Medical mission of hope

A VILLAGE in India is getting life-changing medical treatment – thanks to the generosity of Royton churchgoers.

Parishioners at St Aidan and St Oswald’s raised £1,000 through coffee mornings, car-boot sales and a sponsored run. The money has been used as part of the Leprosy Health Care Programme to employ a pharmacist to advise villagers in an Indian village on leprosy medicines.

The church, with others in Royton, was approached by Family Aid Direct (FAD), based at Bethesda Baptist Church in Rochdale Road, which encourages people to give regular donations to help small-scale projects in India.

Pastor Geoff Goodwin of Bethesda explained: “Back in 2007, we came across this village in India called Ashram. It has a number of folk with leprosy, but because of a shortage of funds we were not able to help.

“In 2008, the village was hit by serious floods with many houses collapsing but the village received no government help and FAD was only able to help a little. At the start of 2010, I approached all the other churches in Royton and all agreed to begin to come together to help this village.

“Since then, we have helped with warm blankets for the cold winter nights and some new clothes, some goats, a new well, and we are now building our fourth new house. We also provided a new tube well, so that villagers would always have good clean water. Recently, the friends from St Aidan and Oswald’s Church gave a substantial gift that has allowed us to set up some medical assistance.”

Father Stephen Doyle of St Aidan and Oswald’s, said: “The parishioners raised the money through various fundraising events and I’m sure they will continue to do so.”