Missionary Describes Work In Nepal

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31681, 17 May 1968, Page 8

Missionary Describes Work In Nepal

Giving a leper a new plastic nose of the shape and size he wanted, transplanting hair for new eyebrows and helping with a variety of other operations in a corrugated Iron operating theatre was part of a day's work for an English missionary nurse. Miss J. H. Raddon, who has spent the last 15 years working for the Interdenominational and international Nepal Evangelistic Band.

In an address to a gathering arranged by the Mission to Lepers, Miss Raddon described the work of the band which is stationed at Pokhra, a village in West Nepal eight days walk from the Indian border. She recently gave talks about her work in Australia and will give more talks in New Zealand. Miss Raddon said that communications were a big problem as there were only a couple of rough roads. The only vehicle in the area was given by the New Zealand Leper Mission Youth two years ago. I

“There is much tuberculosis, leprosy, dysentery and unattended sickness throughout Nepal,” said Miss Raddon. “In addition to the hospital we run a leprosarium which has hundreds of out-patients.”

Miss Raddon said the band of 45 members included doctors, nurses and general workers. When work started in 1852 there were only eight The members came from Britain, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, and there was a nurse from New Zealand. Miss Raddon said that the rehabilitation of the cured leper was a big social problem as the patient had often been away from his home for many years and on return found he was no longer wanted by his family or friends. When the leper had contracted the disease he had been outcast and by law all his property and goods passed to the next of kin. The missionaries were doing all they could to have the people acicepted again.