Mother Teresa, we've all heard the name but not many of us know her journey or story. Indeed she was called to help fight poverty, but the path to getting there was tough. For example, the Church didn't like the idea of community houses in that area made by their church. They even removed her from the convent. It took much convincing and a blessing from the Archbishop for Mother Teresa to be able to be an independent nun. I find it interesting that the church was against her going to serve independently in the community. Wouldn’t they be excited to have her serve to the needy? Isn’t that what God asks us to do? I also ponder why she was the only one who wanted to do it at first. Were there no other nuns eager to get out and help the community? I guess they must have seen how hard it was for Mother Teresa to get permission. That or they were comfortable at the abbey and wanted to serve from there. She even traded her nun habit for a white sari and sandals, a traditional wear for Indian women!
Another thing I found interesting is where Mother Teresa went when she started the path to being a nun. She traveled to Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto. She didn’t know their language and they didn’t know a whole lot of her native language either. Yet she made it through and befriended many of the nuns. I wonder what they did to communicate when there were language barriers. Not only that, how did Mother Teresa come to know the many different languages. She knew her native one, had to learn English and whatever language the Indian people spoke, and possibly other languages as well. How does one woman do it all?
Not to mention, she spent quite some time with the poor. She always seemed gentle, enduring, and followed God’s will. That takes a lot of guts and a lot of strength. When I did the research for my presentation on her, I didn’t really see much of her struggles as I read her journey of reaching out. It can’t have gone that smoothly. Yes God was with her, but everyone has times where they struggle through many things, whether big or small. But it could be we want to remember Mother Teresa for the good she did. I feel that it is necessary to know what she went through to in order to do those great things. That shows her strength, and the truth that all things worth fighting for aren’t easy. Nothing is easy.
Did she ever get their sickness? Were there more obstacles she had to face with the church? Were there times even the faithful Mother Teresa doubted God and gave into her fears? I also wonder what Mother Teresa’s family thought of her going to Ireland and being a nun. Did she keep in touch with them? Or vice versa? She probably never saw them since she left. But did they know all the things she did? Did they miss her? I wonder how important she was to her family, or how important she was to them? I’m guessing Mother Teresa, as a woman of faith, cared for her family. That would be another roadblock for people wanting to follow those kinds of paths. Not getting to see or hear from their loved ones. I personally couldn’t do that.
However many questions I have, there is no denying Mother Teresa reached out to many people, not just those of her church, convent, or the poor, but even those who’ve never met her, or don’t even live where she did. For someone to make that kind of change is remarkable and admirable. Though she may not seem to for most of those who know me, I look up to her and draw inspiration from her. I had heard about her, but little about her journey and what she did, hence why I chose to write about her!
All these other women my group talked about were also brave and extraordinary. They went through many obstacles and made many sacrifices for their faith and God’s calling for them. I admire them for that. I wish I had as much courage and strength to do the things they did. Sometimes they even took on the roles men would normally take. Most admire them because they feel that they can’t do it themselves. Yes, God wants us to serve, but there are different ways to do so. Whatever it is, we must face it, fully relying on God.
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