just one touch...

kiley had ventured outside her home country only
once in her 18 years. so when she had the chance
to go to Kenya to help with a medical mission, she
was thrilled—and a little uneasy. after all, she didn’t have
any real medical experience.
as she provided basic medical care in a remote
village, she met a woman with elephantiasis. it’s a
horrible but treatable disease caused by parasitic worms.
elephantiasis causes grotesque swelling in the lower half
of the body. prevention includes simply wearing shoes.
but in poverty-stricken Africa, many villagers have little or
no access to such basic needs.

kiley was repulsed by the woman’s distorted leg, but
she proceeded to clean and bandage it. the woman
began crying. startled, kiley asked if she was hurting
her. “no,” she replied. “it’s the first time in 9 years that
anyone has touched my leg.”

in touching a lonely woman’s diseased leg, kiley was imitating fearless,
taboo-breaking love. it was one tiny touch, but it made all the difference.

 what difference will you make today?

(a special thanks to tim gustafson for this beautiful story)