INTRODUCTION
Just to indicate how bad the stigma regarding leprosy, I am a normal healthy person and persons in order to shame and disgrace me are classing me as a spiritual leper this is just an indication of how the stigma and discrimination regarding leprosy is ever present in our society.
Mon peuple, mon peuple it is that time of the month again. I told you half of the year is gone not to worry you have the other half to turn all your visions into reality. I tell you the future is bright, my Spirit is ignited I grow with favour with God and man. Still here in the worthless country called Canada I have moved the Ottawa now. I will not compare Canadian cities either way I will get myself in trouble. Suffice it to say I went to lie near the river, yes the river here in Ottawa, mosquitoes nearly drew me away. I wondered to myself where did I get my concept of foreign from.There would be no mosquitoes and cockroaches. I almost had to call the foggers from Jamaica to help me get rid of the crater load of mosquitoes. An aside, here people I am remembering as I write an incident that took place in Toronto. I was in Toronto at the Richtree Restaurants in Eaton Centre on Queen Street in Toronto. Their food is to die for all natural, love their muffins. I also had an omelette there when my cashflow was not so challenged. Let me get to the meat of the matter. I went into the washroom and there was this lady using one of the sinks. I went into my favourite cubicle the accessible one. Then came out to my surprise there was an insect looking like a teenage roach in the basin. Immediately I said to the lady without missing a beat ‘Madame I am not that small roach, I am a ‘Drummer’ roach. Do you know those big black ones that you have to intentionally kill. I said you are rude and out of order to be calling me a teenage roach.’ Having said that I said rude, unuh nuh si how mi hard fi ded’ (Do you not see how hard I am to die?) and laugh off my head and left the washroom. I am still laughing. For those of you who do not know ‘drummer’ roach they are fat and black and you rarely see them You have to stamp on them to kill them. You might think they are dead and then you see them moving. They have no wings and they move very slowly. Words can break you when you do not know who you are. They said Jesus had a demon, he was the king of demons and he was also mad.
Well people it is now the wee hours of the morning on July 11, and I am in the Greyhound Bus Station at Catherine Street in Ottawa. I tell you people I had to run and leave St. Catharines, that is a Nigerian stronghold and they are very hostile in that municipality towards me. My brother has two desktop computers and one laptop, I am not allowed to go near any of them. Then I went to the YMCA in town. They always have a lot going on, I ignored them and was going through my routine when the system was shut down on me. I recently changed some of my passwords my stuff are not as easily accessible. At this stage I decided it was profiting me nothing to stay in St. Catharines. I convinced my brother to pay my fare to return to Ottawa, since I was not up to playing anyone’s games. One of the things that I have come to realize about Canada is that there are a lot of idle people due to Social Assistance and Ontario Disability Support Programme (ODSP) victims. The underlying problem is that these people are very manipulable. The government and its cohorts are not short of eyes to keep me under surveillance. Then again, Blog time is also warfare time.
