Mother Teresa motivated people of all religious domination’s to help for
whatever period of time available to them. All she asked of them was to offer
love and care to those in her homes and clinics. In 1954, a group, the
Co-Workers of Mother Teresa, was founded in Calcutta. Twenty-Five years later
there were over thirty thousand Co-Workers in Great Britain, ten thousand in the
United States and several thousand in other European Countries and Asia . These
people raised money and sent ambulances used as mobile clinics to India. British
Co-Workers contributed over forty thousand dollars a month for flour to make bread and they arranged for one million Dapsone tablets to be sent each month for the treatment of leprosy .
Not only did mother Teresa attract attention to the needs of the more than
thirty thousand lepers living in the slums of Calcutta, but she also drew
attention to the people afflicted with AIDS in the United States. With her
support New York’s first AIDS hospice was opened in New York City. She stated
to the media, “We are not here to sit in judgement of these people, to decide
blame or guilt. Our mission is help them, to make their dying days more
tolerable…”
Mother Teresa’s popularity grew in the 1960’s and 70’s when there was much idealism and she was admired as someone who actually did something to help those in need. Moreover, she gave others opportunities to help. Her relationships with governments were very secure as she did not interfere in national or foreign affairs and avoided giving her opinions. As a result she developed a great deal of power and influence and attracted large sums of money. In addition, it was known that the sisters lived simply and that any donations went directly to the needy. She received positive publicity each time she was awarded an academic honor or humanitarian prize. In 1979, she was given the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, where she convinced the committee to cancel the official banquet and use the money to feed the poor . She was known as an accepting individual, who respected all religions, did not look for converts and she taught both Christians and non-Christians to spread love to others.
Mother Teresa was an inspiration to many people. Over the many years of her life she selflessly gave of her time, energy and money to the poor and ill regardless of their race or religion. Many people are still alive today because of her caring and compassion. She herself lived a very humble existence giving all of her worldly goods over to her mission. She helped other people understand and give of themselves to those less fortunate. She was a great role model for many. She taught the world how to care for others rather then just themselves.
Today, the world might not be as accepting of Mother Teresa as it was before. Since September 11, 2001, people have become more suspicious of those who hold strong religious beliefs and are more anxious to stamp out poverty rather than simply help its victims. Besides, there are fewer girls joining the order. The
absence of Mother Teresa may be a factor, but generally, religious orders today
are not drawing the numbers as in the past. After her death, French President
Jacques Chirac summed up Mother Teresa’s gifts to the world by saying, “ This
evening, there is less love, less compassion, and less light in the world.”
Bibliography
1.
2. teresa/MotherTeresaSociety.htm
3. Tracey E. Dils. Mother Teresa. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2001.
4. Encarta Encyclopedia 2001
5. Anne Sebba. Mother Teresa: Beyond the Image. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson,1997.
6. Kathryn Spink. Mother Teresa. San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers, 1997.
7. Tanya Rice. Mother Teresa. Philadelphia. Chelsea House
