9/7/2022,
I visited Mrs. Theresa Nath and her daughter, Annie, at Khrist Jyoti Ashram, Namata last week. Annie lives in Canada but has been looking after her mother in recent weeks since Theresa became ill. I want to share some things I learnt about Theresa from Annie.
Theresa is now 89 years old and has lived for almost 35 years at the Ashram. There she has a regular program of prayer including reciting the Divine Office morning and evening and attending Mass when available. She used to help cook for groups which came there.
Theresa has been an angel of mercy to many people in Namata settlement and to people who have come to the Ashram seeking help. I mention just a few cases.
A young mother, Miriam, and her little children were chased out of their home by her mother-in-law. They spent three nights sleeping under a tree. When Theresa heard this she bought some timber and galvanized iron and had a small house built for the young family.
When a poor man came asking for food she gave him some from her kitchen and took him to Nadi the following day to buy him groceries. She used to buy hampers for poor families in Namata before Christmas and Easter each year. She paid school fees for many children.
One night at 10.00 p.m. there was a knock on the door. Theresa opened the door to find a Fijian lady sitting on the steps. She said that her son needed money to go for an interview. Theresa turned to Annie and told her to bring out some cookies that she had brought. She gave the lady some cookies as well as $20.
When there was no priest in residence at the Ashram Theresa would call Akisi, one of the part-time cooks. She knows that Akisi needs food for her family. So Theresa would give her some jobs to do and then pay her out of her own pocket. Theresa also paid for the wiring and installation of electricity in the house of another part-time Ashram worker.
Fr Marianand told me that Theresa paid for the seminary training of a young man in India. She was thrilled to attend his ordination.
Annie recalls being woken at 6.00 a.m. by her mother and told to shower and to be in the chapel by 7.00 a.m. As she was walking up to the church she heard her mother singing a hymn by herself inside. She stood outside and cried. Theresa had this glow of happiness around her.
Theresa would never have told me any of these things. I was grateful to hear them from her daughter. It reminds me of the goodness and kindness of so many ‘little’ people in the world.
by Fr. Frank Hoare