Let me get you caught up on the major happenings in my life. I have finally gotten passport after my series of protest from 2018 to present. Passport Canada tried to delay me but the Minister has realized by now that I am not someone to play around with, only the people who do not have any prospects in life call me a ball. I had to pull out my Bible in the Passport Canada Office ‘The weapons of my warfare are not carnal…’you finish II Corinthians 10 verse 4. The passport like my bank account has to travel close to Betsy. Between the Nigerians, Chinois, Pakistanis and the Caucasians I do not know which one is more crooked. A girl has to protect her property. Another reason for my harassment is the fact that I am taking out a civil suit against MetroLinx. If you allow these criminals to get away with one thing, they become a pestilence in your skin. Having knocked me down with the GO Bus and thinking they have gotten off freely, they decided to go one step further and aid and abet in the stealing of my money and bank card. They went a bit too far. As I have written to the Human Rights Commission they are both complicit. If when I filed my first claims they had dealt with the matter with integrity things would not have slipped to this level. The goal now is to acquire the amount I need for plane fare and accommodations. We know that this amount has been provided from the foundation of the Earth. I will just call it in. People I say these things not for my own benefit but just to give you an insight into the operations of the kingdom. Ever wondered why you have a whole church, Pastor is prosperous and the members are hanging on or sick and broke. This is the reason, they are teaching from their books and not the word. From here on in, in this kingdom, it is only the word of God it is pure applied knowledge (WISDOM). I want you all when the Pastor teaches on Sunday or whenever to go through the sermon notes and then drop him/her an email or communicate with him however best it suits you. The only question you are going to ask is ‘Pastor how do we apply (insert principle taught or seek clarification) in our day to day lives?’ For every principle the Pastor teaches on you ask the ‘how to’ question. I guarantee you the messages in the pulpit would change on a Sunday. Unfortunately, not many of us are like the Bereans Acts 17 verse 11. We get the word and then carry on our daily lives no correlation between the two. Now do you see the disconnect. The word of God and the principles of God should be driving our lives. Anyway we will get there
I tell you people I had to buy myself a bottle of Eucalyptus Oil based on m Blog Page DR JEKYLL CANADIANS the Nazis and the Mafias have decided that they would test me so they have been bombarding me with flu virus. I mean everywhere I went, a Muslim lady was passing through the Billings Bridge bus stop where I was seated reading and she was covered from head to toe, only her eyes were showing. Seem she was old that the air was being poisoned. I had to laugh. When I turned on the computers I only used the ear phones to listen to the International Central Gospel Church in Ghana, the fumes were terrible. Another ingenious way way I see they have of bombarding me with the virus is to have someone sitting next to me on the bus with their cell phone on and their ear plugs in place.The last two Sundays using the computer in Walmart I almost died of sniffles. I accumulated a pile of tissue in the process. When I left the computer there was not one sniffle. Then I went into the store to shop and there was a stock of Eucalyptus Oil when I returned the following day they all disappeared. I was not even looking for same, I wanted some Vitamin E Oil for my skin, I want to restore the natural glow because it has really undergone some challenges with the number of skin altering chemicals that have been placed in my toiletries. Anyway because of the onslaught of the flu virus and the grogginess in my throat I had to purchase a bottle of Eucalyptus oil at another Walmart. I now see Walmart carrying a whole line of oils and hair products for us coloured people.
Let us move forward in the blog, I tell you one African Pastor wanted to lay hands on me and heal me of my leprosy that the Nigerians advised that I had. I said really it is not bothering me you are going to have to heal someone else. From that time these people and their Nazis and Mafias will not leave me alone seems I am not contagious because they are trying to keep me in this country against my will. At the time these things were happening it was not funny but looking back in retrospect I am quite right to want to flee such a country as this. More in the book!!
REFLECTIONS
You know people I have been called many names and many sermons have been preached on my life experiences that I just felt an urge to explore the disease of leprosy. One of Pastor Adeboye’s favourite topics right up there with the Madman of Gadara and the woman with the issue of blood. To say I am glad I followed the leadings of the Spirit is an understatement. You will see why as we proceed. We will look at the disease called Leprosy or Hansen's Diseases, we will look at a modern day case study, then we will look at Jesus’ healing of the lepers and the spiritual significance and we will look at the situation in the world today and ask for some practical application.
CRITICAL DEFINITIONS
Disease -Noun- A disorder in a structure or function in a human, animal or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.
Faith - Noun -
- Confidence or trust in a person or thing
- Belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion
- A system of religious belief.
- Belief that is not based on physical proof
- Belief in anything as a code of ethics, standards of merits etc
- The obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement etc.
Heal - Verb -
Used with object
- to make healthy whole or sound; restore to health; free from ailment;
- To bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between persons or groups; usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile:
- To free from evil, cleanse, purify:
Used without object
- To effect a cure
- (of a wound broken bone, etc) to become whole or sound, mend, get well (often followed by up or over).
Incurable - Adjective
- Not curable, that cannot be cured, remedied, or corrected;
- Not susceptible to change
Noun -a person suffering from an incurable disease.
Leprosy -Noun - is a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discolouration and lumps on the skin, and in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. Leprosy is now mainly confined to tropical Africa and Asia.
