Yet, she also found solace and comfort through the happiness and grati-
tude of her young charges. Merely placing a hand on a dirty forehead or
holding the hand of a small child brought her great joy. Many of the chil-
dren took to calling her “Ma” which meant “Mother,” a term that she
treasured.
According to one former student, among the tasks Sister Teresa will-
ingly took on was the organization of classes for the primary school chil-
dren. Sister Teresa also made sure that the children received baths; for
many, this was a real treat and something to look forward to. Prizes were
awarded at the end of the school year for the students; in many cases, the
most coveted were bars of soap.
Former students remember Sister Teresa as an engaging teacher. When
teaching Sunday School catechism lessons, she often told stories of her
own childhood in Skopje. Her geography classes were exciting; many stu-
dents believed that she made the world come alive for them in a way not
seen or felt before. This is, perhaps, ironic because Sister Teresa had seen
little of the world herself and would not leave the area she resided in for
over 30 years.
By all accounts, Sister Teresa again showed her willingness to work
hard. She needed her fortitude; the days at St. Mary’s were long. Each day
began at half past five in the morning. Upon awakening, the sisters would
pray and read their prescribed lessons in the prayer book, or from the
Scriptures or New Testament. All were expected to attend morning mass
at six o’clock. Classes were held from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M., with tea held after-
ward. Other hours at St. Mary’s were used for looking after the small chil-
dren there. There were also other duties awaiting them: papers and
lessons to be corrected and a children’s recreation hour to be supervised.
Sister Teresa also oversaw the children’s evening meals and bedtime. Self-
discipline was essential if one was to accomplish everything in a timely
fashion. Failure to do so indicated an inability to stay within the order.
Throughout her time at the school, Sister Teresa showed herself to be
a pious but not overly demonstrative woman. She was charitable and did
not tolerate unkindness from anyone, whether a child or an adult. Taking
a firm attitude toward her young charges, Sister Teresa rarely displayed her
temper at wrongdoing. In spite of the backbreaking work, she always had
a smile and a kind word for people. She was no stranger to humor either:
when told a good joke or funny story, Sister Teresa clasped her waist in
both hands and would often bend over with laughter.
Although the sisters of Loreto took vows to live in poverty, Sister
Teresa somehow managed to acquire those things that no one else
wanted. Her sheets had more patches and darns than the others. She
20 MOTHER TERESA