Jessica

"While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him."

Luke 5:12-13

Phil and Shelia Duncan were missionaries in Costa Rica and Ecuador from 1985-1990. They returned home and now coordinate our mission trips to Ecuador. Shelia is a Spanish teacher, and has had many students over the years in Ecuador. One of those students - a young Quechua woman named Olga - contacted us this year with an urgent request to visit her younger sister Jessica at their home near Mojandita. Over the past three years Jessica (who is now seventeen) has developed a severe dermatological disorder for which no diagnosis has as yet been made. Kim, Shelia and I accompanied Olga to their home.

What we saw was alarming. Jessica's face has been severely disfigured by the disease, with significant formation of pustules, scarring and swelling. There were large areas of black eschar covering her face. Neither Kim nor I have ever seen anything like it. The condition is painful, and the expense of her care is beyond her family's means. We conducted an extensive history. She has seen a dermatologist in Quito, and received multiple chemo therapeutic drugs at a hospital there. A biopsy was obtained, but the family is unaware of any diagnosis. We are making attempts to obtain that report. We also emailed multiple photos of Jessica's face, hands, back, abdomen and shins to our medical missions liason, Dr. Tom McKechnie, who forwarded them to dermatologists and infectious disease specialists in Louisville. We are awaiting their opinions. We did provide Jessica with antibiotic therapy, and prayed with her for quite awhile. She has been despairing lately, believing that she has become a heavy burden for her family. We told her that there was still hope, and that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and Redeemer.

Please pray for Jessica when you read this, and in the days ahead.

Sincerely,
Tim