Welcome to my blog on my service with the Missionaries of Charity

In early 2025, I was preparing to travel to Kolkata to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity in serving the ‘poorest of the poor’. I had gained interest in the Missionaries of Charity while studying about the life of Mother Teresa. I loved her example of caring for the needy at the ground level. Often walking up to a scene on the streets and simply asking “What is going on here? What can I do to help?”

As I observed the homeless on the streets where I’ve lived (Santa Cruz, Bakersfield, San Jose, etc), I’ve been profoundly moved by the struggles of the “untouchables” and the “unwanted” and “unloved”. Surely, there can be more that we can do to meet them where are in life and offer assistance and most importantly love. Mother Teresa has said, ‘It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the giving.”

Long story short, to my suprise I found that there was a Missionaries of Charity convent and hospice for the poor a short drive away in Pacifica. Molly and I made the drive and took a tour of the work being done there by the 12 to 15 sisters and I was hooked. I spent a year and a half volunteering on Friday nights, going into the hospice at 8pm and watching over the residents until Saturday morning at 8am. Today i often volunteer Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights…which prompts my wife to say I live in Pacifica.

The intention of this blog is to capture impactful moments in my service to the ‘poorest of the poor’ with the Missionaries of Charity. They have 758 locations worldwide in 139 different countries and I hope to travel to 6 or 8 locations each year. My goal at each location is to get to know the people and the culture, but most importantly, to serve and get to know individually those whom I serve.

I appreciate your time in following along and look forward to your correspondence. I can be reached at michaelstree@gmail.com.