a note on Mother Teresa

It is possible that no one person has ever received more awards and honors than Mother Teresa.

She succeeded in transforming the ideas and faith she had, into awe-inspiring reality. By 1987 she had over 400,000 followers, all contributing and living a life devoted to her cause. She is a living example of the saying,

'The more you give away, the more you receive.'

She was a living example of what is possible as a result of the commitment of one human being. And we can learn from her faith and understanding.

She said,

'The biggest disease today is the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for, and deserted by everybody.'

(note: this same observation is essentially the core philosophy of Challenge Day and the Challenge Day Movement, see link at right...)

'Outcasts are found at every stage of life, from the aged to the newborn infant. I have never refused a child, never. Not one.'

"And whomever receives one child such as this is My name, receives Me." Matthew, 18.5

Mother Teresa also talks about the Leper Colony she founded, that was created entirely by the people of the colony and was self-sufficient...

'This success was because of the amount of love put into it. And God sustained that love...'

'I listen to the Lord and I have the gift of obedience. Because of that, miracles follow. Divine Providence is much greater than our little minds and will never let us down.'
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Thus sustainability of charitable acts and organizations seems critical.

Mother Teresa sustained her movement by powerfully enrolling others to her cause, and through her successes was able to create some amount of ongoing value... empowering people, such as the Lepers... to meet their own needs.

I wonder as to what value an educational system or even just a school could create... so that it might be sustainable even without constant federal or state funding...

A school is a school with, for, and by the community. Teachers, it seems, are faced with the task of creating a community inside a classroom, so that the students might know the world... (of course, there is a community already exisiting outside the classroom...)

The potential in truly enrolling an entire community succesfully... so that all might benefit in the education of all... would be a miracle in my eyes.