No child is born for leprosy Your gift matched double the number of children you reach today!
Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me. Mark 9:37
Dear friend
PAG E 2 — W ELC O M E
Happy New Year! It’s been wonderful to see God at work through you over the last 12 months. Your kindness and compassion have brought astounding transformation across Odisha in India, in Niger and in many other places. I’m looking forward to sharing updates with you soon! This year, God is leading us to focus on children. To prevent disability and stop leprosy in its tracks far earlier. No child is born for the life that we witnessed in Odisha. I remember holding my daughter, Elizabeth, for the very first time. Her beautiful eyes struggling to focus on mine. Her tiny, perfect fingers peeping over the blanket. I could not have loved this precious bundle of joy more. So much wonder, so much potential. Tears fill my eyes whenever I think back to the first time I saw her. If you have children in your life, I’m sure you will relate to the overwhelming feelings of love and protection. You want them to be happy, healthy and also to have lots of wonderful opportunities. Parents of children affected by leprosy want the same things we do. You can imagine their anguish when health and happiness is ripped away from their child. It’s even worse when poverty and discrimination block the medical care they so desperately need. It’s an intimidating proposition to try to end child leprosy. But we know that where the Lord leads, He provides. Sitting and chatting with children diagnosed with leprosy is always heartbreaking. I feel so humbled that Nisha, a young girl of just 12, has allowed me to share her leprosy story with you because she wants to help others. Isn’t that incredible? At an age when she should be at school, enjoying friendships and dreaming about the future, Nisha is confined to the four walls of her home. Already grieving from the loss of her step-mum to leprosy, her own diagnosis seems so unfair. Hurting and confused, she sits alone in the darkness. We have to show the love of Jesus to children like Nisha – and to their families too.
My prayer is that you will respond, as you always do, to show this love in action. Teams are ready to find and cure children, run school screening for early treatment, and rebuild futures. I’m so encouraged to share that a kind supporter has pledged to match fund this vital work for children. Praise God this means your gifts will have double the impact! At a time when the world is turning its back on those in need, God’s people continue to make a stand in His name and choose compassion. Thank you for being one of these people. So many beautiful children, made in God’s image, continue to suffer in silence. As we begin a new year, would you prayerfully consider joining us to end their fear and isolation? Together we can turn their tears to laughter, and stop another generation being lost to leprosy. With every blessing
Peter Waddup
Chief Executive
P.S. Thank you for praying for people affected by leprosy and teams around the world. Prayer moves the mountain we cannot. If you’d like to join us in prayer with our Lent Devotional, please sign up here.
No child is born for leprosy W ELC O M E — PAG E 3
Discrimination means Nisha is confined to the four walls of her home Photo © Sabrina Dangol
Leprosy should be a thing of the past. Yet it still exists, and it still devastates the lives of thousands of innocent children every year. Robbed of health, safety and opportunity, they are a forgotten generation. Childhoods lost, voices unheard, bodies disabled and futures shattered. God’s justice is not passive. It’s active. Bringing hope to places of despair. God calls us to defend the oppressed and protect the vulnerable. To care for His children and welcome them in His name. We believe that every child is born for more than leprosy. We believe that together as God’s people we must fight for justice and for change. This means finding and curing children
quickly, challenging hatred, restoring hope and rewriting futures. One day, the last ever child will be diagnosed with leprosy. That day will mark the end of suffering and rejection, and the beginning of a future where every child like Nisha is free to grow, play and hope without fear. This doesn’t have to be a dream. Together, in the name of Jesus, we can make it a reality. The time to act is now. We cannot allow another generation of children to be lost to leprosy across Africa and Asia. Together, for every child, we must put leprosy where it belongs – in the past.
— HSAEC T I O N / PAG E T I T L E PAG E 4 — PAG I A ME 4NIS
My story Nisha could feel the lumpy mattress beneath her as she stared at her feet. Loud voices and laughter drifted through the slats that covered the dark room’s window. It was the sound of children on their way to school. A school Nisha also used to go to. A tear ran down her cheek and hit her bare foot.
You can’t play with us, go away!