OVERVIEW OF THE DISEASE CALLED LEPROSY OR HANSEN’S DISEASE
Let us all be educated together
Key Facts
- Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae.
- M. leprae multiplies slowly and the incubation period of the disease, on average, is 5 years.
- The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and also the eyes.
- Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).
- Leprosy is likely transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contacts with untreated cases.
- There were 211 009 new leprosy cases registered globally in 2017, according to official figures from 159 countries from the 6 WHO Regions.
- Based on 193 118 cases at the end of 2017, prevalence rate corresponds to 0.3/10 000.
- Symptoms may occur within 1 year but can also take as long as 20 years or even more to occur.
- Untreated, leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus. The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability.
Brief history of the disease and treatment
Leprosy is an age-old disease, described in the literature of ancient civilizations. Throughout history, people afflicted have often been ostracized by their communities and families.
In 1873, when people believed leprosy was the result of a curse or a judgement from the gods, Dr. A. Hansen, a physician from Norway, discovered that leprosy was caused by bacteria. He proved it was a contagious disease, like so many other plagues in our world. And when you find the cause of a disease, there is hope of finding a cure.
Although leprosy was managed differently in the past, the first breakthrough occurred in the 1940s with the development of the medicine dapsone. The duration of treatment lasted many years, often a lifetime, making compliance difficult. In the 1960s, M. leprae started to develop resistance to dapsone, the only known anti-leprosy medicine at that time. In the early 1960s, rifampicin and clofazimine were discovered and subsequently added to the treatment regimen, which was later labelled as multidrug therapy (MDT).
In 1981, WHO recommended MDT. The currently recommended MDT regimen consists of medicines: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. This treatment lasts for six months for pauci-bacillary and 12 months for multi-bacillary cases. MDT kills the pathogen and cures the patient.
Since 1995 WHO has provided MDT free of cost. Free MDT was initially funded by The Nippon Foundation, and since 2000 it is donated through an agreement with Novartis until at least 2020.
Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem (defined as a registered prevalence of less than 1 case per 10 000 population) was achieved globally in 2000. More than 16 million leprosy patients have been treated with MDT over the past 20 years.
Changing the Mindset Toward Leprosy
Over the passing of time, leprosy has drawn increased attention around the globe. The last Sunday in January has been observed as World Leprosy Day for more than 60 years. But while most countries have been freed from the grip of leprosy as a result of leprosy elimination programs, other areas are still high in battle against the disease.
Brazil, India and Indonesia account for more than 80 percent of new cases detected globally and areas of Africa also detect leprosy in high numbers. The transmission of leprosy is slowly decreasing, but more must be done, especially regarding the elimination of stigma.
WHO response
In 2016 WHO launched its "Global Leprosy Strategy 2016–2020: Accelerating towards a leprosy-free world" to reinvigorate efforts for leprosy control. The strategy focuses on children as well as on avoiding disabilities.
The Global Leprosy Strategy 2016‒2020 is structured around following 3 core pillars:
Pillar I: Strengthen government ownership, coordination and partnership
Pillar II: Stop leprosy and its complications
Pillar III: Stop discrimination and promote inclusion
Targets of the Global Leprosy Strategy
- Zero disabilities among new paediatric patients.
- A grade-2 disability rate of less than 1 case per 1 million people.
- Zero countries with legislation allowing discrimination on basis of leprosy.
In 2016, WHO published an Operational Manual to facilitate adaptation and implementation of the Global Leprosy Strategy 2016‒2020. The manual provides guidance for managers of national leprosy programmes (or equivalent entities) to adapt and implement the Global Leprosy Strategy according to the epidemiological burden in their own country.
In 2017 WHO's Global Leprosy Programme published the Monitoring and Evaluation Guide–Global leprosy strategy 2016-2020 The Global Leprosy Programme is taking the lead in expanding the network for surveillance of leprosy drug resistance, defined as a key intervention under the Global Leprosy Strategy. A guide for the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in leprosy was also published.
CASE STUDY - SOMALIA
Africa is my baby so we do not want the disease to spread further which is why I am looking at the work being done in Somalia.
