I don't know how many of us could know the name "Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu". This name is further known as "Mother Teresa". Yeah! She was the missionary who dedicated her life in the service of the sick and the outcasts. This "Saint of the Gutters" considered the earthly sufferers as nothing less than "Christ in the distressing disguise". She was "Mother Teresa".
Her real name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu and was born on 26th August 1910 at Skopje, Macedonia. Since childhood she felt the call to help the needy. In 1929 she joined the Loretto Community of Irish nuns on a mission to Calcutta now Kolkata. She took the name Sister Teresa.
Initially she taught at the St. Mary's High School in Kolkata. Later she became the principal of the same. In 1946, while traveling to Darjeeling for advised rest, she heard the call to serve Him among the poorest of the poor.Mother Teresa became the citizen of India. She took medical training to serve the sick. Pope Pius XII gave her permission to leave the Order and then in 1950 she founded her own Order of Missionaries of Charity - an institution of women dedicated to the service of the sick and the destitute.
In the beginning a school for the slum children was started. Mother Teresa then began Nirmal Hriday, an institute for the dying destitute. In those times, lepers were treated as outcasts by society. So, Mother Teresa established Prem Niwas and Shanti Nagar for sheltering the lepers. Nirmal Shishu Bhavan was started for the orphaned and abandoned children.
She started her work from a scratch, with only 12 women. But now it has spread over 125 countries and 450 centers with more than 4000 nuns working for the needy. Every day over 5 lakh people are fed and taken care of in these centers. Almost 1.5 lakh people are given daily medical assistance. Over 20,000 poor and underprivileged children are given education in these institutions.
This tiny, frail woman built such vast organization just on the strength of her love and compassion for the poor and the sick. Her great work was honored by the whole world. In 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which she accepted in the name of the "unwanted, unloved and uncared for". The Indian government honored her with our highest civilian award "Bharat Ratna" in 1980. In 1985 she was awarded the highest U.S. civilian award, the Medal of Freedom.
She kept an indifferent health and suffered many health problems. This Angel of Mercy left for heaven on 5th September 1997. Grand Salute to her and her great work...!!!
Top 3 Questions and Answers on "Mother Teresa: The Truth Forever"
1. Question: What is the birth name of Mother Teresa, and how did she answer the call to serve the poor and sick?
Answer: Mother Teresa's birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, and she heeded the call to serve the needy by joining the Loretto Community of Irish nuns and later founding the Missionaries of Charity.
2. Question: How did Mother Teresa's charitable work expand from its humble beginnings, and how many countries does it now encompass?
Answer: Mother Teresa's mission, which started with 12 women, has grown to span over 125 countries with 450 centers and more than 4000 nuns providing assistance to over 5 lakh people daily.
3. Question: What prestigious awards did Mother Teresa receive for her compassionate work, and when did she pass away?
Answer: Mother Teresa was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, the Bharat Ratna in 1980, and the Medal of Freedom in 1985. She passed away on September 5, 1997.
