A donation can be a simple pot of soup or a few hot dogs. There are people who thank for this with a song from the heart

Preparing and serving food at the Missionaries of Charity / Sisters of Mother Teresa has become one of the main projects of the Order of Malta in Estonia.

As with any project, a core group of regulars has formed, supported by other dedicated and active volunteers. Ingrid, Donald, and Agnes have been present almost every time we return to Ristiku Street in Tallinn on Sundays to lend a hand to the homeless and those in difficult life circumstances.

Sunday, 18 May, was special in some ways, as the day before, the Kingdom of Norway had celebrated its Constitution Day — a major national holiday there. To mark the occasion, the Scandinavian Chamber of Commerce in Estonia donated 100 hot dogs to be distributed that Sunday.

We spoke with Ingrid, a volunteer of Estonian origin who is now a Norwegian citizen and thus knows both countries well. As mentioned, Ingrid is one of the key figures in the Missionaries of Charity kitchen and was also the first person to officially register as a volunteer with the Order of Malta.

What does participating in this project give you, especially on Sundays?

As a volunteer, I feel that my work with the Order of Malta gives a lot back to me as well. Among other things, it gives me a sense of belonging and new friendships. Our volunteers are of very different ages and backgrounds, which makes for an exciting mix of generations. We meet people we wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with and gain insight into their perspectives on life. It’s a truly international group, with people from Estonia as well as distant countries.

Volunteering is by no means just labour and toil – it opens the door to deeper conversations and allows us to move beyond the superficial layers of everyday life to something more profound: to humanity and, in the best sense of the word, compassion.

It also cultivates gratitude. When I see people in real need around me, I realise how fortunate I’ve been in life. I believe everyone who has volunteered can relate to that feeling. Every meal shared, every smile received, and every word exchanged creates bonds that enrich our lives. A simple act of food-sharing on a Sunday can become an experience that brings us closer to one another and to our community – building bridges where they are most needed.

How long have you been a volunteer with the Order?

I can proudly say that I was the very first volunteer to sign the registration form for joining the Order of Malta as a volunteer in Estonia. I remember it being handed out at the Sunday café near the Catholic Church in Tallinn. Since the Order of Malta has historically Catholic roots, it felt like a natural setting. Later, people joined us who had no connection to the Church or to spirituality at all. But that’s where the very first volunteers were recruited. 

For me, the decision was easy—my mother lives in Germany, and I often spend time there, where the Order of Malta is widespread, respected, and very visible.

At that first Sunday café, no one else joined yet, but just a week later, more volunteers signed up. That was largely thanks to Indrek Petersoo, the CEO of the Order of Malta in Estonia, who gave a presentation about the Order’s history and its mission in today’s world. At first, it may have seemed like a somewhat unfamiliar organisation, but today there are already many who have joined—and we hope many more will follow. 😊 

In May, the Scandinavian Chamber of Commerce made a food donation to the Order of Malta’s project. How did that cooperation happen?

The day before, on 17 May, Norway's Constitution Day was celebrated here in Estonia, and the event was organised by the Scandinavian Chamber of Commerce. As a Norwegian citizen, I had been invited to the formal reception. During that event, the activities of the Order of Malta came up in conversation, after which a representative of the Chamber offered to donate over 100 hot dogs to the Order, specifically for our Ristiku Street project.

It might sound surprising, but hot dogs are a traditional food for Constitution Day in Norway. While children mainly eat them here, in Norway it's a widespread national custom.

Are there other donors as well, and how frequent is your cooperation with them?

Donations are not new to the Order of Malta. In other parts of the world, the Order receives its financial resources not only from members but also from kind-hearted people who support charitable work. In Estonia, we are still young and haven’t yet fully engaged in structured fundraising.

However, we have received food donations, including from Sepa Terrass, located in the rapidly developing Kopli district. Event Eats, a catering company, also regularly prepares what has become our signature soup, which we purchase at a symbolic price.

Was this time different thanks to the Norwegian hot dogs?

Oh yes! This time, the food distribution ended with a multi-voiced song of gratitude. I had never seen that before. It was genuinely heartfelt and came straight from the soul—a powerful reflection of just how thankful the recipients truly are.

For the people who come there, each shared meal is not just nourishment; it’s an opportunity to connect and, most importantly, to feel seen – to be part of a society that otherwise tends to forget them.

Interview and text by Lennart Käämer, volunteer of the Order of Malta