Dear Mary’s Meals supporter
The world is in a mess. There are so many humanitarian crises and so much uncertainty, it can feel difficult to make the right choices. When I saw so many good people driving trucks of aid to Ukraine, it reminded me of when we did that thirty years ago, during the last war in Europe, and how that so unexpectedly led to the birth of Mary’s Meals. At first, we wondered if we should do the same again this time and whether Mary’s Meals should respond directly to this terrible Ukrainian crisis. For this reason, I wanted to reach out to you personally so you would hear where my heart is on this important issue.
As the war in Ukraine unfolded and we thought about our promise to 2 million of the world’s poorest children – each of them living in communities experiencing their own humanitarian crisis - we decided that we must remain focused on keeping our promise to the children we serve. We made this difficult choice - despite our huge compassion for the people of Ukraine - recognizing that the places where children eat Mary’s Meals struggle to make headlines or attract attention even at the best of times...and clearly these are not the best of times. Moreover, we can see that rising global food costs and difficulties with the supply chain will cause increasing numbers of the world’s poorest children to go hungry – not just this year but for many years to come. Ukrainians are the first, but they will not be the only victims of this terrible war.
And so, recognizing that we cannot do everything, we have chosen to stay faithful to those children, who tomorrow will arrive at school with empty mugs and bowls trusting that they will be filled, as always, by smiling Mary’s Meals volunteers. The lives of those children are changed anew each day by the serving of that meal, and we have the evidence to prove it. We know that, beyond the immediate filling of an empty, aching belly, our meals enable and enhance the education of the child. Thus, hope enters in and futures are transformed. We see many other benefits too. Our commitment to buying food locally, thus providing farmers an all year-round market and incentive to invest and increase production, has always been a cornerstone of our work. It now seems more important than ever as we see the horrible impact the Ukraine crisis is having on global food markets and the vulnerability of those dependent on imports.
It is good to remember these things if we are ever tempted to think our little acts of love are hopeless in the face of all this suffering. The good things you are doing in service of Mary’s Meals might feel small to you – but they are certainly not small in the lives of the little ones who trust in our promise. They are enormous. And they are needed now more than ever before.
I thank you with all my heart for your faithfulness. Please, please let’s keep going for the sake of those two million children – and then even beyond to the hungry ones still waiting.
God bless
Magnus
Founder, Mary’s Meals
Just $31.70 feeds a child for a whole school year.