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The Shed That Fed a Million Children: The Extraordinary Story of Mary’s Meals
In 1992, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow was enjoying a pint with his brother when he got an idea that would change his life – and radically change the lives of others.
After watching a news bulletin about war-torn Bosnia, the two brothers agreed to take a week’s hiatus from work to help.
What neither of them expected is that what began as a one-time road trip in a beaten-up Landrover rapidly grew to become Magnus’s life’s work – leading him to leave his job, sell his house and direct all his efforts to feeding thousands of the world’s poorest children.
Magnus retells how a series of miraculous circumstances and an overwhelming display of love from those around him led to the creation of Mary’s Meals; an organisation that could hold the key to eradicating child hunger altogether. This humble, heart-warming yet powerful story has never been more relevant in our society of plenty and privilege. It will open your eyes to the extraordinary impact that one person can make.
After watching a news bulletin about war-torn Bosnia, the two brothers agreed to take a week’s hiatus from work to help.
What neither of them expected is that what began as a one-time road trip in a beaten-up Landrover rapidly grew to become Magnus’s life’s work – leading him to leave his job, sell his house and direct all his efforts to feeding thousands of the world’s poorest children.
Magnus retells how a series of miraculous circumstances and an overwhelming display of love from those around him led to the creation of Mary’s Meals; an organisation that could hold the key to eradicating child hunger altogether. This humble, heart-warming yet powerful story has never been more relevant in our society of plenty and privilege. It will open your eyes to the extraordinary impact that one person can make.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2015
54 people are currently reading
753 people want to read
About the author
Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow
7 books19 followersBorn in Aberdeen in 1968, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow started his career as a fish farmer. When the Balkan conflict began, he and Fergus, his brother, were so moved by the scenes on television that in 1992 they gathered a jeep load of aid and joined a convoy travelling to Medjugorje in Bosnia.
On his return home, Magnus discovered that the public had carried on donating, filling his parents garage in Dalmally with goods. Magnus gave up his job for a year to drive the aid out for as long as it was needed and kept being given. Donations did not stop and soon became necessary to set up as a registered charity, then known as Scottish International Relief.
Today, Mary's Meals provides nutritious daily meals to 989,791 children across four continents.
Its vision is for every child to receive a daily meal in a place of education. The global average cost of feeding a child for a whole school year is just £12.20.
Magnus was named one of 2010's 'Top Ten Heroes' by broadcaster CNN and received an OBE in the 2011 New Years Honours list.
On his return home, Magnus discovered that the public had carried on donating, filling his parents garage in Dalmally with goods. Magnus gave up his job for a year to drive the aid out for as long as it was needed and kept being given. Donations did not stop and soon became necessary to set up as a registered charity, then known as Scottish International Relief.
Today, Mary's Meals provides nutritious daily meals to 989,791 children across four continents.
Its vision is for every child to receive a daily meal in a place of education. The global average cost of feeding a child for a whole school year is just £12.20.
Magnus was named one of 2010's 'Top Ten Heroes' by broadcaster CNN and received an OBE in the 2011 New Years Honours list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 13, 2021
This is the story of the founding and growth of an international aid organization, Mary’s Meals, which is dedicated to providing food and education in the poorest communities around the world. Fueled by his family’s lively Catholic faith and energized by a pilgrimage to Medjugorje as a teen, the author began to organize relief shipments to war ravished Bosnia. The awareness of one great need led to the next. From housing for AIDS orphans in Rumania to a school for deaf street children in Liberia, the author found ways to fund-raise and meet needs around the globe. His efforts eventually took shape as Mary’s Meals, a program that provides starving children with one nutritious meal per day if they attend school. By linking food to education, the hope is to break the cycle of poverty in a generation. Mary’s Meals now operates globally, from Haiti to India to Malawi. This is an amazing story.
May 1, 2015
I wouldn't normally write a review for a book, because I wouldn't normally know what to say. But I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read - a very engaging story, it is also hopeful, heartwarming and inspiring, but without a trace of saccharine. It seems to be written from the heart about amazing work done from the heart. You should read this! Mary's Meals has already changed the world for the better, hopefully this will help them do even more - you might even be inspired to be part of that.
April 14, 2015
It is a remarkable book and well written.
I really enjoyed reading it, it was like someone talking to me, telling me the worst and the best that can happen in life and the ways that people of good will manage to bring hope to the most hopeless situation.
The author reflects on the core values of a life with dignity for each human being and finds a concrete opportunity for all to do something about it with Mary's meals.
