My name is Sister Martha Meyer. I have been a member of the Sisters of Mercy for 45 years. After years of preparation for the field of education I taught elementary school for 25 years. Then I felt the yearning to become a part of the mission of the Sisters serving in Central Appalachia. I wanted my life to make a difference. I feel privileged to have been a part of this ministry for 15 years. This ministry has provided me with the opportunity to serve in a variety of ways, including working in a homeless shelter, helping to prepare a number of the mountain people for the GED exam, and working in a free clinic.

My history with the Sisters of Mercy goes way back to elementary school days. They were my teachers and I developed great admiration for them. They had a spirit about them that I wanted to be a part of. I admired their friendliness, their goodness, their genuineness to people, their life of prayer. I realized later that it was their rootedness in God that drew me to their presence.

I feel extremely blessed to be a part of the Sisters of Mercy today. Our community is very much alive. We are continually looking for new and richer ways to live out the charism of Mercy. Our choice of ministries is much broader than it was in years past. The presence of our Associates is especially life-giving. These are men and women who have caught the spirit of Mercy and are living it in unique ways. I feel that the Sisters today are very much in touch with the charism of Catherine McAuley. In our ministries today we are able to develop closer relationships with God's people. This enables us to be Mercy and to receive Mercy from those we are with. My life is richer and fuller than ever before.

Life as a Sister of Mercy today is better than ever! My life has brought me in touch with people in ways I would never have dreamed possible 45 years ago. There are many challenges in today's world, in the Church and in religious life, but God has promised to be always with us. He has not let us down in the past and He will not let us down in the future.

Sister Martha helps a 'little one' in rural ministry.