Happy Thanksgiving with the Missionaries of Charity

Once again, thanksgiving is celebrated with my favorite nuns of the Missionaries of Charity. This is a group of amazing nuns whose order was started by Mother Teresa. This was Mother Teresa's 100th anniversary. Every year, the nuns provide a venue for a wonderful meal, a great show by some talented dancers and singers, and the homeless people who come to the shelter usually put on a Thanksgiving play too. It really is something beautiful to behold. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to get involved in giving back to the community and helping people who are less fortunate than us. Thanksgiving is also a busy time of year, and sometimes understandably hard to get away from other obligations. Last year, I announced it at Bamboomoves and Hank joined me. This year Hank was back again with wife Maria, and 8 other Bamboomoves members came along too! WOW! So thankful to be part of this amazing family/yoga studio at Bamboomoves in the Bronx. Thank you to Armando & Denise, Jody, Michelle, Hank & Maria, Stefanie & Matt, Mary and BF, YOU ALL ROCK! We arrived there at 8:30 and did the jobs that the sisters assigned either preparing the meals, carrying the meals to the hall, peeling potatoes, preparing cutlery, setting the tables, sweeping, and most of us were in the massive traditional chain of people that puts the food on the table. It is a lot of fun every year! Upon leaving a small group of us ran into a familiar Sister I knew from the Mission, and she was so happy to see the group of new faces I recruited. We stood for a quick picture. If you or someone you know are interested in volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity, they also have daily meals every day, except for Fridays in their Bronx location. Hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving! Thank you to all who participated, and thank you to the Sisters who dedicate their lives tirelessly to help the poor.

Happy Easter 2010 - Missionaries of Charity

Easter has arrived! The Day that Christians all around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. It is also a day that I was fortunate to find coverage for my yoga classes, and share with the lovely Sisters at the Missionaries of Charity in the BX. The Missionaries of Charity was founded by the beloved Mother Teresa and is now run by Sr. Nirmala. The mission is to help feed the poor around the world. All the sisters take an incredible vow of poverty with two saris, one pair of sandals and that is it....a vow most women would find difficult to take. The part I have always been touched by is the true joy that all the sisters bring to the homeless worldwide. From childhood, my mother had introduced me to the work of Mother Teresa and I have had a strong love for the group ever since. Right here in the Bronx, NY the sisters have a soup kitchen, shelter, house for shut ins, and weekly meals. Any chance I get, I love to help out....so this year I headed down there. While normally I visit family on Easter, the sisters were pleasantly surprised to see me. They quickly assigned me tasks of transporting food to the hall, and the part of Mary Magdalen for the impromptu performance. I have come to realize they get a kick out of putting me in the play each time, and I truly enjoy it. This year, I was fine with letting a new volunteer take the part, as she was super excited.

Ironically, the sisters had me cut the meat (ribs). They know I am vegetarian, and I was fine with the assigned job. My personal choice and nearly lifetime commitment to be Vegetarian is because of my love for animals and the limb of yoga (yamas) which is ahimsa, meaning non harm to all living things. In a perfect world maybe we would have vegetarian food for the shelter, but I knew that the sisters are serving whatever is donated to the shelter for the local homeless people. I also knew that I didn't personally harm the meat on the table. Ironically, I found myself praying as I was cutting, giving thanks that these hungry people at least had something. Often times, we get caught up in our dietary choices, and in a volunteer situation it is better to take the "do it for God" approach. The actual act of cutting the meat made me recognize my preference as a vegetarian, I have to admit, I found it a bit yucky.

All in all, it was a wonderful morning. The people enjoyed the food and the talented performances. When we take time to volunteer for those less fortunate, we understand what gratitude really is. The sisters are always looking for volunteer help, and especially drivers. If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering your time and love with the Missionaries of Charity, BX contact them (718) 292 0019. Happy Easter. Bunny Hugs to All,

~ Ambria

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Although giving thanks should be done everyday, in America we commemorate the day that the first Thanksgiving meal was shared today. We are very fortunate and have much to be thankful for. The aftermath of my recent cold has been my new sultry/congestion voice, and since that was all, I woke up and headed to The Missionaries of Charity in the Bronx. Every year, I like to help out at this wonderful soup kitchen in NYC, because since I was a little girl I have had a fondness to the actual Mission. The Missionaries of Charity was founded by Mother Teresa, and here in NYC they provide food, shelter and hospices to the needy people of the community. The Sisters that run the mission are familiar with me as a volunteer, and remembered that I was in the impromptu play last year, so this year again, I was quickly cast in the new play. Alongside the hidden talent of the people who come to the shelter, myself and two sisters from the Mission put on a new original Thanksgiving play, which echoed the biblical theme of "The Stone that the builders rejected, has become the corner stone". I was cast as a builder, and arranged the stones, which were actually the people who come to the shelter dressed in cardboard boxes. This year, I was amazed to see the new volunteers that came and shared there kindness of heart. The continued generosity of spirit of the Sisters and the Volunteers was enough to find a reasons to give thanks.

I have mentioned this volunteer opportunity to many people, and this year was the first year that another person came along. Special Thanks to Hank, who faithfully attends my 6:30 am yoga class at Bamboomoves! I had mentioned casually what my plans were for Thanksgiving after our Monday morning class, and told Hank to google the Missionaries of Charity, since I didn't have the address on me at the time. When I got off the train this morning, and walked in the direction of the Mission, there was Hank in his car honking and waving. Initially, I waved backed, thinking it was another random person in NYC that likes to honk and wave at female pedestrians, until he rolled down the window and called my name. I was so happy! Often times the men who volunteer wind up lifting the big cooking containers with food, and I was so impressed with how Hank immersed himself into the volunteer experience. While I had fun in the play and doing the clean up. It was so great to have another person I know come along to experience a different type of Thanksgiving! It is great to give thanks, and sometimes when we give, we find more reasons to give thanks! Thanks Hank for sharing your time with the needy people of NYC.

Later, I was able to feast on some yummy vegetarian Indian food with my friends here in NYC. Personally, I have so many things to be thankful for...faith, family, good friends, shelter, music, yoga, food, and as I am typing I realize I could probably go on for hours.....Giving Thanks is awesome! Happy Thanksgiving! ~ Peace & hugs, Ambria