He tells the story with a vivid attention to detail , an immense compassion and great humour
It will make a great movie !
May 7, 2015
The incredible story of Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow's Mary's Meals charity cannot fail to inspire.
The title says it all - a charity literally founded in a shed in a remote but beautiful part of the west of Scotland now feeds more than a million children in the developing world.
This remarkable story was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s when the writer - driven by his strong religious conscience - joined his brother for what was supposed to be a one-off aid mission.
It was a trip with obvious dangers, as the duo travelled to a region where once peaceful communities were being torn apart by ethnic hatred.
But the brothers saw what a difference they could make and, inspired by the courageous people they met, both knew they wanted to do so much more.
Magnus took the brave step of giving up his job and, supported by friends, family and church, explored fundraising initiatives to continue his chosen mission.
In 2002, he visited Malawi - a country with many links to Scotland - and met a mother dying from Aids whose son said his dream was to have enough food to eat and to go to school.
The rest, as they say, is history and Mary's Meals was born.
The basic principle of wanting hungry children to enjoy at least one meal a day while at school is something all of us as humans can relate to and, such has been the charity's success, the writer was named last month as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.
This book restores your faith in humanity. And, more importantly, it makes us realise that we can all make a difference.
The title says it all - a charity literally founded in a shed in a remote but beautiful part of the west of Scotland now feeds more than a million children in the developing world.
This remarkable story was born in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s when the writer - driven by his strong religious conscience - joined his brother for what was supposed to be a one-off aid mission.
It was a trip with obvious dangers, as the duo travelled to a region where once peaceful communities were being torn apart by ethnic hatred.
But the brothers saw what a difference they could make and, inspired by the courageous people they met, both knew they wanted to do so much more.
Magnus took the brave step of giving up his job and, supported by friends, family and church, explored fundraising initiatives to continue his chosen mission.
In 2002, he visited Malawi - a country with many links to Scotland - and met a mother dying from Aids whose son said his dream was to have enough food to eat and to go to school.
The rest, as they say, is history and Mary's Meals was born.
The basic principle of wanting hungry children to enjoy at least one meal a day while at school is something all of us as humans can relate to and, such has been the charity's success, the writer was named last month as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.
This book restores your faith in humanity. And, more importantly, it makes us realise that we can all make a difference.
May 27, 2020
A beautiful and inspiring read about the charity founded in a shed, that now feeds more than a million children all over the world.
In 1992 Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow had an idea that would change his life and lives of many others. After hearing the news of war-torn Bosnia he decided to help. And helping soon turned into his life's work.
This is his story. And the story of lots of courageous people he met, people who inspired him. It's a humble, heartwarming, powerful story.
He shows us how a series of miraculous circumstances led to the creation of Mary's Meals, a hard-working organisation feeding thousands of the world's poorest children, changing the world for the better.
It's mind-blowing to hear about the impact one person can make and to realize how everyone of us can make a difference.
The story of his charity is inspiring, the whole book engaging, well-written and informative, with attention to detail and lots of compassion and humor. He provides information on what they do, how they help and where, how troubled circumstances came to be in each region, how poverty causes hunger and hunger causes poverty because it's not that there is not enough food but people just can't afford it.
Maybe I connected instantly to his story because it started with a trip to Bosnia in the early nineties, during the war that had such a big impact on the lives of my family. Or because he talks about Medugorje, a place I love to visit. But the whole thing just seems to be written from the heart. you can tell the joy he feels being part of this movement.
And it's a joy to read about the amazing idea, the basic principle of providing children with at least one meal a day while offering opportunity to go to school and the incredible work that is being done, bringing hope to the most hopeless. Because the first thing a hungry child needs is food but education is what makes help effective.
It broke my heart to read about a 14-year old boy, while watching his mother die, says that he has to take care of his siblings but his biggest wish would be to have enough food and the opportunity to go to school, like it was a bold dream.
It's pretty clear that he's driven by his religious consciense but beyond this it's an amazing documentary of a selfless man wanting to change the world.
In 1992 Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow had an idea that would change his life and lives of many others. After hearing the news of war-torn Bosnia he decided to help. And helping soon turned into his life's work.
This is his story. And the story of lots of courageous people he met, people who inspired him. It's a humble, heartwarming, powerful story.
He shows us how a series of miraculous circumstances led to the creation of Mary's Meals, a hard-working organisation feeding thousands of the world's poorest children, changing the world for the better.
It's mind-blowing to hear about the impact one person can make and to realize how everyone of us can make a difference.