You’re not clean. Don’t come near us. The taunts echoed in her mind, sending big tears down her cheeks. For someone so young, there was so much to bear. Anger, loneliness, and despair. Nisha lives with her brother in a rural village in India. There isn't much work available, and life is hard. Poverty means their father has to stay many miles away to earn money to send home. She can’t really remember her birth mother who died when she was just 18 months old. But her dad remarried a kind
woman called Maya who was like a mother. The family didn’t have much, but they had each other. Then leprosy struck. It hit Maya first. Visits back and forth to the government hospital didn’t seem to bring much relief. It wasn’t treated properly and Maya felt so weak from infection that she gave up. Nisha tried to help as she watched her mother deteriorate. But there was nothing she could do. When Maya stopped eating, Nisha knew it would only be a matter of time before they lost her. A second mother gone at the age of nine. In the midst of caring for her stepmum, Nisha had ignored the strange patch on her own face. “I thought it was just a rash. We went to see the doctor, and he gave me some cream. But it didn’t make any difference, and the patches seemed to be spreading to my arms. I was really frightened because I didn’t know what was wrong with me. My dad took me from one government hospital to another. He was sick with worry, and like me, still grieving. My face started to swell, and my cheeks were red and sore. I couldn’t hide it. People stopped talking to
I loved going to school, I was so good at Hindi. But I had to leave But I had to leave because I had leprosy. I try as hard as I can to help my father in the house. It’s the only place I feel safe, but it’s also like my prison. I sometimes dream about the life I could have had.” Nisha was no longer welcome. Not in school, not among her friends, not at the well. She threw herself into the only thing she had left. Home life. She cooked rice, fetched water, tidied the house. She tried not to be a burden. But the numbness in her limbs spread. Her skin burned with painful nodules. She didn’t smile anymore. She felt like there was nothing left for her life. Finally, there was a flicker of hope when someone mentioned a Leprosy Mission Hospital to Nisha’s dad. Desperate and running out of options, it felt like a lifeline. And so, with all
the courage they had left, Nisha and her dad made the journey to the hospital together. Nisha was admitted and the diagnosis came quickly. Her little body was desperately trying to fight leprosy. She was frightened, weak, and withdrawn. But for the first time in a very long time, Nisha felt safe. She was given good food, a warm bed, and the kindness that she had so desperately missed. She loved it when the nurses held her hand or gave her a hug. It reminded her of her stepmother’s touch. After three weeks Nisha returned home. With the help of the kind hospital team, she is beginning to win the battle over leprosy in her body. But this is just the start of her fight. Back in the village, the stigma still clings to her. People still whisper. She’s still not allowed back to school. Will she ever have the future she deserves? You can stand with Leprosy Mission teams who care for children like Nisha. In Jesus’ name we must fight to stop leprosy destroying another generation. Together we can return smiles and futures to children like Nisha.
S EC TII OANM / NIS PAGHEA T — I T LPAG E —E PAG 5 E 5
me, they whispered and stared if I went into the village. Even my closest friends wouldn’t come near me anymore. I became unwanted and invisible. I was heartbroken. But there was no-one to hear me as I cried on my bed. My mum was gone, and my dad was working away.
A mother’s pain Leprosy doesn’t just take health, it takes hope.
