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DONATION DOUBLED

EVERY DONATION DOUBLED

From 28 September until 28 December, 2015, the UK Government will DOUBLE ANY DONATIONS you make to Mary’s Meals.

ADVENT CHURCH PACK

Introductory Note

Mary’s Meals Fact Sheet

Get Involved — Pray, Act, Give

Hope

Peace

Joy

Love

One More For Christmas

The work of Mary’s Meals was born in a shed. A lopsided, tired looking

shed in a very remote part of Scotland. This shed, however, has become

the HQ of a global movement that is now feeding more than one million

of the world’s poorest children every school day; God uses the weak things

of this world.

The work of Mary’s Meals is beautifully simple. One meal every day for a

hungry child in school – what could be more simple than that?

This daily meal attracts chronically hungry children into the classroom,

where they receive an education which can, in future, be their ladder out

of poverty.

There are 300 million chronically hungry children in the world. Around

59 million children are out of school because of hunger, and thousands

more still attend school too hungry to learn. The work of Mary’s Meals is

only just beginning.

Advent is the time when we wait expectantly for the coming of Christ;

the one who brings Hope, Peace, Joy and Love to a hurting world. This

advent season we invite you to walk with us on our journey to bring the

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love given through the fi rst Christmas, to some of

the world’s poorest children.

May God richly bless you

during this advent season.1 Corinthians 1:27

Ways to

We’re calling on you to Pray, Act and Give

this Advent

For each week of Advent we have included a passage from the Bible, a prayer, and

devotion, which can be used for reflection. These are linked with a case study so you

can see Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace in action through Mary’s Meals. We’re asking your

congregation to pray for Mary’s Meals this Advent so that we can reach many more

children with a life-changing meal at school every day. Please see our interactive

resources online, including footage from the field and PowerPoint presentations.

Please visit:

www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/feed-our-future

Each weekly Advent reflection is accompanied by a Mary’s Meals case study

demonstrating Hope, Love, Joy or Peace. We’re asking your congregation to display

our Advent poster and use our pack to raise awareness about Mary’s Meals.

If your church would like to give to Mary’s Meals we have resources to inspire you,

please read on for ideas. You can also visit our website:

www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/feed-our-future

We also have a simplified Advent reflection for

children, with enjoyable and engaging activities.

Mary’s Meals is working to bring about the following changes in the lives of communities:

We select schools in the

poorest areas where

hunger levels are high

and enrolment is low.Thanks to your donations, we provide food, cooking facilities, equipment, volunteer training and project monitoring.

Children are given support to complete a full course of

primary schooling.

Child hunger at school is reduced and more children attend and progress within primary education. Their health and wellbeing improves.

Community volunteers manage and deliver

school feeding projects.

Community support for education increases. The local economy is boosted. Governments support and replicate effective school feeding programmes.

How we

OURFEED

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DONATION DOUBLED

EVERY DONATION DOUBLED

93p of every pound donated

goes towards our charitable activities

It costs just £12.20 to feed a child TWO children for a whole school

year. You can help Mary’s Meals by getting involved – remember every penny

helps and from now until 28 December 2015,

the UK Government will DOUBLE ANY DONATIONS you make to Mary’s Meals.

illionmThank you

for changing the lives of more than a million children!

SO MUCH

Seven-year-old Livinesi is one of 1,500

children at Chirimba primary school who

recently began receiving Mary’s Meals

bringing them hope for a brighter future. The

school is in the Machinga district of eastern Malawi.

Little Livinesi lives with her three sisters, who are so enthusiastic about

their education, they have decorated their home with pictures of the

alphabet and sums. Beatrice – the eldest of the four – gets her younger

siblings up and ready for school each day.

She speaks of the benefi t Mary’s Meals has for the younger girls: “Having

food at school has helped the children a lot. They are energetic and alert,

and can concentrate. They are not gloomy anymore!”

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Many people confuse hope with wishful thinking, for there is something

within the human being that always wants things to work out well.

The Christian idea of hope is found in the Christmas story. It accepts

the harshness of the stable and a manger for a bed, the roughness of the

shepherds and the indiff erence of the majority of people who could fi nd

no room in their homes nor their hearts. The Christmas story faces the

harshness of life, yet it is a story of hope, because behind the scenes, God

is at work.

The writer of the carol ‘O Little town of Bethlehem’ captures something of

this sentiment with the words ‘the hopes and fears of all the years are met in

thee tonight’. Christian hope is diff erent from wishful thinking. It is a hope

that faces the fears and realities of tough situations with a fi rm belief that

God is at work.