The story of his charity is inspiring, the whole book engaging, well-written and informative, with attention to detail and lots of compassion and humor. He provides information on what they do, how they help and where, how troubled circumstances came to be in each region, how poverty causes hunger and hunger causes poverty because it's not that there is not enough food but people just can't afford it.
Maybe I connected instantly to his story because it started with a trip to Bosnia in the early nineties, during the war that had such a big impact on the lives of my family. Or because he talks about Medugorje, a place I love to visit. But the whole thing just seems to be written from the heart. you can tell the joy he feels being part of this movement.
And it's a joy to read about the amazing idea, the basic principle of providing children with at least one meal a day while offering opportunity to go to school and the incredible work that is being done, bringing hope to the most hopeless. Because the first thing a hungry child needs is food but education is what makes help effective.
It broke my heart to read about a 14-year old boy, while watching his mother die, says that he has to take care of his siblings but his biggest wish would be to have enough food and the opportunity to go to school, like it was a bold dream.
It's pretty clear that he's driven by his religious consciense but beyond this it's an amazing documentary of a selfless man wanting to change the world.
December 27, 2016
Last fall I spent four weeks traveling through Malawi, a small and very poor country in southeastern Africa. There I visited the offices of Mary’s Meals, a nonprofit organization started in 2002 with the mission of giving children a single nutritious meal every day in an educational setting. One small program. Started by one young Scotsman, the author of this book.
This is about the power of an idea. Mary’s Meals began with 22 kids and now serves almost 900,000, reaching over 25% of Malawi’s schoolchildren with a lunch of fortified corn and soy blend porridge, as well as beans and vegetables. For some children—especially in Malawi’s current national food emergency—this is their only meal of the day. Hungry children start coming to school and then they stay in school. Importantly, the school lunch is a community project, with villagers committed to cooking the lunches, serving, and cleaning up. The community also agrees to provide the bricks and labor to build the school kitchen.
I talked with the Malawians running this program, and Peter and I went around to the back of the offices to admire the low-tech, fuel-efficient “rocket stoves” that Mary’s Meals buys and gives to the schools. We also shook hands (a tradition in Malawi) with the men loading up a truck of backpacks filled with pencils and paper and other school supplies donated each year to Malawian children. A backpack like this is Christmas to a child. I could easily imagine the excitement of unpacking one.
The Shed That Fed a Million Children tells this story in detail, a story also about the author’s Catholic faith and the joy he feels in being part of the larger human community on Earth. At the offices in Blantyre, however, the director emphasized that the program has no connection to any specific religion and serves every denomination. I can also attest that this was clearly an operation run by Malawians with efficiency and humility. You can donate to Mary’s Meals by googling that name and going to their website. So…if you want to feed a hungry child today, and if you want to help a child go to school…this is a wonderfully easy way to do that.
This is about the power of an idea. Mary’s Meals began with 22 kids and now serves almost 900,000, reaching over 25% of Malawi’s schoolchildren with a lunch of fortified corn and soy blend porridge, as well as beans and vegetables. For some children—especially in Malawi’s current national food emergency—this is their only meal of the day. Hungry children start coming to school and then they stay in school. Importantly, the school lunch is a community project, with villagers committed to cooking the lunches, serving, and cleaning up. The community also agrees to provide the bricks and labor to build the school kitchen.
I talked with the Malawians running this program, and Peter and I went around to the back of the offices to admire the low-tech, fuel-efficient “rocket stoves” that Mary’s Meals buys and gives to the schools. We also shook hands (a tradition in Malawi) with the men loading up a truck of backpacks filled with pencils and paper and other school supplies donated each year to Malawian children. A backpack like this is Christmas to a child. I could easily imagine the excitement of unpacking one.
The Shed That Fed a Million Children tells this story in detail, a story also about the author’s Catholic faith and the joy he feels in being part of the larger human community on Earth. At the offices in Blantyre, however, the director emphasized that the program has no connection to any specific religion and serves every denomination. I can also attest that this was clearly an operation run by Malawians with efficiency and humility. You can donate to Mary’s Meals by googling that name and going to their website. So…if you want to feed a hungry child today, and if you want to help a child go to school…this is a wonderfully easy way to do that.
March 29, 2020
This book makes me feel as though I have led a small life. So many people are living their lives for the good of humanity. Perhaps this read has allowed me to see what we should be living for and has opened my eyes to the possibilities.
