Mother Teresa

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"…there is less love, less compassion, less light in the world." (Saint, 2) A woman that does something no other woman has yet accomplished, a mother of all children, yet, one of God's saints looks just as ordinary as one of us. Besides her looks, there is nothing ordinary about her. If you were to write a book of her accomplishments, you would pass away before you finished it, if you were to criticize her, you would be lying to yourself. About 50 years ago, Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic, found "a woman half eaten by maggots and rats lying in front of a Calcutta hospital…sat with that woman till she died and then after that, she began her own campaign so people don't die miserable deaths (Saint, 1). Throughout this paper you will learn a little about her history and then the paper will focus on four of her major accomplishments.

At the young age of 18, Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, joined the Order of Sisters. She took training in Dublin, Ireland and Darjeeling, India, this, of course, before taking her religious vows. After several incidents as described above, she was granted to move her post to the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India. In 1952, Mother Teresa had opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) home for those dying in Calcutta - this too, was the starting of her accomplishments. For her doings, she had received the greatest honor of all, the Noble Peace Prize award in 1979. (Encarta Online®) Continuing with her efforts at Nirmal Hriday, in one interview with her, Mother Teresa had mentioned how she had picked up a woman from the street for the first time. The exact same incident that I previously indicated, however, once this woman had died, an employee showed her the empty building and soon, "within 24 hours we brought our sick and suffering and started the Home for the dying." (http://www.tisv.be/mt/indmt.htm) Since this home has opened up, it has taken over 40,000 people from the streets of Calcutta. For those that didn't survive, over half, the sisters made their last minutes precious with love so they could feel God besides them. However, those that did, they tried to send them back home and make their future years with a homey surrounding. The Nirmal Hriday also helps takes the dying people of the street usually who cannot pay medical bills, for those that have no one, and for those who have no where to go. They give them attention and take good care of these people. An important aspect to understand here is that unlike most people, Mother Teresa did the actual work as well - just like the other nuns. All over India and many places around the world, the Missionaries of Charities have formed homes, provided ambulances, doctors and also receive a lot of volunteers. (http://www.tisv.be/mt/indmt.htm) Many had blamed her for her source of income, however she bravely responded with, "No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work." (Saint, 2).

Furthermore, these activities not only took place in India, but in many other nations as well. The growth of this kind of work grew tremendously over time. Some of the countries that have similar homes include Venezuela, Italy, Tanzania, Russia and the United States as well. In the United States, she helped people in the ghettos of New York.(Saint, 1) Many more bishops worshipped the idea and raised this brilliant idea in their surroundings - especially in India. Mother Teresa also opened up houses for alcoholics, drug addicts and the homeless. Even in nations where communism was taking a different turn (i.e. Russia), there was still the moral teachings of helping others if not the actual materials. (http://www.tisv.be/mt/indmt.htm) Additionally, the Pope had asked to open up a house for mothers who didn't want their pregnancies, from Europe to America, and Mother Teresa opened it in Rome. She also pushed and got this working in India for those who weren't Christians as well - as long as they would accept the engagement to the foundation of Missionaries of Charity. After all, her greatest gift, according to her, is the poor people themselves that she nourishes. (Desmond, 3) The last (of her endless) accomplishment was actually something she had developed in the earlier period of her life. Shishu Bavan, a foundation created by Mother Teresa, was a home for babies. In these homes there are children from mothers that cannot take care of them so they don't want to keep them. Others come from picking off the streets, hospitals - where they were left behind from their parents. Many even come from the policemen as well as many from the prisons. However, the most important aspect in this scenario was that no matter "how they came, we never refused a child till now." It didn't matter what race, background, or gender the child came from, the Shishu Bavan accepted them all. In today's world, most people have forgotten about humanity and are so drowned within religion. Not that religion is bad, but sometimes it takes away the main point out of life - basic humanity! In today's situation and time, its hard to see someone accepting as well as Mother Teresa did. (http://www.tisv.be/mt/indmt.htm) Now, in India there are more than 45 houses for children and babies and there are many other homes around the world as well. These, too, formed by the sisters, and many sisters and nuns in different countries take personal care of them as well. This, however, doesn't mean that the child is handicapped. Essentially what it needs is a loving environment to develop and grow in, like any other child. The only difference in this case is that they are not with their parents. Many of these children grew up right in front of Mother Teresa and her sisters very own eyes. They have become social workers, gone to university, become big leaders in the big picture and have spread the message of love and of all good doings. (http://history1900s.about.com) From the first incident that she saw, Mother Teresa has accomplished so much. Never has anyone does so much for humankind - personally, as much as Mother Teresa has done for humanity. It wasn't that she did it out of publicity or for some reward, "do little things with great love," she remarked about her work. Saving thousands of infants, sick, and those who were going to die, she saved their lives. No government has been able to accomplish this much, because Mother Teresa looked at everyone as the same, whether he/she was a Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Persian, or African-American. A lesson shown through Mother Teresa's work, that needs to be understood by most people, is that beyond the race, ethnicity and nationality, there is the most important shadow - humanity.