PAG E E6 — IO PAG EPA T IIN TLE PAG 6 S—EC ATM ON T H/ER'S
Lúcia sits quietly in the dust, under the shade of a mango tree in rural Mozambique. The sun casts shadows across a face etched with the lines of a life filled with struggle. “I don’t know how many years I have lived. But I know I have lived long enough to see both sadness and joy. And nothing has been as painful as watching my children suffer from this disease.” Two years ago, Lúcia noticed unusual patches on her six-year-old daughter’s skin. Not long after, the same discoloured marks appeared on her 15-year-old son. “I didn’t know about leprosy, and I thought it was just a rash from walking barefoot.” At first, she sought help from traditional healers, as is common in her community. But the herbal treatments made no difference. Lúcia began to panic, she lay awake in bed at night crying in the darkness. “I was so afraid. I kept asking myself, why my children? Why at the same time?” You can imagine a mother’s desperation as she watched their health deteriorate. She would have done anything to take away their suffering. About a year later, Lúcia saw some Leprosy Mission posters. When she looked at the photos, she recognised her children’s symptoms. Although she was scared, she also started to feel hope that maybe someone could help them. She was determined to find someone who knew more about this disease. Lúcia and her children began the long walk to the nearest healthpost. Barefoot and head bowed to avoid the glare of the hot sun, she prayed silently until they arrived. As they waited to be seen, Lúcia found out as much as she could about leprosy. Finally, the doctor spent time examining the children and then confirmed her worst fears. Lúcia’s eyes filled with tears as she recalled that moment. “I cried so much that day. My children
could be disabled, lose their fingers and toes. Will my children be rejected? Will they suffer?” With the support of Leprosy Mission volunteers, the children began taking the antibiotics that would cure them. It was a strict routine of daily medication, regular follow-ups, and constant care. Lúcia laughs softly as she shares how determined her children are. “They always remind me about the tablets. ‘Mama, it is time!’. They are like an alarm clock. We never miss a dose. They know this is their chance to heal.” Leprosy Mission volunteers carried out awareness camps in the local community and taught the children in the school about leprosy. Instead of rejection, Lúcia’s family was supported. “We did not face stigma. People accepted my children. That gave me strength. I was not alone.” “Now I look at their skin and see no marks. I feel happiness that I am not able to explain. My children are cured. It is a miracle for us.” The children are already dreaming about their future. Inspired by their love for learning and sharing knowledge, both want to be teachers. Lúcia speaks about them with a mother’s pride. “I want them to study, to grow, to be people who help others. This disease will not define who they are. They are more than leprosy. They are the future.” Early detection remains one of the biggest challenges in countries like Mozambique. Right now, mothers like Lúcia, fathers and grandparents are desperate to save their children from leprosy and the horrors this disease can bring. Every day a child goes undiagnosed, their future is at risk. Together we must act now to bring vital leprosy screening into schools and protect young lives. Awareness camps need to be increased so parents and children can recognise the signs of leprosy and seek treatment before it’s too late. Together, we can break the fear and stigma and show the world that a child with leprosy matters.
S EC / PAGPA E TIN I T L—E — PAG A TMIOOTN H ER'S PAG E E 7 7
Cursed by a snake god?
PAG E 8 — C U R SED BY A S N A K E G O D?
In many cultures, visiting a traditional healer is the first thing that happens when sickness strikes. And while some are harmless and use local herbs for treatment, some are far more dangerous, causing psychological and physical trauma to children with shamanic rituals. But the compassion and prayers of people like you are helping children and their families to break through the darkness. Kamal was just seven when the tell-tale signs of leprosy appeared on his skin. A traditional healer told his family that he was cursed by a snake god. Fear took hold of them as they tried their best to make this snake god happy with prayers and offerings. But nothing seemed to lift the curse. At just seven, he wondered what he had done wrong. This precious child, fearfully and wonderfully made, is known, seen, and loved by our Father in heaven. Yet in our broken world, while battling a cruel disease, Kamal and his family also carried the heavy weight of stigma and fear. But because you showed the love of Jesus through prayer and generosity, Kamal’s story has been rewritten. Over the past year, he has been cured of leprosy, lovingly nursed back to health and joyfully welcomed back to school. God has moved a mountain for this precious little boy.
to understand that the disease was not their fault. Ruth continues to support Kamal emotionally. After months of care at Anandaban, he returned home to his family. He was greeted with tears of joy by his little sister, Munna, who had missed him terribly and feared he might never return. Ruth had gone before him, raising awareness in his village to dispel the fear and myths surrounding leprosy. Her dedication and answered prayers meant Kamal returned home to a more understanding and welcoming community. God’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. Because of you, that light has broken into Kamal’s young life. His bright smile, growing confidence and joy at being back in school are living proof of God’s healing and the hope you have brought into the world. Thank you for being part of Kamal’s story. Together, with God’s grace, we can continue to bring hope and healing to so many other children like Kamal. Children whose health, freedom and joy have been cruelly stolen by leprosy.