Mary’s Meals seeks to bring hope to the lives of

children like Livinesi.

bringing them hope for a brighter future. The bringing them hope for a brighter future. The

Heavenly Father,

In the darkness, let your light shine. Let hope come, let it be our companion

in the days ahead. We pray this Christmas time for those who have lost

hope, and those for whom the future seems cold and dark. Let us remember

that you are at work for the good of those who love you. May this Advent be

a time when we receive words of hope, and may we also bring hope to the

lives of others.

Amen

For nothing is impossible with GodLuke 1: 37

Varney is 16 and lives in Liberia. He was just

a small child when rebels chased him and

his family from their village. They attempted

to recruit his father and grandfather to fi ght and when they refused, they

cut off his grandfather’s ear and set his father on fi re.

Fortunately, no one was killed, but life was very hard. Varney’s family moved

between refugee camps, struggling to fi nd enough food for them all.

Varney recognises the importance of this food, “I remember a time when I

went to school and there was no food, learning was very hard.”

Varney hopes to complete his schooling and fi nd a good job. He says that

his mother and father have worked so hard for him that he wants help them

too.  “My hopes for the future are a peaceful Liberia, everyone says Liberia

has the chance to become great, for that I hope.”

Heavenly Father,

So often we speak of shining light in dark places, but so often we ignore the

cries for help—there are so many of them from many diff erent places.

But you Lord have given us a responsibility. It was Christ himself who said,

‘Whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you

do for me.`Help us to see the face of Christ in those who call to us for help.

Help us to reach out to those who need light in their darkness, and through

us may the light of your Peace and Love shine.

Amen

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Not everyone welcomed the birth of Christ. Herod, the Roman-appointed

king of the Jews, ordered the execution of all young male children under

the age of two—an act so barbaric it is diffi cult to fathom. Atrocities are still

happening around the world today, where innocent lives are lost and God’s

message is forgotten.

But there is hope, for Jesus taught “9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they

will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted

because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

(Matthew 5: 9-10)

Mary’s Meals provides daily meals in school for

children in tumultuous situations, such as former

child soldiers in Liberia, and Dalit children—lower

caste children—in India who would normally

be excluded. We reach children suff ering the

devastating eff ects of gang violence in Haiti and

those living in war-torn nations like South Sudan.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who

are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5: 9-10

Dixon lives in the Lirangwe area of rural

Blantyre with his siblings, Welozumi and

Junior. They attend Makelenge School and

Dixon says, “I love it very much. There isn’t enough food for us all at home,

and don’t want them to have any excuse not to attend school,” he says.

Dixon has a positive outlook and says with a smile, “I enjoy attending school

with the other children and eating the hot porridge in the mornings.”

“I am able to concentrate in class a lot more now, I want to become a driver!”

As for his brothers, Dixon has dreams of them becoming a teacher and doctor,

respectively.

“If they continue to attend school and receive Mary’s Meals daily they can be

the best people in life. They’ll be able to do jobs that help others around them!”

Loving God,

Thank you for the Joy that has been given to us through your Son, Jesus.

Thank you for the value that you place on each and every one of your

children, and that you care for those who are marginalised and overlooked.

Help us to be part of the Good News. Let us share what Christ has done for

us with others, so that they too may come to know your Joy.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Have you heard the Good News?

For many years the people had waited, but now was the time. Imagine the

joy the shepherds must have felt when the angels sang the news that the

Messiah, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, had been born in Bethlehem!

The shepherds were poor. They were uneducated. They were social

outcasts. Caring for sheep made them ceremonially unclean and, as such,

shepherds were not allowed into the temple courts or to be an active part

of synagogue worship. Surely for the birth of the Messiah, God would have

invited political infl uencers and religious insiders? Yet, God chose to reveal

the birth of His Son to the meek and the humble, to those whom society had

overlooked. This is the Good News and Joy of the Gospel; the last shall be

fi rst, the poor shall be rich, the humble shall be exalted.

Mary’s Meals seeks to bring joy to those who are

marginalised; those who feel like they have been

overlooked and forgotten. What great joy can be seen in

young faces as they line up with their mugs to receive

their daily meal of likuni phala porridge, knowing that

kind strangers are generously contributing to their future.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fi elds nearby, keeping watch over their fl ocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the

glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrifi ed. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been

born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will fi nd a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Luke 2: 8-12

Dixon

At Mary’s Meals, we often speak about the

many little acts of love that make up our

work—from the volunteers who help with

the everyday running of the charity to our supporters —everyone can do

something to make life better for the many hungry children in this world.

