Nun runs shop to help families plant roots in suburbs

Over the years, Sister Therese Mary Martinez has received many thanks for her work. But one memory in particular stands out the day she brought a Mexican-American family to the bank to withdraw money for a down payment on their first home.

As they waited, the husband tapped Sister Therese Mary on the shoulder. “Sister, if you were not standing there, he told her, “I would not be standing here.

Those comments, as well as her faith, have kept Sister Therese Mary of the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters working all these years and, at age 80, that's no small feat. Since 1958, the missionary has run Little Mexico, a nonprofit affiliated with Catholic Charities, to support Hispanic families in the Northwest suburbs.

The group helps Mexican-American families purchase homes, establish businesses and continue their education. It is funded by donations from parishioners and proceeds from the Little Mexico Inc. Thrift Shop at 111 N. Wolf Road in Wheeling.

In recent years, the souring of the economy has taken a toll on Little Mexico. The group can barely pay the store's bills, Sister Therese Mary says, and has struggled to help families purchase homes or pay mortgages.

“I've seen a lot of families go through a lot of pain and worry, she says.

Yet with the need greater than ever, she is determined to keep the project going. In the neighborhood, she is a familiar face, and those who know her say she exudes a quiet strength.

“She never gets tired, says longtime friend and store volunteer Leticia Lane. “Everybody loves Sister. She's a saint.

At her age, Sister Therese Mary says “God gives me the strength to keep working, though her mother, a widow who raised 10 children, also was an inspiration.

“She is the strongest woman I knew, she says.

Friends say Sister Therese Mary has a gift for offering a friendly ear, and people trust they can confide in her.

“Usually you don't have to say anything, you just have to listen, she says. “That helps them a lot.

That kind of listening has helped her know her neighborhood. Seeing a need to help Hispanic families, she began the Little Mexico store in April 1958 in the basement of the Northfield convent. It moved several times before arriving at its current location in Wheeling 13 years ago.

The home-buying process, particularly in all-white neighborhoods, can be intimidating for many Mexican-American families, Sister Therese Mary says.

Yet homeownership strengthens the community, she says. “Those who have homes become better citizens, she says.

Over the years, the group has helped 200 local families buy homes and countless others to pay their mortgages and other house bills. They buy groceries for and donate furniture and clothes to families in need. They also help residents review legal paperwork and work through the citizenship process and job issues.

“I intend to stay here until I'm 85, Sister Therese Mary says. “If I cannot drive, someone will pick me up.

That someone may be Lane, who would do it in a heartbeat. “To me, Sister is a real sister, and she is my friend, she says.

The two met in 1973, and Lane, seeing the impact the missionary was having on the neighborhood, offered her services translating papers and guiding families through the processes of getting employment letters, work permits and green cards for free.

Wheeling resident Harriett Hall has visited the store regularly for the past five years in search of antiques and collectibles. Chatting with Sister Therese Mary is always a high point, she says. “I respect her, she says. “She's super.

To make a donation: Little Mexico, Inc., 111 North Wolf Road, Wheeling, IL 60090-2920. Call (847) 419-8935.