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HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN As the Missionaries of Charity took in increasing numbers of lost children, Mother Teresa felt the need to create a home for them. In 1955 she opened the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, the Children's Home of the Immaculate Heart, as a haven for orphans and homeless youth. The order soon began to attract both recruits and charitable donations, and by the 1960s had opened hospices, orphanages and leper houses all over India. Mother Teresa then expanded the order throughout the globe. Its first house outside India opened in Venezuela in 1965 with five sisters. Others followed in Rome, Tanzania, and Austria in 1968; during the 1970s the order opened houses and foundations in dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States. She died on 5 September 1997. At the time of her death, Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters, and an associated brotherhood of 300 members, operating 610 missions in 123 countries. These included hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis, soup kitchens, children's and family counseling programs, personal helpers, orphanages, and schools. The Missionaries of Charity were also aided by Co-Workers, who numbered over 1 million by the 1990s. Her critic Aroup Chatterjee, blames Mother Teresa for promoting a negative image of his home city as a city of poverty. The Bharatiya Janata Party clashed with her over the Christian Dalits, but praised her in death, sending a representative to her funeral. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on the other hand, opposed the government's decision to grant her a state funeral. Its secretary Giriraj Kishore said that "her first duty was to the Church and social service was incidental" and accused her of favouring Christians and conducting "secret baptisms" of the dying. But, in its front page tribute, the <strong>Indian</strong> fortnightly Frontline dismissed these charges as "patently false" and said that they had "made no impact on the public perception of her work, especially in Calcutta". Although praising her "selfless caring", energy and bravery, the author of the tribute was critical of Mother Teresa's public campaigning against abortion and that she claimed to be non-political when doing so. President Ronald Reagan presents Mother Teresa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony, 1985. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, "for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitutes a threat to peace." She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, and asked that the $192,000 funds be given to the poor in India, stating that earthly rewards were important only if they helped her help the world's needy. Quotes of Mother Teresa from ""Suffering into Joy - What Mother Teresa Teaches about True Joy": Eileen Egan and Kathleen Egan "They are Jesus. Everyone is Jesus in a distressing disguise." "The poor are wonderful people. One evening we went and picked up four people from the street. One of the was in a most terrible condition. I told the Sisters: "You take care of the other three. I will take care of this one that looks worse." So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand, as she said one word only, "Thank you,", and she died. I could not help but examine my conscience before her, and I asked, "What would I say if I was in her place?" And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would 248
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN have said, "I'm hungry; I'm dying, I'm cold, I'm in pain," or something. She gave me much more - she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. Like the man whom we picked up from the drain. half eaten with worms; we brought him to the home. "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of a man who could speak like that, who could die like that, without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel - that is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus has said, "I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me." "In the slums we are the light of God's kindness to the poor. To the children, to all who suffer and are lonely, give always a happy smile. Give them not only your care but your hear." "Keep giving Jesus to your people not by words, but by your example, by your being in love with Jesus, by radiating his holiness and spreading his fragrance of love everywhere you go. Just keep the joy of Jesus as your strength. Be happy and at peace. Accept whatever he gives- and give whatever he takes with a big smile. You belong to him." This is the entry Mother Teresa made in our family guest book in Sanaa 1978 The Ninan family has been privileged to have known Mother Teresa intimately. We met Mother in 1978 when she arrived in Sanaa, Yemen Arab Republic to start her homes. I was at that time working in the University of Sanaa and worked closely in the establishing of the homes in Yemen. Mother had been a constant visitor to our home whenever she visited Yemen. Since then our family had come to know her intimately and had come to love her. Our children still cherish her involvement in their life, the token gifts of love and the entry she made in our family guest book. Once she surprised everybody when she took her crucifix pin and gave it as a birthday gift to our youngest son Ajit. Here is the Cross. It is still a well guarded prized possession in his house in California. 249
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