by Dr. Julie Lincoln, SIM Nepal
18 September 2009

Rajan was burnt on his leg as a young boy and his low-caste family was too poor to seek medical treatment. Burns are very common in Nepal, especially among women and children. Children sleep by the open fire and often roll into the fire at night. Local treatment is to rub a mixture of cow dung and grass onto the burn which is very painful and can cause infection. Lack of good treatment at the time can cause problems and burn contractures later on.

As time passed Rajan’s burn healed but with a big scar several inches thick on the back of his knee and leg. His right leg was permanently bent at the knee and he couldn’t straighten his leg or bend it any further. He also kept developing wounds and ulcers on the old burn site, and the other children tormented him because of his limp and the smell of the ulcers. When he came to our leprosy/rehab centre we could see he would need an operation to cut away the burn scar and skin grafting. But first he needed good nutrition and his ulcer to heal.

We admitted him for treatment of the ulcer, gave him nutritious food, and treated him for his worm and Giardia infections. When the ulcer was healed, we sent him to the nearest surgical mission hospital for operation and skin grafting. Then he came back to us for care while the graft was healing and for rehabilitation. Rajan is a much happier boy now that his leg is on the mend, his future is looking much brighter and he has shown a keen interest in reading stories about Jesus while in our centre. We are praying that by the time he leaves, he will not only have experienced physical healing but also spiritual.

Pray

• For Rajan and others like him who need affordable medical help.
• For Julie and others who are working diligently to make a difference in Nepal.
• That God will use them to draw these Nepalese people to himself.

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You can help Julie and her colleagues extend their impact through prayer and through giving to the CATS project. Learn more about CATS and how it is being used to bring hope to Nepalese people.

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