The Fruit of Medjugorje
The work of Mary’s Meals grew out of the Marian shrine, Medjugorje, in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
In 1992, the MacFarlane-Barrow family launched an appeal to help the people of war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina.
They did this from their home in Argyll, Scotland: Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer. Craig Lodge is a Catholic retreat centre that the MacFarlane-Barrow family were inspired to open after a family pilgrimage to Medjugorje in 1983.
Donations of food, clothing, blankets and medicine flooded in, and the first batch of aid was delivered to refugee camps near Medjugorje.
The family was overwhelmed by the generous response from the public, and what was meant to be a one-off delivery of aid developed into a rapidly growing international charitable organisation. From feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002, Mary’s Meals is now reaching more than 2 million children with life-changing meals every school day.
Those involved in the first Mary’s Meals projects were all people whose lives had been changed by pilgrimages to Medjugorje. It was decided, therefore, to name the organisation in honour of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
We consist of, respect and reach out to people of all faiths and none.
Watch our story in other languages
The Shed that Fed a Million Children
A Sunday Times bestseller, The Shed That Fed A Million Children charts the remarkable story of Mary’s Meals told by our CEO and founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow.
From a small shed in Dalmally, Argyll, in 1992, Magnus asked for donations of aid for a one-off trip to war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina. What happened in the weeks, months and years that followed not only surprised Magnus, but inspired tens of thousands of people across the world to join a movement with a vision to bring an end to child hunger.
Meet the people who inspired and grew this work; read about the little acts of love that have made this work possible; learn how in a world where 59 million children are still out of school, the work of Mary’s Meals is only just beginning.
Hear more from Magnus about this inspiring book in this video trailer. You can also share it with your friends and family to help us reach more people with amazing story told in The Shed That Fed A Million Children!
To some it may seem odd, perhaps even stupid, to retain the HQ of a global organisation in this lopsided and tired-looking shed, in a very remote part of Scotland. But being here helps remind me how and why we began this work.
The Shed That Fed A Million Children is available in multiple languages across the world. Select your country from the list below to see how you can buy the book. If your country isn’t listed, please visit our international site.
The book is also available to purchase in multiple languages from the Parish office Bookshop in Medjugorje.