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Almeida was born in Lisbon in1525.In
1546,he obtained his medical license,then he left there to
Goa and Macao.He made his fortune and
became wealthy merchant by trading between Japan and China.He visited Japan in
1552and then he met Father Torres in Yamaguchi.
He was engaged in missionary work
there,because he took over St.Francis Xavier’s job.
Almeida made up his maind to be a
missionary like Xavier.In 1555,he left to Japan again.
He headed to Bungo-Funai,the castle
town of Sorin Otomo.
He established Nursery home with his
private savings there,because he had seen miserable scene with his own
eyes.That was parents who tried to drowing their child in inlet of Oita River.
In 1556,he gave all his prosperty to
the Society of Jesus to belong as monk.
And in 1557,he established general
hospital (the first general hospital in Japan)in Oita.
There had general ward and infection
ward especially for leprosy.
As surgeon,he was so skillful and
Japanese admird him.
He met priests expectation well.He
was also faithful to his duties and helped the poor.
So worshipper gatherd around him naturally.
Therefore he kept on investigation to
trading,raising funds for running hospital.And he also kept donating his own
savings to Japanese churchs.Because they had financial difficulties at that
time.
He started Medical education in
1558.Beforelong he began to medical service in Kyusyu Resion.
In spite of Load of Hirado’s intorelance to
Chiristianity,he propagated it to Nagasaki in 1567 and build church there.
He also opened the port of Nagasaki,since
Nagasaki flourished as the centre of trading and Christianity.
He went to Macao in 1580 and promoted
catholic priest there.He came back Japan to perform
Propagation and medical service.He
passed away in Amakusa in Oct.1583.
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