Where hope begins: light in the midst of hardship

Why do we need hope? Hope is something I’ve been thinking about a lot this year – how sometimes we can have it in abundance whilst at other times it feels more elusive. 

There have been periods this year that have felt very heavy; when, looking at the world, grand hopes of lasting peace, compassion, or even widespread efforts to love one’s neighbour, have felt futile. But in the face of this heaviness, there are hopeful signs. 

We recently announced that our community-led school feeding programmes are reaching more than 3 million children with nutritious meals while they learn. And, at the same time, we’re hearing long-awaited news of plans for peace and potential opportunities for much-needed stability in areas where people are experiencing great suffering. 

Signs of hope – even the smallest flickers of light in times of darkness – are all around us if we look for them. And with Mary’s Meals hope pops up in many ways – often in unexpected places. 

Earlier this year we met a young mother in Malawi, Estele, who was trying her best to raise six children alone after losing her husband. Her children – concerned with trying to help their mother and ease her burden – were working instead of going to school. As she described her sadness in witnessing their suffering and hunger, her situation seemed almost entirely hopeless. 

Yet following the introduction of Mary’s Meals’ school feeding programme in the local primary school, this mother has newfound hope for the future. Just a few weeks ago, Estele told us: “I've experienced a big change in my life.” Her children who, until recently, spent their days in isolation and considered themselves ‘outsiders’, are now happy to go to school, finding new confidence to connect with friends, and feeling hopeful in the assurance that they will eat each day at school. 

Education and a bright future for her children is something that seemed completely out of reach when we first met Estele, yet now she and her family have hope for the future. The transformation we see when children can finally rely on receiving one nutritious meal every school day is truly remarkable. 

So, we invite you to Give Hope this Christmas, simply by helping us to provide more of these life-changing meals. There are so many more children waiting. Please, if you can, reach out to a child for whom a daily meal can make all the difference. There is joy in giving and there is certainly hope for those children in receipt of your generosity. 

God bless, 

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow 

CEO and Founder of Mary’s Meals

It costs just £19.15 or €22 to provide a child with school meals for an entire school year. There are many ways you can help support our work and help us reach the next hungry child waiting for Mary’s Meals. There may even be a Mary's Meals office or volunteer group in your area. Learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference.