Mary’s Meals was once again honoured to be part of Mladifest, the international youth festival held each summer in Medjugorje. This year, more than a decade on from their appearance in the documentary Child 31, we  were joined by both Lettie Saidi from Malawi and Charlie Docherty from the UK. Though their stories were told side by side in the film, they met for the first time this summer.

Magnus introduced Lettie, who’s now a staff member and a Mary’s Meals Youth Ambassador. She shared a moving testimony about the difference school meals made in her life. She spoke of the daily struggle of childhood hunger, and how the gift of a simple meal at school gave her strength, education, and hope for the future. Today, Lettie works to share the stories of children who eat Mary’s Meals. The honesty and strength with which she shared her story left a deep impression on all who listened, serving as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary difference a simple daily meal can make.

Charlie then shared his own reflections, talking about his experience as a young fundraiser and encouraged the young attendees to use their own little acts of love to make a difference in their communities. While Charlie and Lettie have very different stories, listening to them showed so clearly the unique ability of Mary’s Meals to unite people in the pursuit of one simple purpose.

We wrapped up the programme with a few inspiring words from Youth Ambassadors from across the globe and some beautiful music by Polish singer, AnMari.

The stories shared this year were powerful and memorable, inspiring us all to act with love and generosity to make sure we feed the next hungry child.

To watch the full testimony, click on the link below.

Video Link.