SETTLEMENT FOR LEPERS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 5

SETTLEMENT FOR LEPERS

No Disturbance By Viet Cong

A World Evangelisation Crusade leprosy settlement, recently built with help from the Mission to Lepers in New Zealand and situated in the Da Nang area of South Vietnam, continues undisturbed although the missionary in charge, Mr J. Haywood, was killed recently when visiting Hue. The settlement lies between an area of dense jungle, held by the Viet Cong, and a strongly-held American base camp.

Reports reaching the New Zealand secretary of the Mission to Lepers (the Rev. M. Feist) show there has been considerable fighting in the area and, although the leprosarium has not been attacked, heavy artillery shells have landed in the property. One shell ploughed through three rooms and into the ground without exploding.

Since the death of the superintendent, the hospital has been run by a young Vietnamese evangelist who has had some medical training. He has a small team of workers drawn mainly from the 160 patients at the hospital.

South Vietnam authorities forbid the missionaries to approach the leprosarium because of the danger from the Viet Cong. However, the missionaries have established a clinic at the so-called Marble Mountains, where patients collect supplies of drugs for the leprosarium and Vietnamese workers consult the missionaries.

Mrs Simone Haywood is continuing her husband’s work and gives help at the clinic.