An Unquenchable Thirst is the story of Mary Johnson's twenty years as a
Missionary of Charity — working alongside Mother Teresa in service to the
world's poor — and a fascinating depiction of the daily struggle to live a life
of religious service. At 17, Johnson experienced her calling when she saw a
photo of Mother Teresa on the cover of Time. Eighteen months later she
found herself in religious training in a South Bronx convent. This boisterous,
independent-minded teenager adapted, eventually, to the austere life of poverty
and devotion, but faced daily the struggles of any young woman — the same
desires for love and connection and meaning and identity. After 20 years,
Johnson left the order and has since left the church, but the story of this
complicated, extraordinary woman will speak to atheists and true believers
alike.
An Unquestionable Thirst is a long novel, over five hundred pages, but it is riveting and worth every page. Mary Johnson, the author of this magnificent book, saw Mother Teresa on the cover of Time magazine when she was a teen and decided then and there she was going to be a nun. This is her story spanning twenty years at the Missionary of Charity. It's very compelling and shocking. From the yearnings of a young girl to the horrific way the nuns are treated or treated themselves, An Unquenchable Thirst is a powerful story. I emphathized with the poverty and the level of devotion that they had to God, the struggles they went through and the rigorous discipline left me in awe. To work side by side by Mother Theresa and inside look at that journey is what compelled me to pick up this book but it now has a prominent place on my keeper shelf. One of the best books I have read this year!
Of course I wanted to see some pictures, so I did some googling ... this is Sister Donata (Mary Johnson) with Mother Theresa after she took her Vows.
At Seventeen, I couldn't imagine entering to be a nun - I was too interested in boys, friends and getting my driver's license. To have that kind of calling with God at such a young age is amazing.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
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The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.
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