Love For Humanity

Mother Teresa was moved by the presence of the sick and dying on the streets of Calcutta. She founded the home for the dying destitute and named it Normal Hridoy' , meaning 'Pure Heart'. She and her fellow nuns gathered the dying people off the streets of Calcutta and brought them to this home. They were lovingly looked after and cared for. Since then men, women and children have been taken from the streets and carried to Normal Hridoy. These unloved and uncared for people get an opportunity to die in an environment of kindness and love. In their last hours they get human and Divine love, and can feel they are also children of God. The Missionaries of Charity try to find jobs for those who survive, or send them to homes where they can live happily for some more years in a caring environment. Regarding commitment to family, Mother Teresa said, "Maybe in our own family, we have somebody, who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is felling worried. Are we there? Are we willing to give until it hurts in order to be with our families, or do we putout interest first? We must remember that love begins at home and we must also remember that future of humanity passes though the family".

Mother Teresa's work has been recognized throughout the world and she had received a number of awards. These include the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971), the Nehru Prize for Promotion of International Peace & Understanding (1972), the Balzan Prize (1978), the Nobel Peach Prize (1979) and the Bharat Ratna (1980).

Mother Teresa died at the age of 87, on 5 September 1997. The world salutes her for her love and compassion for humanity. She has taught us how to extend and religion. Draped in a white and blue-bordered sari, wrinkled face, ever soft eyes and a saintly smile, is the picture of Mother Teresa in our mind.