MennoLink Books and Music

Anna and Katharine begin their lives in two Mennonite rural villages in Russia at the end of the 19th century. They come to their final restring places in urban settings in Canada towards the end of the 20th century. As they move in circles that overlap geographically and spiritually, the reality of the supernatural is a common thread in their life experiences.

Copyright 2006 Herb Swartz

Bela Banerjee: Bringing Health to India's Villages tells the story of this remarkable woman's life. It is amply illustrated with photographs from several sources, and includes a map of India noting in boldface type the places where Bela had lived and worked. The book is divided into eight parts, each beginning with a poem by Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, whose message Bela found inspiring.

Bela became ill during her North American trip in 1992, and died on January 1, 1993, at the home of friends in Kansas. During her illness, Bela still yearned to serve others. Some of her last words were, "I want to work." Nurses and others who helped Bela during that time were deeply touched by her vision and caring personality.

The coda also draws together some of the linkages among the many people who came to know and care for Bela Banerjee in her last days with others from many parts of the world whose lives had already been linked with hers. It suggests a sense of the continuing influence of Bela Banerjee's life through memorials that have been established in her honor and through the lives of those who have been inspired by her presence.