*Warning - 2 minute video, not for the squeamish. Documents the disease and medical plans of a poor man with unusual sickness. (hosted on my blog)

[url=http://theopenlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/dede-indonesian-tree-man.html]http://theopenlife.blogspot.com/2008/09/dede-indonesian-tree-man.html[/url]

I have not posted this for sensationalism, but to provoke my fellow believers to thankfulness at our many blessings (it really could be [i]much[/i] worse) and to have compassion upon the multitude of suffering poor persons throughout the world.

According to our sins, none deserve relief; but as we have been loved according to grace, so we ought to love others. What a failure I have been, but the grace of God may yet freely enable me to live more wholeheartedly unto Christ and the ministry of the Gospel. As I cringe at Dede's disease, a thought occurs painfully to me that what the unsaved have is worse than any virus - the guilt of sin cannot be cured by anything other than Christ's blood received by faith.

Well, you were right, it's not for the squeamish.

It seems to have been going on for many years, since it was first noticed when he was 15, and now he is a father of 2 teenage children.

You are also right that we don't count our blessings, and that if that were to happen to one of us, how would we deal with it?

May we truly appreciate all that God has done for us.

God bless.

"You are also right that we don't count our blessings, and that if that were to happen to one of us, how would we deal with it?"

Like Paul, we would have to say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."

"May we truly appreciate all that God has done for us."

Amen.

Wow, that is a very strange illness. It reminds me of Joseph Merrick, known as the elephant man. Only Joseph Merrick was a Christian and did rely on Christ for his strength, while this poor man is a Muslim and needs Christ. This is a good opportunity to pray for Dede's salvation and for that of his family.