February 24, 2015
I love books about grass roots philanthropic organizations. This one is especially compelling since it also is a testament of the founders faith.
Moving and inspiring.
Moving and inspiring.
May 4, 2015
As I read "The Shed That Fed A Million Children" I was moved deeply by the heartfelt vision of a man who came from a small village in Scotland and yet moved an entire world to see that we can make a difference with simple solutions.
This story is so vividly told by the founder of Mary's Meals Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow that it captured me completely as it took me on a path of kindness, understanding, danger, smiles, tears and most of all love.
Love for all human beings no matter where in the world he meets them and a belief so strong that it moves mountains all over the world.
A book that I can and will highly recommend to anyone as it is well written, easy read and leaves you with a feeling of joy, love and an urge to read more.
The ShedThat Fed A Million Children
This story is so vividly told by the founder of Mary's Meals Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow that it captured me completely as it took me on a path of kindness, understanding, danger, smiles, tears and most of all love.
Love for all human beings no matter where in the world he meets them and a belief so strong that it moves mountains all over the world.
A book that I can and will highly recommend to anyone as it is well written, easy read and leaves you with a feeling of joy, love and an urge to read more.
The ShedThat Fed A Million Children
May 5, 2015
I have waited for the release of this book with much anticipation as I have been following the work of Mary's Meals for many years. As a final year university student it is my dream that I will one day be able to make a difference on even the fraction of the number of lives touched by Magnus and the Mary's Meals team. And reading this book as only given me more enthusiasm to do just that.
The journey which Magnus takes us through is a unique and inspiring one filled with unfailing faith and hope. As Magnus has been named one of Times 100 Most Influential people in the past weeks this book makes it all the more obvious why.
I would not only recommend and encourage that everyone reads this book but I would make it compulsory!! It puts into perspective the lives of those born into poverty and how the smallest of gifts and gestures can play such an important role in their lives in ways unfathomable for us to imagine.
The journey which Magnus takes us through is a unique and inspiring one filled with unfailing faith and hope. As Magnus has been named one of Times 100 Most Influential people in the past weeks this book makes it all the more obvious why.
I would not only recommend and encourage that everyone reads this book but I would make it compulsory!! It puts into perspective the lives of those born into poverty and how the smallest of gifts and gestures can play such an important role in their lives in ways unfathomable for us to imagine.
May 6, 2015
The book is beautiful and incredibly well written. The story of Mary's Meals is a remarkable one and Magnus tells it with immense compassion and a gentle sense of humour. The idea of providing one daily meal to children in their place of education is so simple yet its impact is so profound, changing the lives of a million children and countless numbers of adults throughout the world. At times the world we live in seems like a very dark place and reading this book does the heart and soul good - it's a wonderful reminder that there is so much good in the world and that we can make a difference through 'small acts of love'. It's simply the most inspiring book I've read in years and I can't recommend it highly enough.
August 14, 2015
This is the story of Mary's Meals, a charity that gives kids free school meals to encourage them to go to school. The author is the founder of the charity and he tells his story with frankness, humour and humility. Were taken from the poorest neighbourhoods of Malawi and Haiti to the bright lights of Holywood as Magnus tries to help children and tries to raise awareness respectively. There is plenty to be amazed at, and a good story of an institution set up to help people doing just that.
July 17, 2015
Such an amazing project and an inspirational story! Donate!
https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/
https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/
February 4, 2021
Para pensar bastante en la suerte que tenemos por tener un techo bajo el que vivir, y un plato de comida en la mesa cada día.
May 2, 2024
Le pongo buena nota, no porque sea un buen libro, de hecho no está muy bien escrito, sino por la historia tan guay que cuenta.
El creador de la ONG Mary´s Meals cuenta todo el proceso que ha seguido para formar la asociación. Es un ejemplo de organización que involucra a las comunidades locales, que evita caer en una ayuda asistencialista que pueda generar dependencia, fiel a sus valores y muy eficiente, que está haciendo una labor bastante impresionante.
De verdad que es muy inspirador. Además facilísimo de leer.
El creador de la ONG Mary´s Meals cuenta todo el proceso que ha seguido para formar la asociación. Es un ejemplo de organización que involucra a las comunidades locales, que evita caer en una ayuda asistencialista que pueda generar dependencia, fiel a sus valores y muy eficiente, que está haciendo una labor bastante impresionante.
De verdad que es muy inspirador. Además facilísimo de leer.
