Sister Jacqueline Jean McEwan, the "Mother
Teresa" of Bangalore, will have to leave the lepers of India for whom
she has cared for 29 years within a month.
The central government has
not renewed the English missionary’s visa, without giving any
explanation.
"I'm leaving with a heavy heart - the religious tells -
it's not just my loss, but a loss for all the thousands of people
affected by leprosy."
Sr Jean, 63, is a missionary who has worked at the
Montfort Missionaries Sumanahalli Society, run by Fr. George
Kannanthanam.
"I feel that the heart has been ripped out of Sumanahalli -
the priest says - without her, I doubt that the organization will be
the same again."
At first, Sr. Jean was supposed to leave Bangalore
today, but was granted a one-month extension.
"I'm really sad and I do not know what to do - Fr George Kannanthanam tells AsiaNews - Sister Jean was the real force for lepers in the slums of Seshadripuram, Indirapuram and elsewhere. "
"I'm really sad and I do not know what to do - Fr George Kannanthanam tells AsiaNews - Sister Jean was the real force for lepers in the slums of Seshadripuram, Indirapuram and elsewhere. "
The priest speaks of the "
legendary professionalism, tenderness, compassion and concern with
which she assisted lepers in the slums."
Moreover, Sr. Jean was involved
in educational programs for patients and their children: "Through her,
many of them, generally ostracized by their families and society, have
received training and hope for the future."
The sister had also learned
Kannada (the local dialect), in order to better communicate with her
patients.
"Globally, 70% of leprosy cases are in India - said Fr George - and even if, as in the rest of the world, the number of patients has decreased in this country there are still 2.5 million patients. There are 4 thousand cases in Karnataka and Bangalore alone last year 400 new patients were registered. "
"Globally, 70% of leprosy cases are in India - said Fr George - and even if, as in the rest of the world, the number of patients has decreased in this country there are still 2.5 million patients. There are 4 thousand cases in Karnataka and Bangalore alone last year 400 new patients were registered. "
For these reasons, the failure to renew the
Sr. Jean’s visa "is a loss for the most marginalized, those people who
she loved so much and has always treated with dignity."
The Society Sumanahalli began its relief and rehabilitation with the lepers project in 1977.
The Society Sumanahalli began its relief and rehabilitation with the lepers project in 1977.
In 33 years, it has treated more than 5 thousand
leprosy patients.
With the decrease of cases, the organization has also
started to deal with people affected by HIV (30), disabled (30),
orphans (45), street children (50) and young offenders (40).