Mother Teresa of Meghalaya expired
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Shillong, February 13 2012:
'Mother Teresa of Meghalaya' Sister (Dr) Amalia Pereda Ortiz de Zarate, better known as Dr Amelia, of the Missionaries of Christ Jesus, a Catholic Church religious order, who once run Nazareth Hospital, expired on Monday morning, February 13, 2012, here in Shillong.
Born on the August 31, 1927 to Daniel and Aurora Pereda Ortiz de Zarate in Spain, she joined the Missionaries of Christ Jesus in 1946.Soon after completing her initial religious and academic formation in Spain she was sent by her superiors to India, where she arrived on April 1, 1961 .
Sister Amalia had degrees in medicine and surgery from the University of Valencia in Spain.
She was one of the pioneering sisters who started Nazareth Hospital in Shillong, where she was the Superintendent and surgeon for well over a decade.
Along with treating patients in the outdoor and indoor, she was the doctor-in charge of one of the refugee camps in the then composite state of Assam and subsequently Meghalaya for refugees from then East Pakistan and present Bangladesh from 1965 to 1977 .
After 1977, her research acumen and love for the poor found Sister Amalia totally involved in her medical work in Jaintia Hills, from Raliang, and East and West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi Districts, through her mobile dispensaries, village health trainings and other outreach activities.
A couple of years ago a spine surgery and a painful knee slowed down Sister Amalia's activities but she continued serving the poor and sick through other sister nurses.
A bad bout of pneumonia in the first week of January this year confined Sister Amelia to her hospital bed, where she succumbed to the ailment peacefully this morning.
Her mortal remains will be laid to rest on the February 14 at the Laitumkhrah Catholic Cemetery following a Holy Mass at 2 pm at Nirmali-Red hill Road, Laitumkhrah.
Shillong.