Mother Teresa was moved by the sight of the sick and dying on the streets of Kolkata. She founded a home for the dying destitute and named it 'Nirmol Hriday' meaning 'Pure Heart'. She and her fellow nuns brought the dying people off the streets of Kolkata to this home. They were lovingly looked after and cared for. Since then many men, women and children have been taken from the streets and carried to 'Nirmol Hriday'. 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, "May be in our own family, we have somebody, who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried. Are we there? Are we willing to give until it hurts in order to be with our families, or do we put our interest first? We must remember that love begins at home and we must also remember that future of humanity passes through the family."
Mother Teresa's work has been recognized throughout the world and she 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 Peace 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 our hand towards those who need our love and support irrespective of creed, caste and religion. The picture of Mother Teresa, draped in a white and blue-bordered sari, with a wrinkled face, ever soft eyes and a saintly smile, lives on in our mind.
(a) What did Mother Teresa teach us?
(i) She taught us crime (ii) She taught us humanity
(iii) She taught us cruelty (iv) She taught us English
(b) She got Nobel Prize for peace in -----.
(i) 1971 (ii) 1972 (iii) 1978 (iv) 1979
(c) Teresa founded -----.
(i) Nirmol Hriday (ii) Niramoy Centre
(iii) Niribili Kendra (iv) Rest House
(d) Mother Teresa used to wear -----.
(i) sari (ii) shirt (iii) coat (iv) veil
(e) Mother Teresa won the Nobel Prize for -----.
(i) humanity (ii) charity (iii) peace (iv) rehabilitation
(f) Mother Teresa showed ----- to the unloved and uncared for people.
(i) great love (ii) little love (iii) hatred (iv) no sympathy
(g) The streets of Kolkata are trodden by -----.
(i) Mother Teresa (ii) her fellow sisters
(iii) the dying people (iv) both i and ii
(h) What does the phrase 'Missionaries of Charity' mean?
(i) the donating preachers (ii) the preachers
(iii) the donors (iv) all the answers are correct
(i) Mother Teresa was recognized -----.
(i) in our country only (ii) throughout the world
(iii) in India only (iv) in Asian continent only
(j) What were the uncared people given?
(i) an environment of peaceful death (ii) full medicine
(iii) job opportunity (iv) an opportunity to get jobs
(b) (iv) 1979
(c) (i) Nirmol Hriday
(d) (i) sari
(e) (iii) peace
(f) (i) great love
(g) (iii) the dying people
(h) (i) the donating preachers
(i) (ii) throughout the world
(j) (i) an environment of peaceful death