Mother Teresa stands as a global symbol of compassion and selfless service to the poorest individuals in society. While millions admire her work in the slums of Calcutta, her life hides many surprising details and deeply personal struggles. Indeed, you can find a history of linguistic talent and incredible administrative skill behind her simple white sari. Furthermore, her legacy continues to inspire people to find their own ways to help those in need.
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was born in modern-day North Macedonia with the name Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. She left her home at age eighteen to join the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland to learn English. Consequently, she never saw her mother or sister again after her departure for the mission field.
She chose her religious name to honor Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron saint of missionaries. Because another nun in the convent already used that name, she opted for the Spanish spelling of Teresa. Thus, she began her journey with a name that symbolized her lifelong dedication.
Surprisingly, she spent almost twenty years teaching geography and history at a high school in eastern Calcutta. She eventually became the principal of the school, which helped her develop the leadership skills she used later. Therefore, she was a trained educator before she ever began her work in the slums.
Mother Teresa experienced what she called a “call within a call” during a train ride in 1946. She felt a powerful divine instruction to leave the convent and live among the people in need to serve them directly. As a result, she started her own order known as the Missionaries of Charity.
She officially became an Indian citizen in 1948 and adopted the iconic white sari with three blue stripes. This simple garment cost very little and allowed her to identify closely with the people she served. Today, this specific design remains a legally protected trademark of her religious order.
She possessed a remarkable talent for languages and spoke five of them fluently throughout her busy life. Specifically, she communicated with ease in Albanian, Serbian, English, Hindi, and Bengali to connect with people from various backgrounds. This helped her expand her mission across many different continents.
When she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she famously refused the traditional ceremonial banquet. She asked the committee to give the $192,000 (roughly €175,000) cost of the dinner directly to the people in need instead. Indeed, she believed that the money could feed thousands of hungry people for a whole year.
Mother Teresa maintained an incredibly tiny personal wardrobe that consisted of only two saris and a bucket. She washed her own clothes every day and owned no worldly possessions beyond her basic religious items. This radical poverty ensured that she stayed focused on her spiritual and humanitarian work.
She opened over 500 centers in more than 100 countries during her lifetime to help the sick and dying. She managed a massive global network of volunteers and donations with the precision of a top-tier executive. However, she never used a computer or a modern filing system for her records.
Surprisingly, her private letters revealed that she experienced a “dark night of the soul” for fifty years. She often felt a deep sense of loneliness and a lack of spiritual connection during her hard work. Despite these internal struggles, she continued to provide light and hope to others every day.
She once convinced a government to turn a former temple into a home for the dying. Some local residents initially protested her presence until they saw her personally cleaning the wounds of a dying man. Soon after, the community supported her work and helped her maintain the facility.
Mother Teresa received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States in 1985 for her humanitarian efforts. This is the highest civilian honor in the country, and it recognized her as a global citizen of peace. She accepted the award on behalf of the “unwanted” people of the world.
She traveled to many dangerous war zones, including Beirut in 1982, to rescue children trapped in hospitals. She brokered a temporary ceasefire between warring factions just so she could evacuate 37 disabled children to safety. This daring move proved her incredible courage in the face of violent conflict.
Princess Diana and Mother Teresa shared a very close friendship and met several times before their deaths in 1997. They bonded over their mutual desire to help those suffering from illnesses like leprosy and HIV/AIDS. Remarkably, both women passed away within the same week, which stunned the entire world.
Finally, the Vatican officially declared her a saint in 2016 after verifying two miraculous healings attributed to her. Thousands of people gathered in Saint Peter’s Square to celebrate her life and her enduring impact on humanity. Her legacy remains a powerful reminder of the strength of a single person.
