The Leprosy Mission New Zealand

Mong Tan Mro is an uneducated human being of natural way of life from the Chittagong Hills. He had never seen the modern world. He knew only rising in daylight, working all day, and sleeping at night.

At the age of 10, he found a patch on his skin which had no feeling. He was taken to the jungle for traditional healing. The anesthesia patch was cut by a broken bottle and bandaged with leaves for three days.

The treatment failed. He was taken to the traditional healer again and again untill he was 32 years of age. In 2002 the people of his village took him to the jungle and never allowed him to come back.

For five years, Mong Tan felt abandoned, alone, and very afraid of wild animal attacks elephants, tigers, and wolves and inauspicious spirits. He developed many more anethesia patches, ulcers and a fever. He didn't want to die alone in the jungle, with no religious sermons over his body. He feared for his soul. He decided to return home, but was chased away many times by the villagers. so he walked for three long days, and then took a boat to the Alikadam Bazaar.

For three weeks he looked for his own tribes people. But some dishonest rickshaw pullers charged him excessive fares. Penniless, he went back to the jungle, but then returned again some time later. This time, God gave a pretty mercy on him. A man told him to go to a leprosy-affected woman, Mrs Lampati Tripura. When Lampati saw the condition of his health, she gave him medicine, food, and shelter for the night. Then she brought him to the local clinic, where I was working that day.

Mong Tan Mro said "No-one try to understand me. No-one consider me as a man. But Sister Lampati gave me food, cloth and shelter, and The Leprosy Mission saved me from dying."

Weeks later, I visited him at the hospital. He is getting better, and he has gratitude in his eyes. I asked if he would like to go back to his village. "Sir, I want to show my villagers that I am cured now. I can live together with you all. I have no problem now."

Mong Tan Mro is now being helped to reintegrate into society through our Well-being Project in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Please help The Leprosy Mission continue this essential work to enable people affected by leprosy, who are cut off from the outside world, to live their lives with dignity.

Find out more about the Well-being Project in Chittagong Hill Tracts