St. Lazarus Village 성라자로마을

                                                  
           (written in 2002)

Have you ever been to St. Lazarus Village in Anyang, the first Catholic relief institution for lepers in Korea? I stayed there for a month while joining the yearly intensive mission program of our congregation. Located near the Morak mountain range, this village is well-known for its cozy, natural, and beautiful scenery. Large trees reveal its history. St. Lazarus Village intends to cure and help the lepers. The name of Lazarus came from a beggar covered with boils who was received by Jesus in the New Testament. In 1950, throughout Korea, the situation of lepers was very miserable, like that of the beggar.

 St. Lazarus Village was founded in 1950 by the Rev. George Caroll, and the first Korean director of that village was the late Fr. Lee Kyong-jae Alexander, who was named in 1970 as the seventh director. In honor of Fr. Damian, Fr. Lee lived with the lepers for about 30 years, up to his death in 1998. He first encountered a leper in 1951. By that time, he was neither afraid of the lepers nor had any feeling of rejection toward them. Naturally, he did his best to turn their anxiety and sadness into joy. With his firm belief that “sooner or later the seeds of our love will grow,” he dedicated himself to living with the lepers. This motto of love is written on the marble wall near the main street of the village.

 As I looked around the village, I thought Fr. Lee was a great person with vision and intuition. He planned his life wisely and lived a frugal life. He insisted on wearing a winter cassock, even in summer, in order not to wear better clothes than the lepers. With a long-sighted view, he built various nice houses and tried to spread God’s love to his leper friends. He once said that “it is worthwhile and the most beautiful thing to live for others as a human being.” In this way, he made every effort to create a pleasant environment for the poor lepers and tell people all over the world about their difficult lives. There was a naturally great help from sponsors. About 30 buildings were built thanks to their generous and willing help.

 Now, St. Lazarus Village is able to help other Asian countries with support programs. The present director, Fr. Kim Wha-tae, confessed that he brought soju (distilled spirits) to make friends with the lepers when he was named the director of the village. Now, he tries to extend help and service to other poor countries.

 Hansen’s disease is specified as an infectious disease. It ruins the nervous system and distorts the shape of hands, skin, or eyes. This disease was known 2,000 years ago but was medically identified by a Norwegian doctor, Hansen, in 1873. It infects through scarred skin and respiratory organs. The exact reason for the infection is not yet known. Nevertheless, it can be cured by multi-drug therapy.

 When it first takes effect, leprosy does not cause a certain feeling when pinched or touched hard. It is possible to recover if it is discovered in the beginning steps. However, this germ can develop into Hansen’s disease if a doctor makes the wrong prescription. It was a pity for me to see a young man come to the village in August this year. He didn’t know about his disease because of the doctor’s incorrect prescription. There are presently about 100 aged and disabled leprous patients at the institution. Along with this village, there are about 25 clinics, seven camps, and 89 farms for lepers in Korea.

 One day while taking a walk, I happened to meet a middle-aged leper who came to the village six years ago. She was initially informed she had cancer, but her disease turned out to be leprosy. So, she had to have both legs amputated below the knees and was shunned by her family. She said her sister called her a corpse. In spite of her situation, she was married to a leper friend in the village. Every autumn, she eagerly picks chestnuts and acorns with her curled fingers to share with elder neighbors with poor eyesight due to taking multiple drug treatments. With sweat beading on her forehead, she happily goes around the village three times a day with the help of her small car. I still remember her picking acorns with her curled hands.

 Let me quote a beautiful prose poem written by Fr. Lee:

 “There are some people who spend time and money on their hair. 

   Yet there are others, like people affected by leprosy, who slowly lose their hair.

  There are some people who shape their eyebrows. 

  Yet there are others, like people affected by leprosy, who lose their eyebrows.

  There are some people who look at others with hate. 

  Yet there are others, who have eyes that see less and less.

  There are some people who use their mouths to lie and hurt people. 

  Yet there are others whose mouths are twisted and cannot speak clearly.

  There are some people who hurt others with their hands. 

  Yet there are others whose fingers are so curved and broken away 

   that they cannot wear a ring or even hold a spoon.

  There are some people who walk to places they should not go. 

  Yet there are others who have such diseased feet and toes that they cannot walk at all.

  There are some people who dress in luxury. 

  Yet there are others who are only given old, worn-out second-hand clothes.

  There are some people who have much to eat and drink. 

  Yet there are others who even on their birthday or holidays do not have warm food to eat.

  There are some people who go out to enjoy their bodies with other men and women. 

  Yet there are others who must live with bodies that smell bad and are painfully covered with sores.

  There are some people who make money dishonestly. 

  Yet there are others who cannot even work to earn money even if they are honest people.

  There are some people who live selfishly without taking care of their families. 

  Yet there are others who cannot live with their families and must live in restricted areas.

  There are some people who complain and do not thank God for all they have received from Him. 

  Yet there are others who are living in disfigured shapes, suffering, 

  without the freedom to live among others or hope for a cure from doctors.”

 

 The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times/ Oct. 10, 2002