About

James Pender and Graham Joseph Hill discuss ministries transforming and empowering the lives of people affected by Leprosy. The Global Church Project episode #161. On www.TheGlobalChurchProject.comJames Pender is the Programmes and Advocacy Officer – Asia at The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, having formerly held the position of Development and Natural Resource Management Advisor for the Church of Bangladesh Social Development Programme. James was immersed in mission work in Bangladesh for nine years.James said: “Leprosy is a disease of poverty and there is widespread poverty across Bangladesh with more than half of the population living on less than US$1 a day.“Leprosy breeds in squalid conditions and there is a rising number of new cases in Bangladesh. If left untreated, the disease causes nerve damage which leads to disability.“I’ve met leprosy-affected people in Bangladesh that have attempted suicide as they have felt so dejected by not only facing the stigma that still surrounds leprosy, but the desperate situation of not being able to work and feed their families.”The Leprosy Mission is an international Christian development organisation that diagnoses, treats and offers specialist care, including reconstructive surgery, to leprosy patients. Their aim is to transform and empower the lives of people affected by leprosy.Leprosy is a disease of poverty and as well as providing healthcare, the Leprosy Mission offers rehabilitation, education, vocational training, small business loans, housing and fresh water supplies and sanitation to tens of thousands of people each year. The Leprosy Mission provides a springboard to restored health, self-sufficiency and renewed hope. Their services are provided regardless of religion or ethnicity, promoting equality and social justice. See: https://www.leprosymission.org.uk