A Story of Faith That Knows No Obstacles

I am Mária, a 73-year-old mother from Slovakia. My daughter Barborka was born with Down syndrome. Our life together hasn't always been easy. When her father left us, we had to face everything alone. Both of us suffer from various health issues, and in everyday life, Barborka is entirely dependent on my help. Most people might assume we would be the ones who need the help of others. But the Virgin Mary had a different plan for us. 

It all started five years ago. In early December my daughter showed me a letter she wrote to Baby Jesus: "Dear Baby Jesus, it is your birthday on Christmas, and I wish for you to be happy. If I may ask, I would very much like a tangerine under the tree. And I also wish that children in Africa are not hungry and have something to eat." 

A few days later, we discovered Mary's Meals, an organisation which aims to help children in some of the poorest parts of the world by delivering daily school meals in their place of education. From the very first moment, I felt inspired and drawn towards their mission, especially because Mary's Meals has its spiritual roots in Medjugorje. However, we didn’t yet know how exactly we could help. 

During one Rosary prayer, a thought crossed my mind that we could offer Barborka's paintings online, with the proceeds going to children experiencing hunger and poverty. Barborka loves to paint and does so beautifully, but her art did not sell well over the past two years. 

I asked the Mother of God; if this was God's will, she would help us find people who would buy the paintings. My prayer was answered swiftly. Within a few hours of posting them online, the first interested buyers contacted me. I was unspeakably happy – it felt like a huge display of love for me. 

We have many friends, so we started enthusiastically telling them about Mary's Meals. Barborka played the biggest part in this. She had no problem talking about the children everywhere we went, and she always managed to collect some money to help. 

What initially looked like a one-time sale of a few paintings gradually grew into something more substantial. People with open hearts started joining our initiative, and we became active volunteers. Over our five years of work, together we have managed to fundraise enough to provide meals for over 4,000 children. Because the children receive food at their place of education, they can concentrate better and achieve better results at school. This way, they can get an education that can open the door out of poverty.

Even though we rarely leave our apartment, especially in winter, we still dedicate our time and effort to the Mary’s Meals mission. And even if we never make it to Medjugorje in person, our hearts are there and will always be like those tiny pebbles at the feet of the Queen of Peace. It is to her that we owe this beautiful opportunity to be part of the Mary's Meals family.