Come and See: A Photojournalist's Journey into the World of Mother Teresa

by Linda Schaefer

Unlike most books of photographs about Mother Teresa, Come and See is very unique. It combines the text of a journal handwritten by photojournalist Linda Schaefer as well as some 160 full color photographs taken as she lived and worked with the Missionaries of Charities and the international team of volunteers in various facilities run by Mother Teresa throughout India.

Schaefer had decided many years ago that she wanted to shoot a pictorial on Mother Teresa and her work. Finally in 1995 she had a brief encounter with the living saint during a visit to Atlanta. This renewed her passion to photograph the nun in her natural surroundings and share a different look at Mother Teresa with the world.

This was not an easy task. Mother Teresa was opposed to "another book" about her. As she put it, "too many people are making money and none of it gets to the poor who really need it." After accepting a challenge from Mother Teresa to put her cameras down and go to work in the orphanages and houses of the dying, Schaefer finally received the answer to her prayers. Mother Teresa penned a note to Linda granting her complete and unfettered access to her facilities, the Missionaries of Charity, the international team of volunteers, and thousands of poor and sick.

The result is a book that was created around the dictates of Mother Teresa. As she put it, she wanted the people who picked up this book to see "her world" -- the environment in which she lived and shared her love. She wanted viewers to actually "see, smell and hear" the real world in which she lived and worked.. She didn't want a book packed full of individual photos of herself, and so Schaefer's work portrays all of the component parts thatmade up the world of Mother Teresa. This is the focus of Come and See.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

138 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2003

Reviews

[Cynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love until it hurts. . . .What I do, you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.--Mother Teresa

--

Photojournalist Linda Schaefer who admits to her fallible not-always-loving self felt the need to the photograph a living holy mother--and to fulfill an assignment from Jay Suber then Vice President at CNN to cover five stories in India, possibly one on Mother Teresa. So for personal and professional reasons Schaefer sought permission of Mother Teresa to photograph Mother Teresa's work. (Of course Mother Teresa understood that it is reallyGod's Work.)

When Schaefer photographs and speaks with the young people working with Mother Teresa, those young people will largely tell of the benefits of the work, the relief of being away of Western Civilization, but not so much of the hardships. Schaefer records thebwork in pictures that show how much she respects the work and how the work is demanding and even dangerous. Schaefer tells of her own hardships during her time in India. Overall, this work is a commitment of love flowing back and forth between humans those who and are served in conditions of hardship: being orphaned, living with leprosy, dying .

In this book Schaefer shows how the work of The Missionaries of Charity continues. We see young women who are taking their final vows to enter the order. We glimpse Sister Nirmala who was preparing to step into Mother Teresa's shoes.

Read for my warrior study which allows encompasses social and spiritual warriors.

[Kymberli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother Theresa is one of my heros! She is always an awe inspiring person who causes me to take a step back and think "what am I doing with my precious time on earth?" This book is basically a picture book documentary written by a journalist who traveled to Calcutta, India, and was allowed into the private life of Mother Theresa. The photography is beautiful and the story is one of truth and selflessness.

[kathleen macdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sat down one day after stopping at a chapel to pray ---and this book was on the coffee table in the vestibule of the place where I was...I ended up sitting and reading the entire book...it was life changing. I'd love a copy of my own, but it's crazy-expensive.

[Magda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story in words and photos. Linda Schaefer was the last professional photographer to be granted access to Mother Teresa as she lived and worked inside the orphanages, houses of the dying, and the leper colony run by the Missionaries of Charity.

[cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, I wished I could have met Mother Theresa in person. I don't know that there was another human that walked the earth with such compassion, besides Jesus Christ. This is a photojournalist's book, so there are a lot of pictures, which puts you "there" with the story.

[Traci · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was deeply disappointed in the quality of the photos. Underexposed, poorly composed, lifeless images. It's disappointing that such a poor photographer was given such an incredible opportunity. The story isn't compelling and the whole thing is a dud.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photography and interesting story.