September 24, 2015
While this might not be great literature, it certainly is a compelling narrative. After delivering aid to Bosnia in the 1990s, MacFarlane-Barrow began a career in development. While in Liberia, he asked a young boy what he most wanted - the answer being to have enough food and to go to school. This simple statement led to the brilliant idea of Mary's Meals: to provide a meal in the place of education so that the children of the extremely poor can attend (and stay in) school, without having to drop out and scrabble for the next meal. Of course, having an education provides a way out of poverty, so the meal is both a short and long term solution. The author's catholicism is plainly a motivating factor, but the meals are provided to children of all faiths; the religious elements of the book somehow manage to avoid proselytizing, making it palatable even to an agnostic like myself.
May 5, 2015
I finished reading this book about 2 weeks ago. It's hard to put into words what I felt & still feel.
This book is a first-hand journey of how Mary's Meals came to be what it is today.
I love and appreciate Magnus' candor and humor throughout, but also found in my laughter from one sentence, I would be choking back my tears in the next. I was passionate about Mary's Meals before reading this, but now, I cannot go back. I have to do more than what I was doing before. How can I "see" those villages and those children and not try to do more?
This shows how one person can truly be used by God to change someone's world!
This book is a first-hand journey of how Mary's Meals came to be what it is today.
I love and appreciate Magnus' candor and humor throughout, but also found in my laughter from one sentence, I would be choking back my tears in the next. I was passionate about Mary's Meals before reading this, but now, I cannot go back. I have to do more than what I was doing before. How can I "see" those villages and those children and not try to do more?
This shows how one person can truly be used by God to change someone's world!
May 8, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as Magnus seemed to paint pictures with his words, captivating me from the start. When he was writing about Eastern Europe, I could see the children and feel the heartbreak he was feeling; when he reached Malawi in the book and the brilliant idea which became Mary's Meals came to him, I shared with him the joy he was feeling.
It was a simple concept - provide a hot meal every day in a place of education. He knew it would work and a million children later, we can all share his success by reading this book. I'll be recommending it to all my friends for sure.
It was a simple concept - provide a hot meal every day in a place of education. He knew it would work and a million children later, we can all share his success by reading this book. I'll be recommending it to all my friends for sure.
December 31, 2022
The story of Mary Meals is incredible and I found this book so touching. Everyone should read it.
September 5, 2021
Ova zanimljiva i uzbudljiva knjiga opisuje nastanak i razvoj "Marijinih obroka", organizacije koja se brine da mnoštvo djece iz zemalja Trećeg svijeta dobije jedan dobar, hranjiv obrok na mjestu svog obrazovanja. Savršeno jednostavna ideja koja uistinu mijenja svijet nabolje. Za organizaciju znam otprije, gledao sam i dokumentarce o njoj i par puta sam skromno pridonio njihovu radu. Kako je na neki način proistekla iz Međugorja kojeg redovito i sam posjećujem, osjećam se nekako neobično povezan s njom, iako ne poznajem nikoga tko radi ili volontira u njoj, niti sam sam išta slično činio.
Ne mogu se nadiviti autoru knjige, njegovoj obitelji i svima koji su s vremenom uključili u inicijativu i postali jedna slagalica u ogromnom mozaiku Božje dobrote.
Knjiga je dirljiva, izravna, pomalo izvjestiteljska. Čita se lako i sa željom da se otkrije sve više i više o neobičnom djelovanju tih dobrih ljudi. I svakako se isplati. Vjerujem da će mnoge potaknuti na činjenje više dobra u svojoj okolini, a možda i na nešto radikalniji pristup i pokretanje raznih akcija, pokreta, inicijativa za priključenje ovoj ili sličnim organizacijama. Pomalo neobično, ali u knjizi se niti jednom ne prozivaju razvijene zapadne zemlje (koje su, objektivno gledano, kao kolonizatori tvorci velikih problema u zemljama Trećeg svijeta) niti im se zamjera što imaju previše, već se samo ističu dobri primjeri vjerujući da će oni potaknuti drugo dobro.
Priče mnogih ljudi spomenutih u ovoj knjizi me podsjećaju na bogatstva što ih imam u svom životu. Nikad se nisam morao zapitati hoću li sutra imati što pojesti ili obući, a tisuće i tisuće djece koje upoznajemo na ovim stranicama bi tako rado išli u školu samo kad bi imali što pojesti kako bi mogli oči držati otvorenima. Već kao mali znaju da jedino s obrazovanjem mogu činiti svoju zemlju boljom za život.
