Living Up to their name, Mother Teresa Home Accepts Abandoned Woman
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them. Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work” – Mother Teresa
“This woman is suffering. She needs shelter”- But a staff at one of the NGO’s replied: “Sorry, we cannot take her in without the permission of our head. She is poor, neglected and abandoned by her own family. She is a spinster, she is a handicap and she is moving around using her two hands instead of her feet”.
Mangaluru: Yes, on January 11, at around 8:00 pm, mangalorean.com received a call from the Pandeshwar women’s police station, asking for help to find a place for an abandoned woman who was unable to walk. They had tried their best to get her admitted in an NGO but they refused to take her in. When the door was closed for Jayalaxmi, the women’s police station tried knocking the other door.
Speaking to mangalorean.com Jayalaxmi age around 50 years from Arasikere, said, “I have four brothers and a younger sister who are married. I am a spinster and my brothers and sister have abused and abandoned me. They want me to die! Once while I was traveling by train I fell down and injured my legs, since then I have been unable to walk. I move around with the help of my hands. My mother was taking care of me but my brothers ill-treated my mother and she later died. Since then I have been abandoned. I do not want to go back to my hometown. I want to stay in Mangaluru if someone provides me shelter.”
Yes, it was a heart-wrenching story. She somehow came to Mangaluru by train on January 11, when she was moving around with the support of her hands, a kind-hearted auto driver noticed her in the railway station and dropped her at the Pandeshwar police station. Knowing that an NGO takes care of the destitute, Jayalaxmi was taken there, but they refused to take her in. The Pandeshwar police did not lose hope. They called Mangalorean.com and asked to find out some place where this homeless woman could be taken care of.
Mangalorean.com tried their level best along with a social activist Alwyn. With the help of the Pandeshwar police, Jayalaxmi was taken to Mother Teresa’s house in Sturrock Road. It was 10:00 pm and the sisters welcomed Jayalaxmi with a broad smile. There was a sigh of relief on Jayalaxmi’s face.
Jayalaxmi accompanied by a police, social activist Alwyn and team Mangalorean was welcomed at the Mother Teresa’s house at Sturrock road. There when Jayalaxmi was questioned if she would return to her hometown, she said, “I do not want to return to my hometown since I have been abandoned by my siblings. In this situation where can I find a place to stay. Thank you all for helping me to get a shelter and God Bless you all”.
In conclusion, to quote- Matthew 25:35-40 in Holy Bible, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and need of shelter, you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous answered him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King replied, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
So next time you see a person who is in need of food, clothes or shelter, come forward and be a Good Samaritan, and make a difference. You will be surely blessed.
Dear violet
Hats off to to you and the team mangloreans for your outstanding and noble task of helping Jayalaxmi. You and your team are indeed true Samaritans
There is nothing more beautiful than your kind effort of providing help and relief to Jayalaxmi and making her life beautiful.By your kind act you have shown(in the words of Barak Obama) “If you go out and make good things happen you will fill the world with hope”
God Bless
Thilu Bhargava, Canada,
Stories like this restores my faith in humanity. Kudos to everyone who tried to help this abandoned lady. A society is judged based on how we treat other humans, animals and environment. All the big temples and religious centers in Dakshina Kannada region who spent crores and crores on silly rituals, exorbitant processions and annual ‘pataaaki’ display should do some ‘aatma vimarshe’ to see what they are doing to help the least privileged ones in our society.