Left with Fifteen CentsIn all, the Home expanded and needed 49 staff members for its operations.
Despite donations, the main source of funding came from Ursula. Each time Teresa asked for monetary help, Ursula never hesitated.
Once Ursula gave all her cash to Teresa leaving her with fifteen cents only!
Ursula had to wait till 9am for her coffee break to rush to the bank to withdraw money for her own expenses.
"The Old and Sick are my Family"
Teresa was already in her 70s then but was as fit as ever mentally and physically.
Underpinning her philosophy of work (and life) is "All people are my brother and sisters. Surely I should honor and respect them."
Teresa also made it a requirement for all the Home's workers to treat the residents like their own family.
"In your heart, you sincerely give; in my heart, I gratefully accept. If there is even an iota of reluctance in your giving, I will now accept." This message emphasizes "sincerity" as the essence of purposeful giving or generosity.
Sometimes, the Home receives items in excess of what it requires. Teresa would request the permission of the donor first before giving them away to the poor (non-residents of the Home).
Besides taking care of the residents and the workers, Teresa also reached out to and cared for 26 needy families and single elderly folks through her 'Heart-to-Heart' unit which was renamed from "The Friends of the Needy" first started in Hong Kong in 1923."
Keeping the Faith (and Love) in Selfless Service
Once the cook told her that they had not enough rice for dinner. Teresa said: "Do not worry as some good hearted souls will send us some later." And true enough as if she had telepathic powers, someone would deliver a vanload of rice that afternoon.
When asked about these coincidences, Teresa said, "There are many good and generous people helping us in our work. And I am happy and forever grateful to them for helping us in our duties at the appropriate times."
Looking after the Old and Caring for the Sick is my Vocation
In 1985, the President of the Society for the Aged Sick visited the Home. On seeing Teresa with her head full of silver hair busy attending to the residents, he asked. "are you the person in charge of this Home and how old are you?"
Upon the President's insistence, Teresa "retired" (87 years old). She had no choice but let go of the Home that she had lovingly set up and looked after.
"He that does good to another does also good to himself." - Seneca
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