How old were you when you first felt your life had a purpose that was
much greater than yourself? A purpose for which you’d be willing to
give up everything? Mother Teresa was only twelve. From this tender
age she felt the call of God on her life so strongly that only six years
later, she left everything behind to pursue this call.
At the age of eighteen Mother Teresa left her home in Skopje,
Macedonia and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns
with missions in India. She trained there for just a few months before
being sent out onto the mission field in India. Her first assignment
was as a high school teacher in Calcutta, but after 17 years of
teaching, felt called to serve the poorest of the poor. After receiving
permission from her superiors, Mother Teresa devoted herself to serving
those stricken by poverty in the slums of Calcutta.
When she first began she had nothing. No money, no support, no team
of people around her. But she didn’t let that stop her. Mother Teresa
took what she did have, and started an open-air school for children
living in the slum. Talk about a no-fuss school! And as she stepped out
in faith, God provided beyond her wildest dreams, both financially and
with the support of thousands of volunteers.
Perhaps one of the most significant contributions of this amazing
women was the creation of her own order “The Missionaries of Charity”
whose primary task was to care for those no one else wanted to. This
order has now spread all over the world, serving those marginalized and
forgotten in countries like Asia, Africa and Latin America. More than
one million people continue the work Mother Teresa started across the
globe.
Though she had little to call her own, no beautiful house, no
children or husband, no earthly possessions, Mother Teresa changed the
world as few others have. She has been recognized and acclaimed
worldwide and given numerous awards and distinctions including the John
XXIII Peace Prize. She is an amazing example to all of us who feel
called to love and serve the world around us. Her sacrifice and
dedication reflect the heart of Christ and make her a true inspiration.
–biography written by Heather Boersma for The Tiny Twig.
