A travelling book, a 1000km adventure, and the power of a good story
Lucia Höfer is determined to play her part in the fight against hunger
Lucia Höfer, an 18-year-old fundraiser from Germany whose determination to play her part in the fight against hunger is both inspiring and contagious. She told us:
"During a pilgrimage to Međugorje, my parents stumbled upon a book that would change our lives forever: "The Shed that Fed a Million Children," which tells the remarkable story of Mary's Meals. As they shared this inspirational story with me, I knew I had found the perfect topic for my upcoming school project. I decided to focus on global hunger."
"My fundraising journey with Mary's Meals began with a charity run at school, rallying fellow students to join me in making a difference. The sense of unity and purpose that emerged was incredible and, together, we raised funds that would provide vital meals for many children facing poverty and hunger."
"But I didn't stop there. A friend and I embarked on an ambitious Charity Cycle Tour from Mainz in Germany to Dalmally in Scotland, covering over 1000 kilometers in just two weeks, camping in various towns and cities along the way. It was a physically demanding adventure, but every pedal stroke was fuelled by the knowledge that we were contributing to a cause greater than ourselves."
"The most difficult moment of our tour was shortly before the finish. Things suddenly became incredibly steep in the Scottish Highlands. At the same time, there was no obvious path and our shoes were completely wet. We had to head back downhill and change our route. Miraculously, two hours after that challenging experience, we found ourselves unexpectedly sitting in a hotel. We got a free room, £100 donation to Mary’s Meals and even breakfast the next day!"
"When arrived at the Mary's Meals head office in Dalmally (Scotland) we were filled with joy and very grateful that everything had gone so well and that we gained so many exciting experiences! It is wonderful to support an organisation like Mary's Meals and to be able to play a part in fighting against world hunger!"
"We are deeply grateful to everyone who supported us on our journey. Our fundraising will help to provide meals to 100 children for a whole school year."
Each meal served up by Mary’s Meals volunteers provides nourishment for a hungry child, as well as helping to nourish their dreams. The meals help children living in poverty to access education and give them energy to participate in class, helping them to learn and opening up opportunities for a better future.
The story of Mary’s Meals is told beautifully by founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow in his book The Shed That Fed A Million Children, fully updated and republished as The Shed That Fed 2 Million Children in September 2021, which is currently available in 11 languages. We ask that when people have finished reading the book that they’d pass their copy to someone else to help spread the word about our work. Lucia’s story is a perfect example of the wonderful things that can happen when people share our story!