Stories from the mission

Damien - Jozeph de Veuster (1840-1889). The Catholic Church canonised Father Damien, the great benefactor of lepers, on 11 October 2009.

The desperate look on the face of seven-year-old Dijan's postcard shows that he is already burdened by life's deepest problems because he is already seven years old and has leprosy.

"I was born on this mountain in 1970," begins Josianne from the Congo. "There was no question of me studying, I helped with the housework. At the age of 17, spots appeared on my skin.

Jooli Murabanda, 22, is married with a 3-year-old daughter. She is illiterate. She lives in a slum area of Kolkata. Her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law work as day labourers.

I received this heartbreaking letter from a fellow leprosy missionary: "During my trip to Nigeria, I was grateful for the relief,

On World Day of People with Disabilities (3 December), we thought with love of the millions of people with late diagnoses, neglect and

Thein was 10 years old when he noticed he had no pain in his legs and arms.

Little Jang's fate turned out for the best Little Jang lived in a tiny "leprosy rehabilitation" village for about 40 years.

Rabiul, 8, answered the question "How are you?" without thinking: "Bad. I don't feel well.

Ranil, 10, from India, faces the future with fear and sadness, unlike his healthy peers.

With the title "Princess Diana legacy", the beautiful princess is increasingly being posted

If we look at Kismatul, we would not even think: his whole life before was full of failure, bitterness! North India Uttar Pradesh

Little Sonia's beautiful face in India is showing the first telltale signs of leprosy: lighter patches of skin,

In 2005, as the industry in Rajasthan, India, was in decline, the then 14-year-old Joges and

Little Samir bursts into sobs: "I don't want to be like my uncle!" But why

By the age of 13, Shirina Akter Rupa had already gone through much more suffering than

Juma had a very sad childhood. He lived in a village called Nicanda in Mozambique. She was 8 years old,

Avdes, now 18, from northern India, says of her life: "I was in grade 7 when

Kasinat Arayal has been working at the leprosy hospital in Ananda, Nepal for 22 years. He says he was about 7 years old,