Volunteers begin to make their mark in Auckland
Venkat Raman –
One of the little known facts about the Mother Teresa Interfaith Committee is that it actively promotes Volunteering, in the true spirit of Mother Teresa.
Her Missionaries of Charity continues to work in the direction towards which the Great Mother set her life and mission.
Volunteers help
A meeting of the Volunteers held on October 3, 2015 at the Pompallier Diocesan Centre in Ponsonby, Auckland demonstrated the penchant for social service that is not only inherent but also growing in New Zealanders.
Among those present at the meeting which discussed a plan of action included Mother Teresa Interfaith Committee Chairman Wenceslaus Anthony, Sister Agnes Joseph, Sister
Constantina, Lyndsay Freer, Verona, Cynthia Paul, Sebastian Lourdusamy, Nilima Venkat, Mario and Arthy Devadoss.
The need to promote voluntary work throughout the year was emphasised but the immediate item of discussion was the annual Mother Teresa Interfaith Meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 2 pm at the Catholic Church of Christ the King in Mt Roskill.
Guest Speaker
Dr Jebamalai Vinanchiarachi, former Principal Advisor to the Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will be the Guest Speaker.
Mr Anthony briefed the volunteers on the tasks relating to the annual meeting.
Mother Teresa would have been pleased to see the work of these volunteers, for, throughout her life, she believed in the human effort to lift the downtrodden.
“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go,” were among the words that she spoke at meetings and interviews.
She always believed that love should be ‘extraordinary’ in order to be genuine. “What we need is to love without getting tired,” was her favourite line.
Verity Worthington, A UK based Logistics Administrator, worked as a Volunteer at the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata for more than two years (2007 to 2010).
Extended family
She wrote in an article that she had met many wonderful people during her time volunteering, and that she considers the Missionaries of Charity to be her extended family.
“People think it is courageous to go to Kolkata and volunteer; yet those who do so discover that far from being difficult, they are embraced and welcomed with such love. I would like to say my motive for volunteering was altruistic, but I needed them far more than they needed me. The irony is, it is easy to love in Kolkata, where the physical poverty is so great. As Mother said, “You will find Kolkata all over the world if you have the eyes to see” and this is the biggest challenge for long-term volunteers and indeed, for all of us.”
Photo : Dr Jebamalai Vinanchiarachi
Mother Teresa Interfaith Annual Meeting
Guest Speaker: Dr Jebamalai Vinanchiarachi, Former Principal Advisor to Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). Subject: The Impact and Compact of thirsting love for humanity.
Catholic Church of Christ the King
260 Richardson Road, Mt Roskill Auckland
Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 2 pm