Somalia: rehabilitating public health services and enhancing treatment coverage for leprosy
27 March 2019 | Geneva −− After years of conflict, Somalia is revitalizing its health infrastructure to reach people in all parts of the country and reconstituting a national unit on control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) within the Ministry of Health to include control and elimination of leprosy.
Based on the current disease burden, Somalia fulfils the criteria for a global priority country. Almost 5,000 new cases of leprosy have been detected within four years, the number of patients increasing from 107 in 2015 to 2,610 in 2018. Of the 2,610 new cases detected in 2018, 1,207 (46%) were women, 138 (5%) were children and 129 (5%), including three children, presented with grade-2 disabilities or visible deformities.
Deep-rooted stigmatization has prevented many patients from seeking treatment early, leading to visible deformities and disabilities.
Active leprosy case-finding campaigns, initially covering camps of internally displaced people, have been extended to other affected regions. WHO is providing technical support, with funding from The Nippon Foundation.
For the past two centuries, leprosy in Somalia has been limited to pockets of endemicity. However, new cases have emerged in different parts of the country, due partly to population movements caused by drought and protracted civil unrest, and a large number has accumulated in camps that house displaced people.
WHO, in consultation with the newly reconstituted unit on NTD control, conducted a monitoring mission on 13–17 January 2019 to assess the leprosy situation and the progress in implementing the Global Leprosy Strategy 2016‒2020. National data were reviewed, and field visits undertaken to obtain first-hand information on routine services and case detection campaigns.
Staff from the Global Leprosy Programme, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Country Office evaluated how many patients had completed a full course of multidrug treatment and made recommendations to the national programme on how to improve coverage and quality of services in the country.
The revival of the leprosy elimination programme in Somalia relies on high-level political commitment, and it is now periodically reviewed by the Minister of Health and Human Services Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur, who has called for an end to all forms of stigmatization.
The Minister has also called on health workers and the community to promote early case detection and prompt treatment.
Partners, including the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations, are discussing the possibility of a national partnership to expand country capacity over the next few years.
JESUS TYPE OF FAITH - THE UNCTION TO HEAL INCURABLE DISEASES
The major scripture in the old testament are Leviticus 13 and 14 in which God laid out the principle of how to detect leprosy and how to treat people with the disease. There is a lengthy passage on cleansing of leprosy in chapter 14. Jesus healed many people of leprosy St. Matthew 11 verse 5 and St. Luke 7 verse 22.
Leviticus 13
There is some speculation as to whether the illness now called Hansen's disease is the same described in Biblical times as leprosy. As the disease progresses, pain turns to numbness, and the skin loses its original color and becomes thick, glossy and scaly. Sores and ulcers develop, especially around the eyes and ears, and the skin begins to bunch up with deep furrows between the swelling so that the face of the afflicted individual looks similar to that of a lion. Since the disease attacks the larynx also, the voice becomes hoarse and acquires a grating quality.
Leviticus 13 outlines specific procedures for dealing with a person suspected of being infected with leprosy. A priest would have to inspect the lesion, and after a period of monitoring and observation, if the condition did not improve, the person would be declared ritually "unclean".
Leprosy was considered a sort of curse from God, of profound impurity. To be declared unclean because of leprosy meant that the unfortunate person had to tear his clothes and put a covering upon his upper lip and cry, "unclean, unclean." As the Jews were concerned that the condition was contagious, such individuals were to live separated outside the camp. Ostracized from the community, they were left homeless without the support structure of family and friends. In approaching Jesus, the man was in violation of Levitical law. In touching the leper, Jesus also defies Levitical law. When the Son sent forth the disciples with instructions to heal the sick, cleansing the lepers was specifically mentioned in St. Matthew 10 verse 8.
British Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached a sermon likening the condition of a person afflicted with leprosy to that of someone in a state of sin. Leprosy symbolizes the defilement of sin which results in separation from God and the community.