Osobno, škola mi nije bila problem. Bio sam odličan učenik i cijenio sam pruženo obrazovanje (i još uvijek cijenim), ali poznajem toliko ljudi koji sad imaju, takoreći, manje sretne živote samo zato što nisu željeli učiti kad su imali priliku.
Koliko djece na svijetu bi se rado mijenjalo s njima?
Ne mogu se nadiviti autoru knjige, njegovoj obitelji i svima koji su s vremenom uključili u inicijativu i postali jedna slagalica u ogromnom mozaiku Božje dobrote.
Knjiga je dirljiva, izravna, pomalo izvjestiteljska. Čita se lako i sa željom da se otkrije sve više i više o neobičnom djelovanju tih dobrih ljudi. I svakako se isplati. Vjerujem da će mnoge potaknuti na činjenje više dobra u svojoj okolini, a možda i na nešto radikalniji pristup i pokretanje raznih akcija, pokreta, inicijativa za priključenje ovoj ili sličnim organizacijama. Pomalo neobično, ali u knjizi se niti jednom ne prozivaju razvijene zapadne zemlje (koje su, objektivno gledano, kao kolonizatori tvorci velikih problema u zemljama Trećeg svijeta) niti im se zamjera što imaju previše, već se samo ističu dobri primjeri vjerujući da će oni potaknuti drugo dobro.
Priče mnogih ljudi spomenutih u ovoj knjizi me podsjećaju na bogatstva što ih imam u svom životu. Nikad se nisam morao zapitati hoću li sutra imati što pojesti ili obući, a tisuće i tisuće djece koje upoznajemo na ovim stranicama bi tako rado išli u školu samo kad bi imali što pojesti kako bi mogli oči držati otvorenima. Već kao mali znaju da jedino s obrazovanjem mogu činiti svoju zemlju boljom za život.
Osobno, škola mi nije bila problem. Bio sam odličan učenik i cijenio sam pruženo obrazovanje (i još uvijek cijenim), ali poznajem toliko ljudi koji sad imaju, takoreći, manje sretne živote samo zato što nisu željeli učiti kad su imali priliku.
Koliko djece na svijetu bi se rado mijenjalo s njima?
August 14, 2018
"The Shed That Fed a Million Children" was once a garden shed that the author borrowed from his Dad back in 1992, to store donations after an appeal for aid for refugees in Bosnia- Herzegovina. The shed eventually became the office for the charity "Mary's Meals" and although it is now complemented by a purpose built timber office, Magnus has chosen to work in the old shed.
In this memoir Magnus recounts how he and his siblings had traveled to Medugorje in 1983, after hearing of a group of visionaries who were seeing The Virgin Mary since 24 June 1981.
Soon after his parents made a similar pilgrimage, and as a result felt compelled to turn the family home and guest house into "a house of prayer."
Magnus and his family continued to support those in need in other countries including Romania, Liberia...
In 2002, " A spark that had ignited the already smouldering notion that became "Mary's Meals" came from a young boy called Edward aged just 14. He was the oldest of six children sitting beside his mother who was dying of AIDs in Malawi. Edward told Magnus:
"I would like to have enough food to eat and I would like to be able to go to school one day."
A photograph of Edward and his family hangs in the shed that is now headquarters to a charity that feeds more than a million children around the world. Each one of them is fed a hot meal in school.
In this memoir Magnus recounts how he and his siblings had traveled to Medugorje in 1983, after hearing of a group of visionaries who were seeing The Virgin Mary since 24 June 1981.
Soon after his parents made a similar pilgrimage, and as a result felt compelled to turn the family home and guest house into "a house of prayer."
Magnus and his family continued to support those in need in other countries including Romania, Liberia...
In 2002, " A spark that had ignited the already smouldering notion that became "Mary's Meals" came from a young boy called Edward aged just 14. He was the oldest of six children sitting beside his mother who was dying of AIDs in Malawi. Edward told Magnus:
"I would like to have enough food to eat and I would like to be able to go to school one day."
A photograph of Edward and his family hangs in the shed that is now headquarters to a charity that feeds more than a million children around the world. Each one of them is fed a hot meal in school.
February 22, 2023
A truly incredible account of the founding and growth of Mary's Meals, an international aid organization that has the simple yet profound vision of providing food and education to all children. I discovered Mary's Meals last year and have been blown away by this amazing organization and how their approach to providing aid is game-changing. By feeding and education children who would otherwise go hungry and never go to school, they break the cycle of poverty and violence in so many desperate places in the world.
