Mother Teresa

I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper’s wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?” –1974 Interview with Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born on August 27, 1910, to Nikola and Dronda Bojaxhiu in Skopje. Skopje is in Macedonia. She died September 5, 1997.

Though Mother Teresa died in 1997, I like to pretend she didn’t.

Like an actor in a play, in a TV program, or in a movie, I like to create make-believe moments and pretend I am Mother Teresa.

Today I am in Baghdad at the children’s hospital. I have my friend, Omar, with me, the small boy I found wandering the streets 2 days ago. There is no one to watch over the children. The medical doctors ran away. The nurses, too. They were afraid. It is because of the war and the bombings.

The children are frightened, too. They think nobody cares about them. They think there is no safe place to be sick, injured, or hurt.

With Omar’s help, I stay with the children until a new team of nurses and doctors arrive.

While we wait, Omar helps me change diapers. He shakes powder on tiny behinds. We ladle soup into bowls made of clay for each boy and girl. We wash lots of dirty feet. Omar tells another by to say a prayer. He tells everyone everything will be all right.

Soon American soldiers come to the hospita. They stand guard at doorways. They give each boy and girl a piece of chocolate.

It is the end of the day. The children are tucked in their beds and have fallen asleep. It is time for Omar and me to leave. We must return to the missionary.

I carry Omar in my arms. He has fallen asleep.

Remember, this is not a real story. I am not Mother Teresa, and I have never been to Baghdad. Omar is not a real boy.

Though my story is make-believe, I’d like to think if Mother Teresa were alive, she would like it.

What do you think?