Thanks to your kindness, Anandaban Hospital in Nepal was a beacon of light for Kamal. He needed to take tablets to cure his leprosy for a year. That’s a long time for a little boy. Kamal didn’t really understand the implications of the disease but often cried because his tongue was very sore and he struggled to breathe through his nose. Just 18 months ago, his face was hidden behind painful patches and lumps. His eyes were swollen, and the airway in his nose was so inflamed he could barely breathe. Leprosy had taken a firm grip on his small body. Nobody could have imagined he would recover until he and his mother, Pramila, made a brave and long journey to Anandaban Hospital. Kamal and his mum needed more than physical healing. They needed to know that there was no curse on their family. Ruth, the hospital counsellor, gently taught them about leprosy and helped them
Kamal at the start of his treatment at Anandaban Hospital
A picture of health: Kamal is overjoyed to be reunited with his little sister Munna after many months of treatment at Anandaban Hospital
EC T I O / PAG — PAG E 9E 9 C U RSSED BYN A S N AEK T E I TGLOED? — PAG
PAG E 1 0 — N U R SE RIN K I'S C ALLIN G
Nurse Rinki’s calling
Photo © Sabrina Dangol
'"Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him." It's a promise I pray over every child.' The morning light spills through the hospital windows, brushing the faces of children who have known more pain than most. In the centre of the ward Nurse Rinki is crouched beside a young boy, carefully dressing his wound. Her hands are steady, but it’s her smile that steadies him. “There,” she says softly, smoothing the bandage, “all done”. The child glances up, unsure at first, but then smiles back. He feels safe.
Her journey to this moment began in a tiny village far from Champa Hospital in India. It began in the arms of a woman who first lit the fire of compassion and purpose in her heart. Her grandmother, a nurse whose quiet service shaped Rinki’s life before she even knew what it meant to serve. She had worked in a rural hospital, often leaving at night to help deliver babies or tend to the sick. As a child, Rinki sometimes went with her, holding her hand in the dark and watching how patients adored her. “People loved my grandmother,” she recalls. “She was always dedicated to her patients, she gave everything. I wanted to be like that.” When Rinki lost her father at just 12 years old, her mother, a housewife, stepped into his job to support the family. They had little, but Rinki had already been shaped by strength. She studied hard, entered nursing college and committed herself to a life of service. That’s when she first learned about leprosy, not through personal experience, but through her studies. “I never saw it as a child. Only later, through textbooks and training, did I realise how serious and neglected it was.” After graduating, Rinki planned to join another hospital. But a phone call from a friend, and a quiet prayer, changed everything. “I asked God to send me where He needed me most,” she said. The
In those early years, resources were few and leprosy was still feared. Many patients arrived late, already badly affected. “I saw children in pain, rejected by their communities, confused and scared. I thought of my own son and daughter. That could be them. So I cared for each child like my own.” One of those children was Kavita, a bright 16-yearold with advanced leprosy. Rinki and her team worked tirelessly to treat her. “We became close,” smiles Rinki. “I still remember her laugh.” But Kavita’s family, weary and mistrusting, withdrew her from care. She died soon after. “We were devastated,” Rinki says. “She had dreams. Her parents had dreams. It broke my heart.” As a mother, these losses cut deep. But they also deepen her resolve. When she looks into a child’s eyes and sees fear, Psalm 91 comes to mind: “Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him.” It’s a promise she prays over every child. Rinki is deeply proud of her two children. Her daughter, inspired by Rinki’s service, is studying to become a doctor. Her son dreams of civil service. “They’ve seen the struggles. They’ve seen the joy. They want to help too. That’s my greatest pride.” What makes her hospital special, she says, is the love. “We treat patients like family. Especially the children. We check on them again and again, play games, talk, pray. We never leave them to suffer alone.” That love goes both ways. When Rinki’s husband was critically ill last year, it was former patients who called, prayed, and encouraged her. “That’s the love of Christ,” she says. “That’s what holds us all.” Today, Rinki is a pillar of the hospital, respected and faithful. She continues to fight for an end to child leprosy, especially as she’s seen cases rise again in recent years, due to poverty, poor living conditions and stigma. Her message to supporters in the UK is simple and heartfelt: “Thank you. You may be far, but your support helps us be close to these children. Close to their healing and to their futures. We pray for you as you pray for us. We are one family.” And as the sun rises again tomorrow, Rinki will be there — bandaging wounds, offering prayers and spreading hope. Under God’s wings, and with hands of mercy, she continues to change the world, one child at a time.
