

How does a petite five foot woman from Albania change the world? Perhaps the answer lies in the words of the small yet mighty Mother Teresa. “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”
She lived according to her mantra, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Teresa’s strength stemmed from her faith. On a train ride in India in 1946, she experienced a calling which led her to begin the Missionaries of Charity. By today’s standards, living with and serving the poorest of the poor may not seem empowering, but that was not the case for Mother Theresa.
Empowerment is not necessarily defined by physical strength or a certain look. It can be achieved by having the right mindset and following your true calling. Mother Teresa’s example teaches us that you can be empowered and selfless at the same time. She inspired countless people to help the poor and said, “Love, to be real, must cost, it must hurt, it must empty us of self.” She also taught that accepting God’s plan can be the true source of strength and empowerment. She said, “Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness.”

She truly took all of this to heart and it showed through her work. Her Missionaries of Charity began with 13 members, and by the end of her life it had grown to more than 4,000 sisters. By finding a source of strength and using kindness and compassion as fuel, she was able to make a positive change in the world around her. Even now, just over 20 years after her death, many people still see her as a very influential, empowered woman who worked towards bettering the world. She showed that every action, no matter how small it may seem, has the potential to make a great impact.