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Mother Teresa - The Saint of Gutters
Sharing the joy of loving each other and the poorest of the poor was not only preached but practiced throughout the life of Mother Teresa, known as the saint of the Gutters. She lives forever in the memory of the world as a human being who only had love towards the orphans and those in pain. Greatly inspired by Jesus Christ, she devoted herself to the caring for the poor and miserable.
Agnes Gonksa Bojexeu (before she became
Teresa) was born on august 27, 1910 at Scopje, the capital city of Macedonian Republic in Albania. Her father Nicholas Bojexeu was a rich man and Agnes was the youngest of his children. Her mother Drona influenced her to a great extent. She joined the orders of the Loretto Sisters when she decided to become the bride of Christ at a very young age. From her childhood she had the inclination towards deeds of charity. On January 6th 1928 she came to Calcutta for the first time and then went to the Loretto sisters at Darjeeling.
On September 10, 1946 she had the call from God to help the poor and the wretched and it was on December 21st 1948 she began the Missionaries of Charity, after she got permission from her official heads. From then onwards it was a long journey, soothing and comforting the ill and those waiting for death. Lepers, cancer patients, and people suffering from serious illnesses were given refuge by the angel of peace.
The Nirmal Hriday, as home for people suffering from illness, was the first institution started by Mother Teresa. Now the Missionaries of the Charity are everywhere In India and in 123 countries in the world. She was
honored nationally ands internationally by the Noble Prize for
Peace (1979), The Bharat Ratna-the highest award in India,
The Padma Sree, Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award, Magsaysay
Award, Kennedy Foundation Award, Nehru Award, Templeton Award
etc.
Awards and honors did not influence this saint, till her death in 1997 which was an extremely sorrowful moment for the world. She has become a saint in her life time and in death, she continues to be.
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