N U R SE RIN K I'S C ALLIN G — PAG E 11
Here, among patients marked by stigma and suffering, she brings not just medical care, but dignity, calm and the kind of loving attention every child deserves. She is a living embodiment of Psalm 91, the passage she turns to often to give her strength, ‘He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge’. For over 22 years, Rinki has been one of those wings. Offering refuge, comfort and care to the most vulnerable — children affected by leprosy.
next day, I was on a train to Champa.” It was her first train journey. She arrived nervous and unsure, surrounded by dense forest and unfamiliar faces. But she quickly made the hospital her home.
I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full
PAG E 1 2 — B UILDIN G BRIG H T FU T U RES
John 10:10
Building bright futures When families struggle to afford even the basics, education becomes a luxury easily lost. With no college certificate or training, and carrying the stigma of leprosy, breaking free from poverty seems impossible. That’s why The Leprosy Mission runs six vocational training centres across India, giving teenagers the chance to build a positive future. These centres offer free, accredited courses in subjects from IT to electrical work, equipping students with marketable skills to get a good job or start their own businesses. Students live at the centres during training. They have good food, medical care and support from teachers who understand their challenges - many with lived experience of leprosy themselves. This compassionate environment helps young people heal from the psychological scars of rejection and discrimination.
There are lots of fun social activities to boost confidence, practical life skills like cooking and growing food, and workshops on CV writing and interview techniques. We also partner with local businesses to provide work placements and jobs. The team helps employers to understand about leprosy and how they can meet the needs of people with leprosy and disability in the workplace. God has really blessed this work with a 98% average employment rate after graduation. Suresh hopes he will soon join the long list of success stories. Suresh focuses intently as he tightens the nuts on an engine, then looks up with a proud smile at the teacher who is training him in diesel mechanics. He’s 16, and like every young man of his age, Suresh has a dream for his future. He wants to open his own garage.
B UILDIN G BRIG H T FU T U RES — PAG E 1 3
For a long time, Suresh believed there was little hope for his future. His parents worked as builders, earning a small daily wage. They often struggled to make ends meet and couldn’t always afford school fees. When he was just 11, painful lumps appeared on his body. Suresh’s joints ached, and he had a constant fever. His parents, unaware of leprosy, assumed it was just an allergy. Without treatment, the disease was left to damage the nerves in Suresh’s feet, slowly stealing sensation and movement. It was only when he started to struggle to walk that they finally sought medical help. Can you imagine the fear of learning your child needs medicine you can’t afford? Of hearing they could become permanently disabled without it? Suresh and his parents were terrified about what the future would hold.
But the kindness of people like you meant The Leprosy Mission was there when Suresh needed help. He received free treatment for leprosy and the chance to learn a skill that could transform his life. Suresh was thrilled to start an accredited course in diesel mechanics. Suddenly, his dream of opening a garage felt possible again. Today, Suresh speaks quietly as he shares his journey with leprosy. Though cured, his health struggles continue with pins and needles in his feet, shaky hands and swollen patches on his face. Yet he’s determined that leprosy will not define him. He’s seizing the opportunity to train with both hands. There are countless young people like Suresh, affected by leprosy and longing for an opportunity to build a future for themselves and their families. Together, we can give them that chance and help them leave poverty behind.
PAG E 1 4 — W ILL YO U S T O P LEPR O S Y FR O M S T E ALIN G A N O T H ER CHILD H O O D?