We will look at Jesus’ cleansing lepers beginning with St. Luke 17 verses 11-19 The Healing of the Ten Lepers. The major points are:
- The Lepers stood afar off -They were aware of their status in life. They observed the legal distance of One Hundred Paces Leviticus 13 verse 46, Numbers 5 verse 2
- They called out - You lose shame when you are after your breakthrough
- Followed instructions - Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the Priest without doing anything. They moved immediately - obedience! Contrast this with Naaman in the Old Testament who thought he knew the method for healing leprosy II Kings 5 verses 8 -14. Elijah did not even come out to him. As the ten Lepers went they were healed. In this business of faith the instructions might be foolish but you have to learn to be sensitive to the Spiritual covering that you are under.
- One of the Lepers turned around because he was healed and showed his gratitude and worshipped Jesus. Gratefulness always leads to worship. A grateful heart cannot show ingratitude. In addition, this is one of the reasons why we have to be mindful of how an individual praise the Lord. If you do not know the story of the individual leave them alone. Some of us are quiet and subdue some of us are boisterous. Only God knows the heart.
- He was a Samaritan. This is what is taking pl;ace in the Church the young believers are reaping the benefits of the covenant while the older members are there observing what is going wrong.
- For his worship Jesus not only healed him but made him whole. Nothing missing nothing broken!! The other nine were healed but they were not made whole.
- The fact that Jesus told them to go to the Priest, let all righteousness be fulfilled. He had to observe the pecking order at the time. Jesus was not yet crucified He was still under the Old Covenant. The Priest had to give him the release to be assimilated into society.
Based on the book of Leviticus these lepers and Jesus broke a number of rules
- These Lepers were not supposed to be near anybody and if anyone came near they were to shout unclean.
- Jesus should not have touched the Leper, automatically under the old system He would be unclean.
- What a great saviour we have there is no Leper in this Kingdom no one that is too far gone that Jesus cannot redeem. The redeemer and saviour. The Gospel we speak is powerful enough to cleanse, heal, and restore the most defiled sinners. Our church cultures often have their man-made list of ‘defiling sins’ accompanied by their consequences. There is also a set of respectable sins. Respectable sinners are welcome and comfortable among us. Defiled sinners are often not. Jesus levels the playing field.
The second healing by Jesus, I tell you the innovator of innovators the original creator of all things. He does no two miracles the same way. The healing of a Leper St. Matthew 8 verses 2 - 4.
- Again the Leper made the advance towards Jesus. This indicates that you have to come after Jesus. You have to want what He has. Jesus will meet you at the point of your need.
- Jesus touched him and he became clean. Only a Priest can do that. Thanks be to God we have all been made Kings and priests unto our God Revelation 1 verse 6.
EPILOGUE
I really did not even know that leprosy still existed, the people are hidden away because of the stigma associated with the disease. It was the worst disease in the Bible. The stigma in the church is even worse than that in the world. The Nazis and Mafias and Nigerians found the three worst things they could call me in the Bible leper, mad and having an issue of blood. The latter because they think at a certain age I should not be menstruating. These people are very invasive. It was very normal always on time and was not extended. However, these Physicians in Canada wants to tell God how to do His business and if it does not fit their pattern it is wrong. I think the problem of leprosy in the world is easily solved; those of you who have foundations and too much money which is giving you a challenge to spend; I suggest you invest in saving lives. As per the WHO World Leprosy Strategy the money will be used for Eradication, Education and Prevention and Rehabilitation. Those who give to the poor is a lender of God Proverbs 19 verse 17.God is no man’s debtor.
CONCLUSION
Thanks for keeping up with me this far one of the major reasons I am glad that I have done this topic is that you will notice that this disease is curable, not only that we can almost rid the world of this disease. In my opinion these are the foxes that spoil the vine. Before we deal with the big boys or while we are dealing with the big boys let us ensure that there is adequate funding to deal with these curable diseases.
How could I forget? I would like to take this opportunity to commend those who are on the battle field like Gospel for Asia and Reaching Friends Ministry.
Those of you in church who have fallen into apostasy because you are idle,now you know why. It is because you have stopped ‘Going’ St. Mark 16 verse 15.
Once again this is me Raphleta, Lillene’s Baby girl coming to you from Ottawa, Canada
À bientôt
REFERENCES
