buy rice an, consequently, will starve. These cases are especially common in the elderly that have no family to help support them.

With their disfigured limbs in the high mountains of Guizhou, they are physically confined to the village (the mountain paths being steep and dangerous for completely functioning people), plus they have no money to wander or work beyond their village. Furthermore, the stigma and superstitions about their disease are still very much alive in Chinese rural communities, (i.e some will not even take the seat of a chair vacated by a leper).

PROJECTS
Living stipends for leprosy patients:Since Aug. 2007 the Chinese government provides a 25 RMB living stipend for the 16 leprosy patients.This money comes twice a year (2007.8-12: 1625 RMB and 2007.8-12: 1625 RMB) to Ma Laoshi to distribute. SJA wishes to match this stipend, as 3 US dollars a month is not a livable sum. This money will come through private donations, any extra money received will be saved until next year.

Library:SJA hopes to raise enough money through private donations to provide a library for children and adults in the Liushu, including equipment such as a television, DVD player and tape-recorder for educational purposes.Proposed finish date: Feb. 2008
Second hand clothing donation: plan to finish before Jan. 2008.
General Coordinator: Cici Zheng (sissyzheng@gmail.com)
Assistant Coordinators: Cammie Brennan (chinanowcommunityproject@gmail.com) pastor at Zhaotong church, Bian Laoshi and Ma Laoshi in Shimenkan