Will you stop leprosy from stealing another childhood? As you turned the pages of this edition of New Day, you met Nisha. You will have seen the injustice and the heartbreak a child faces when leprosy enters their life. And the courage it takes for a young girl to hope again. It shouldn’t be like this, should it? Leprosy steals so much from these precious little ones. Nisha’s story is not an exception. Her story is a lens that reveals a hidden crisis affecting thousands of children across Asia and Africa. And today, I'm inviting you to step into that crisis with the same compassion and determination that you always show. Leprosy doesn’t make the headlines, but it wages a relentless war on the most vulnerable. It attacks nerves. It steals feeling from small hands and feet. And it leaves children at risk of burns, cuts, infection and disability. But the physical effects are only half the battle. You’ve seen in Nisha’s story what stigma does. The pain etched on her face by the taunts, isolation and rejection. The loss of precious family members and even an education. Nisha carries the fear of being left behind forever. If this were happening here in the UK, it would be a national emergency. But because it’s happening far away, the world tolerates it.
But you don’t. You have always shown that you stand with the marginalised. Your love, compassion, and faithfulness matter so much right now. Leprosy is curable. A simple course of antibiotics can end the disease. But children are still being diagnosed too late. Poverty, lack of awareness, and deep-rooted myths stop families from seeking help. By the time they do, leprosy has already begun its cruel work. Early diagnosis is everything. When we reach a child in time, we can stop leprosy in its tracks. We prevent nerves from being damaged, stop injury, protect eyesight, and protect futures. But when children are found too late, the battle becomes harder. Curled fingers make writing so challenging for little ones. Numb feet lead to wounds that won’t heal. Schools turn them away and communities shut them out. Sometimes, even families turn their backs. Can you imagine how that must feel? This is the hidden war we must fight together. Nisha’s life changed direction because of supporters like you. Because you cared enough to make sure hospitals like Champa existed. When she walked through those doors, she was met not with fear, but with compassion. She was seen as the precious and valued child she is. Created in the image of God.
can protect little hands and restore young futures. You can help take us one step closer to the day when the very last child will ever hear the word leprosy.
Thankfully, you are someone who believes every child is born for more than leprosy. You are someone who believes that faith must look like action.
Excitingly, today, your love will have DOUBLE the impact. Right now, every gift you give up to £100,000 will be matched by a kind supporter who shares your heart for children affected by leprosy.
Together, we are doing everything we can to end child leprosy. And your support will play a powerful part. With your help, in 2026, we plan to reach at least 50,000 more children through school screening for leprosy. Teaching children and teachers about the early signs of the disease. Explaining the importance of getting the antibiotics that will cure them. We know that for some children, leprosy will have already begun to do its worst. So we must ensure Leprosy Mission hospitals are ready. Equipped with surgeons to straighten small fingers twisted by leprosy. Technicians to craft prosthetic limbs. Physiotherapists to teach children how to walk again. And Counsellors to gently help traumatised teenagers rediscover confidence and worth. These life-changing steps can be possible because of people like you. When you read Nisha’s story earlier in this magazine, you stepped closer to her world. You saw her loneliness, her bravery and her quiet longing to belong again. And now you have a chance to stand with her and with every child who shares her fear and her hope. You can break stigma with compassion. You
That means twice the healing and twice the hope. Please prayerfully consider how you can respond. Picture what your gift could achieve today. The difference your kindness could make in the lives of children like Nisha. Today, I’m asking you to stand once more. What part will you play? Together, in the name of Jesus, let’s fight this hidden war and win it.
P.S. See overleaf to find out how Peter Waddup
Chief Executive
Your donations doubled! Every pound you give will be matched
W ILL YO U S T O P LEPR O S Y FR O M S T E ALIN G A N O T H ER CHILD H O O D? — PAG E 1 5
Nisha still faces stigma. She still hasn’t been allowed back to school. Her future remains uncertain. And there are thousands more children just like her.
£24
Please donate what you can today
cures a child of leprosy
£125 funds reconstructive surgery, restoring movement to hands and feet disabled by leprosy
£204 enables a community awareness camp to teach people about signs, symptoms and treatment for leprosy
£500 provides a custommade prosthetic limb, giving a child mobility and independence
£690 pays for one year’s vocational training to get a good job
£10,000 screens 25,000 schoolchildren for leprosy and helps to save a generation from disease, disability and discrimination
Today your love will DOUBLE the impact. Every £ you give will be matched up to £100,000!
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