"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15.

Watch rare shocking video footage and hear the heart-wrenching life stories of those stricken with leprosy...

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NEWSLETTER Special Edition February 2007- VOLUME 27
 INDEPENDENT CHURCH IN INDIA PO BOX 238 FREDERICKSBURG, PA 17026
website: www.indchurch.org email:info@indchurch.org

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Muthu: From Outcast To Accepted

Last year the founder of ICII Pastor Britto was in the US speaking in churches, sharing about the need to build these homes for lepers. Our Nov/Dec Finding Lost Souls newsletter contained a touching story of Pastor Britto returning home from America. After Pastor Britto reached India and was traveling home from the airport, tired from the journey, he saw, a very elderly homeless man with leprosy.

Pastor Britto shared, "After being in America, a land filled with abundance, for four months, when I saw this man on my way home I was totally heartbroken to see his suffering". When Pastor Britto and his brother Pastor Richard stopped and began conversing with the man, they learned that his name was Paul (nickname is Muthu) and he had suffered with leprosy for forty long years.

Forty years ago, Muthu's family and his whole village had chased him out of their area because of his disease. Muthu now lived alone in an old, abandoned and damaged hut that stood dangerously close to the road. Muthu was a very lonely man, and he was so happy that the two brothers had stopped to talk with him. Muthu's only way to live was to go begging, and he could only eat if someone's rice was left over from the day before and was beginning to go bad and turning sour. Someone would give Muthu this for food as though they were giving it to a dog. That was Muthu's only way to stay alive.

Pastor Britto praying for Muthu outside the old, leaky, abandoned hut he had been staying in.

Pastor Britto walking with Muthu to the van so
he can go to his new home.

After Pastor Britto shared the Gospel to him, he received Christ. Almost four months later, Pastor Britto and Kathy set out to find Muthu so they could invite him to the new home at the community. After the second try of searching for him, they found him begging near a tea stand and he was very happy to see Pastor Britto again. Pastor Britto and Kathy invited him to come to his new home and he gladly accepted. They told him that they would pick him up the following week when the house he would live was ready to be moved into.

When Pastor Britto and the Smith family arrived to pick him up the following week, Muthu had a bag holding his scanty belongings by his side as he anxiously waited by the road. When he saw Pastor Britto and Kathy he was smiling ear to ear ready to go with them to his new home. Even the neighbors were very glad when ICII took Muthu. They also shared, "We cannot help him because we are also very poor, but we have seen how much he suffers here".

Muthu appreciates receiving
medical care at his new home.

The Smith family and the man who will be working with the agriculture and his son sitting with Noah and Muthu.

On the drive to the land, Muthu shared again that 40 years ago his son, daughter and wife had all forsaken him due to his disease. He was now 70 years old and had been suffering, starving, virtually homeless, alone and rejected for many long years. Each year, his disease-deformed his body more and more. Muthu never had anyone stop to say any kind words to him.

Muthu shared that four months ago when he accepted Christ, things began to get better for him because of Jesus. Before this, he could not even sleep at night, but since he had begun praying to the Lord he could sleep again. Also Muthu shared when he was invited to come to the home, he felt a peace in his heart that he had been given a new family. When Muthu arrived at his new home he felt joy like never before, experiencing this kind of love in Jesus Christ.

Aaron Smith giving Muthu a leprosy compassion pack. Each compassion pack contains a Bible, Christian literature, sandals, socks, a blanket, soap and a towell, coconut oil, toothpaste and a toothbrush, and more.

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