As a Catholic, I love how this all started through the apparitions of our Our Lady of Medjugorje, and thus the name of the organization comes from Mary's intervention and guidance of this mission. This is a wonderful book, well written and down-to-earth. I would highly recommend it, it could change the way you look at the world and the difference that we all can make in helping those in need.
As a Catholic, I love how this all started through the apparitions of our Our Lady of Medjugorje, and thus the name of the organization comes from Mary's intervention and guidance of this mission. This is a wonderful book, well written and down-to-earth. I would highly recommend it, it could change the way you look at the world and the difference that we all can make in helping those in need.
February 6, 2022
Za samotný príbeh by som dala jednoznačne 5 hviezdičiek. Knihe však musím dať 4, keďže úvod bol pre mňa pridlhý a dlho trvalo, kým sa začalo písať o samotnom Mary's meals.
Autor predstavil všetko, čo MM predchádzalo, ako sa toto hnutie budovalo a kde je dnes. Vážna téma extrémnej chudoby bola doplnená o zaujímavé spomienky na vzácne stretnutia a pomáhala to odľahčiť.
Určite ju odporúčam aj ako audioknihu, Marek Koleno ju nahovoril vyborne.
Autor predstavil všetko, čo MM predchádzalo, ako sa toto hnutie budovalo a kde je dnes. Vážna téma extrémnej chudoby bola doplnená o zaujímavé spomienky na vzácne stretnutia a pomáhala to odľahčiť.
Určite ju odporúčam aj ako audioknihu, Marek Koleno ju nahovoril vyborne.
June 5, 2024
Amazing what some people can do for the best future of humanity. Thanks.
June 3, 2021
Wow, a life changing and inspiring book, so much so that i contacted the Mary's Meals organization so i can be involved!
December 31, 2018
This is a great book for anyone attracted to the life of poverty-alleviation emergency response, and NGOs. There isn't necessarily an explicit narrative in this book; the story bounces from country to country describing numerous challenges and the blessings that allowed Mary's Meals to prosper. The needs in Malawi are different from those in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The success in Liberia is not the same as success in Haiti. I enjoyed the choice of chapters as I didn't need to read a step-by-step description of how Mary's Meals came about.
This is not a spiritual book, but I am so grateful for MacFarlane-Barrow's openness to the importance of his faith to this incredible story. The author partners with priests, nuns, and other religious. He prays the rosary. And of course, the Virgin Mary plays a big part. However, this book can be read by people of any or no faith. The story of the shed is mainly about the potential that we all possess to make a difference in the lives of children across the world.
Another aspect that I found important was MacFarlane-Barrow's humble and honest writing style. He will himself point out the criticisms of Mary's Meals. However I love this quote from him when he says, "The first imperative is the hungry child in front of us. They need food today, not in ten years."
Mary's Meals is serving a million children, allowing them education, and empowering communities. This book is a great artifact from this great ministry.
This is not a spiritual book, but I am so grateful for MacFarlane-Barrow's openness to the importance of his faith to this incredible story. The author partners with priests, nuns, and other religious. He prays the rosary. And of course, the Virgin Mary plays a big part. However, this book can be read by people of any or no faith. The story of the shed is mainly about the potential that we all possess to make a difference in the lives of children across the world.
Another aspect that I found important was MacFarlane-Barrow's humble and honest writing style. He will himself point out the criticisms of Mary's Meals. However I love this quote from him when he says, "The first imperative is the hungry child in front of us. They need food today, not in ten years."
Mary's Meals is serving a million children, allowing them education, and empowering communities. This book is a great artifact from this great ministry.
August 19, 2015
I've loved Mary's Meals for a long time and after reading the story of how it came to be, I'm an even more devoted supporter! What a perfect model of helping others. The best way out of poverty: education. The fuel for education: food. That's what Mary's Meals aims to provide - one meal a day in a place of learning. The food is almost always locally grown. The volunteers who cook and distribute it are the local people. The paid staff of Mary's Meals - top to bottom - aims to keep their pay as low as possible so that more money can go to the children (unlike other charities whose executives earn high 6-, or even 7-, figure salaries! That's just wrong.)
One opinion I had that may be true in some places at some times, but is not universally true, is that people are hungry because governments won't distribute the aid, and that war causes displacement and that leads to hunger. Those are true. But even more true is that people are hungry because they are poor. The food is there. They can't afford to buy it. Not every country has a welfare system like ours. So are we going to stand around and wait for corrupt and inefficient governments to create welfare programs? No! The children are dying of hunger and hunger-related diseases right NOW. Google "Child 31 movie" and see.