One such child is Shazia from Malawi. Shazia is fi ve years old, but already

she has lost both her parents. Unfortunately, her story is not unique– it

is estimated that one million children in Malawi are orphans and one of

the biggest challenges they face is hunger. But there is hope, Mary’s Meals

provides Shazia and thousands of other children in Malawi with a nutritious

meal everyday in school. It means Shazia has one fewer thing to worry

about and can concentrate on her learning, she loves to recite her ABCs!

Shazia exclaims, “I like porridge!”

She loves going to school and can now attend every day knowing she will

receive a big mug of porridge and an education which can be her escape

route from poverty.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of love that was given to us through the birth of

your Son. Help us to walk in your love and to show compassion to our

neighbours near and far. Help us to look to you always and to magnify your

presence through our actions. Let our lives refl ect the beauty, love and

humility of Christ and let our lives be fi lled with many little acts of love.

In your name we pray,

Amen

Shazia

Little Acts of Love

The Christmas story speaks to us not simply of a journey from Nazareth

to Bethlehem, but a journey that begins in the heart of God, a journey that

weaves its way through the Old Testament, and eventually comes together

in the birth of a Child. The Child that was destined to die on a cross as the

Saviour of the world.

Refl ecting many years later on the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

the Apostle John says; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and

only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The fi rst Christmas was an act of love. At Mary’s

Meals, we talk about ‘little acts of love’. These

simple acts, such as praying and giving, can make

the world of diff erence to the lives of chronically

hungry children.

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that

whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Mrs Zolongati is one of the kitchen

volunteers in Mlemeka Primary School in

Malawi. She says, “Mary’s Meals isn’t just

about food for the children or even better health. To us in this community

it’s a symbol of progress. I can cook for the children of my community each

morning so they can eat, learn, and be independent.

She speaks these words with a huge smile as she ladles out porridge to a

long line of children laughing children, sharing stories over a big mug of

warm and nutritious likuni phala.

Mary’s Meals has, at last, just arrived at Mlemeka Primary School in a very

remote district of Malawi and already, hungry children who have never

attended before are arriving at school. It is a cause for huge celebration! Mrs

Zolongati exclaims, “It shows life!”

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of Christmas. For the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that

is given to us in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the continual invitation to sit

at your table, to enjoy your company, to celebrate your goodness. In this

coming year, may we make room for others throughout our daily lives. May

your Hope, your Peace, your Joy and your Love fl ow through us and touch

the lives of others.

In the name of the One whose birth we celebrate,

Amen

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overfl ows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the

house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:5-6

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning!

One of the great traditions of Christmas day is the gathering of the family

to share a meal. In the Christian tradition meals are important. Psalm 23

tells us that God has prepared a table for us. This Christmas we are invited

to God’s table not for turkey or roast potatoes but to feast on the one who

is the Hope of the world, the Prince of Peace, our Joy and strength, and the

eternal gift of Love.

As you gather round your table, enjoy and give

thanks for the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of

Christmas. As you celebrate with those dear

to you, spare a thought for children like

Livinesi, Shazia, and Varney that you have

met through our Mary’s Meals Advent

refl ections.

Would you have room to invite one of

them to your table this Christmas?

Mrs Zolongati

Ways to get

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DONATION DOUBLED

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Feed One More for Christmas

Why not feed One More For Christmas? Buy a virtual plate

at the Mary’s Meals Christmas table and the UK Government

will match your spend to provide two of the world’s poorest

children with meals for a whole school year. See our website

for more information.

Have a Bake Off - Coff ee Morning

Host a Bake Off /Coff ee Morning event with other members of your

congregation. Whatever baking receives the most donations wins!

If you raise funds before 28 December 2015, your donation will be

doubled so we can reach TWICE as many hungry children with

Mary’s Meals.

Host an Event

Plan a soup Sunday, a knit-a-thon, host a frugal lunch or simply

get sponsored for running, cycling, dancing or if you’re a

chatterbox, get sponsored for staying silent! You can even create

your very own double your donations fundraising page at:

www.marysmeals.org.uk/getinvolved/fundraising

We hope you enjoyed our Advent Pack,

if you would like to learn more about

Mary’s Meals please visit our website:

www.marysmeals.org.uk

www.marysmeals.org.uk

© Mary’s Meals, Craig Lodge, Dalmally, Argyll, Scotland, United Kingdom, PA33 1AR

Registered Charity: SC022140 | Limited Company: SC265941

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