The Heart of the Matter

Here is a letter written by Magnus the founder of Mary's Meals after his recent trip to Iowa:

Last week I visited Iowa, one of my favorite places in the world.
I was there to speak at the World Hunger Summit and it was wonderful to be able to share the story of Mary’s Meals with over 700 people at the Hunger Lunch in Des Moines.
I felt privileged to meet some very distinguished people and great humanitarians, but the highlight for me that day was meeting hundreds of high school kids who had travelled from all over Iowa, many wearing Mary’s Meals T-shirts, to learn more about the charity they love.
Whilst in Des Moines my dear friends there organised an evening event in a parish church for supporters of our work. They told me they hoped that 75 people might attend and couldn’t believe it when over 200 enthusiastic people, some sitting on the floor, turned up on this week day evening to hear the latest updates.
And then the next morning I had an ever bigger treat when I called into St Theresa’s primary school, who have sponsored the building of a kitchen in Malawi (one of 21 kitchens that have now been sponsored by groups in Iowa so far!!), to find that every single pupil was wearing a Mary’s Meals shirt for the day.
I was so moved to meet those happy, excited children and their incredible teachers and to be able to share a little with them about how their kindness has changed the lives of so many hungry children. At the end of my talk I was starting to say to the children ‘please, please say prayers for Mary’s Meals …’ when I noticed the teachers laughing and pointing behind me.
I turned to see two pupils carrying the most enormous envelope on which was written ‘Prayers for Mary’s Meals’. They gave this to me explaining that each child had written their own prayer.
It seems so appropriate to me that this part of America is known as the ‘Heartland’ while Malawi is proud to be called the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’. Both places are home to people with enormous hearts who are always ready to share with those less fortunate – and both know how to do so with joy!