Your money can't be better spent than to donate to Mary's Meals.
One opinion I had that may be true in some places at some times, but is not universally true, is that people are hungry because governments won't distribute the aid, and that war causes displacement and that leads to hunger. Those are true. But even more true is that people are hungry because they are poor. The food is there. They can't afford to buy it. Not every country has a welfare system like ours. So are we going to stand around and wait for corrupt and inefficient governments to create welfare programs? No! The children are dying of hunger and hunger-related diseases right NOW. Google "Child 31 movie" and see.
Your money can't be better spent than to donate to Mary's Meals.
April 17, 2017
Mac Farlane-Barrow, Magnus: „Eine Schale Getreide verändert die Welt. Die hoffnungsvolle Geschichte von Mary´s Meals“, Innsbruck Wien 2017
Ein junger schotte aus einer sehr religiösen Familie gibt seinen Job als Lachsfischer aufzugeben und Kindern in Krisengebieten zu helfen. Ausschlaggebend war ein Besuch in Bosnien-Herzegowina. Er begann Spenden zu sammeln und mit einem LKW auf den Balkan zu führen. Später baute er ein Heim für AIDS kranke Kinder in Rumänien auf.
Das Buch strahlt eine starke Religiosität aus, ist aber ein Beispiel einer erfolgreichen Hilfsorganisation, die durch Engagement und Vision eines Mannes entstand, der jetzt seine Geschichte und seine Erfahrung in dem vorliegenden Buch zusammenfasst.
Aus den ersten amateurhaften Entwicklungshilfeprojekten entwickelte sich eine weltweit agierende Organisation. Nach Bosnien war es Rumänien, dann Afrika und in weiteren Erdteilen. Täglich bekommen heute etwa 1,2 Millionen Kinder ein Mittagessen von dieser Organisation. Der Organisator, Initiator und Chef dieser Organisation hat sein Büro auch heute noch im Schuppen, in dem er begonnen hatte.
Ein Buch, das in leicht lesbarer Form eine Entwicklungshilfsorganisation des 21. Jahrhunderts in Krisengebieten beschreibt.
Ein Buch, das seine Zielgruppen in Entwicklungshilfe-Interessierten und den Krisengebieten unserer Welt Auseinandersetzenden finden wird.
Ein junger schotte aus einer sehr religiösen Familie gibt seinen Job als Lachsfischer aufzugeben und Kindern in Krisengebieten zu helfen. Ausschlaggebend war ein Besuch in Bosnien-Herzegowina. Er begann Spenden zu sammeln und mit einem LKW auf den Balkan zu führen. Später baute er ein Heim für AIDS kranke Kinder in Rumänien auf.
Das Buch strahlt eine starke Religiosität aus, ist aber ein Beispiel einer erfolgreichen Hilfsorganisation, die durch Engagement und Vision eines Mannes entstand, der jetzt seine Geschichte und seine Erfahrung in dem vorliegenden Buch zusammenfasst.
Aus den ersten amateurhaften Entwicklungshilfeprojekten entwickelte sich eine weltweit agierende Organisation. Nach Bosnien war es Rumänien, dann Afrika und in weiteren Erdteilen. Täglich bekommen heute etwa 1,2 Millionen Kinder ein Mittagessen von dieser Organisation. Der Organisator, Initiator und Chef dieser Organisation hat sein Büro auch heute noch im Schuppen, in dem er begonnen hatte.
Ein Buch, das in leicht lesbarer Form eine Entwicklungshilfsorganisation des 21. Jahrhunderts in Krisengebieten beschreibt.
Ein Buch, das seine Zielgruppen in Entwicklungshilfe-Interessierten und den Krisengebieten unserer Welt Auseinandersetzenden finden wird.
July 16, 2015
This book is not only inspiring but insightful too. Magnus shares his story about what inspired him to start a charity that now feeds over 1 million children everyday in the worlds poorest countries. Apart from his natural ability to write, Magnus tells his story most humbly and it is heartwarming to hear this man speak so openly and proudly about his faith. There is no doubt that he will be remembered throughout history as someone who tried tirelessly and endlessly to solve world hunger. And most of all, he is a man who truly believes this can be achieved.
November 19, 2018
Interesting story but poor interpretation of what international development and poverty reduction is really about - and how to do this efficiently and with dignity. Requires much more thought on what sustainability means ie. giving power to the people to help themselves in the long term. Handing out potatoes etc might seem like a nice thing to do but a more considered approach is needed.
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