IFTTT Autopost 
Ruth Lewis was a Pakistani born sometime in 1946 who gave her life serving disabled people, mostly children and teens, in Karachi, Pakistan.
When she grew up, Ruth joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King in Karachi. This order, founded in Pakistan in 1937, focuses on the care and well-being of the poor and those who are unable to care for themselves
In 1969, Sr. Ruth, with Sr. Gertrude Lemmens and Sr. Margaret D’Costa, became part of the staff of Dar-ul-Sukun (House of Peace), a home for 150 mentally and physically disabled people, most of whom were children and teenagers. Sr. Ruth had seen such children on the street, often in chains, while other children pelted them with stones. She could not rest until she did all she could to provide a safe place for such children and teens.
Sr. Ruth served Dar-ul-Sukun home for 51 years, and she was like a mother to the children and youth, the last 20 years as the head of the institution. The sisters rely on the generosity of others to bring food, clothing, bedding, and other supplies to the institution. Also, volunteers often come from the Netherlands to help, sometimes for months at a time, for Sr. Gertrude Lemmens was from Holland. Sister Ruth always showed her thanks for such help.
Sr. Ruth gave her all for her “children.” She also taught others how to be true servant-leaders. One priest, for example, told how he had spent one year with Sr. Ruth as a seminarian. He said that in that cultural milieu, men did not care for children, change diapers, or clean rooms. Sr. Ruth, however, expected seminarians to do all those things by showing them how to do them. And, the men learned to serve in this way.
Sr. Ruth was so proud of anything the children and teens accomplished, and she celebrated with them. She was especially proud of four of her “kids” who won medals in the Special Olympics in the United States in 1998.
In 2020, however, many of the children became infected with COVID-19. Sr. Ruth refused to abandon the children. Instead, she fed them, changed them, consoled them, loved them. As a result of her close contact with the infected children, she became infected and was taken to Aga Khan Hospital and put on a ventilator. She died on July 20, 2020.
Sr. Ruth Lewis has been called the “Mother Teresa of Pakistan” for her unfailing love and devotion to those most in need. In 2014, she was given the Pride of Karachi Award that honors individuals who have worked selflessly and passionately for the betterment of society, and in 2018, she received the hakim Mohammed Said Award for her work for humanity. After her death, President Arif Alvi awarded her the Sitara-i-Imtiaz award to Sr. Lewis for her public service, the highest civil award of Pakistan.
