The Life of Mother Teresa

Throughout the 20th century, certain individuals have left a profound impact on the lives of countless people. One such person was Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa, born Agnes Bojaxhiu had many different influences that led to her establishing the missionaries of charity which directed her into becoming the speaker for the poor around the world. Because of the aforementioned facts and many others, Mother Teresa stands as one of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th century because of her unwavering commitment to aiding those in need, which makes her an ideal example of a hero according to the quote by Robert F. Kennedy “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.

Many different people and events influenced Mother Teresa to becoming a figurehead of charity around the globe but one of the first were her parents. Mother Teresa’s father was wealthy so Mother Teresa’s mother would bring her along to distribute supplies such as food, medicine, clothes, and money to the poor in the cities’ worst neighborhoods. Mother Teresa’s parents would make sure to give anybody who asked food and money. When her father died expectantly, Mother Teresa became more religious and she started spending more and more of her free time in the church. Every year Mother Teresa’s family made the pilgrimage to pray at the statue of the Madonna of Letnice. At the age of twelve while she was praying she heard the voice of God calling her to Him and to the service of her neighbors.

To answer God’s calling Mother Teresa decided to become a nun when she got older. In church one day she saw pictures of starving families in small cities around India. She consulted the Father for adv...

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...other Teresa had become a leader in Calcutta. Films were soon made on her charitable efforts and she became known worldwide. Using this newfound fame, Mother Teresa spoke to world leaders on behalf of the poor in their respective countries. Most of them fulfilled her request and promised to do everything possible to provide help. Once she started speaking on behalf of the poor she fulfilled the middle part of Robert F. Kennedy’s definition of a hero, “to stand up for the lot of others”.

In the 1980’s, Mother Teresa continued to be an advocate for those in need and through her deteriorating health, still helping poor people around the globe. By the time of her death in 1997, there were over four thousand missionary of charity sisters in six hundred and ten centers in one hundred and twenty three countries around the world who continue to help people every day.