Why is Mary's Meals a river of hope? 

There is an anecdote about Mother Teresa’s visit to a university campus where she was scheduled to speak about the importance of charity and serving others. While she was speaking, somebody interrupted her and asked: “Mother Teresa, considering the massive scale of poverty and suffering in the world, you are merely a drop in the ocean. How can you believe that you can change the world?” 

Mother Teresa smiled and calmly replied: “It is true, I am merely one drop. But if it were missing, the ocean would be less because of that. So, go ahead and be that drop.” 

This anecdote clearly summarises the philosophy of Mother Teresa – that everyone, no matter how small they may feel, can contribute and make a difference. Every act of goodness, no matter how insignificant, is an important part of the whole. The message is clear: do not underestimate the power of your own deeds, because every “drop” contributes to the “ocean” of change. Mary’s Meals has a similar outlook – we can all do something, however small, to help ease the suffering of children and families facing hunger.

While you are reading these lines, you probably do not feel the same hunger that is sadly felt by many children around the world. When we feel hunger, we go to the fridge or to the shop. But imagine children around the world who are unable to do that. For them, there may be no fridge, and affording food in a shop is an unattainable reality. Their stomachs aren't just rumbling; hunger is harming them and killing their potential.  

Mother Teresa recognised this terrible, heartbreaking reality and acted. She gathered people from the streets and fed them, despite the scepticism of those who said: “it won't make a difference.” Her inspiring response still holds true: “Go ahead and be that drop.” 

At the heart of this message is the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the context of loving one's neighbour, He said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40). Jesus invites us not to be indifferent to the suffering around us, but to actively participate in alleviating that pain and bringing hope. Each time we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, or visit the sick, we are actually serving Christ Himself. This is the deep spiritual truth of every act of love.  

Hope is an emotion we feel when we believe that the circumstances outside our control will develop favourably and lead to the realisation of some important desire of ours. Although hope is often taken as a passive feeling, at its core it is a vital force that gives us the strength to bear our frustration until the final fruition that we hope for. To hope means not to give up on our desire, even though we cannot reach a goal by ourselves, but we believe that someone or something external will come to our aid. This takes place through all the people who, consciously or unconsciously, responded to the invitation to be drops in the ocean along with Mother Teresa.

Mary's Meals: From a Drop to a River of Hope 

Significantly, one of the places where that “drop” of inspiration lives today is the organisation Mary's Meals. This organisation also recognised the terrible and heartbreaking reality of this world and acted. They provide school meals that change the lives of millions of children around the world. The promise of a nutritious meal encourages children who are facing hunger into classrooms, where they can gain an education and better opportunities for their future. More than 3 million children receive these meals through Mary’s Meals’ community-led programme every school day. Thanks to many thousands of volunteers who give their time to prepare and serve meals for children in their own communities, it costs only €22 to provide a child with meals in a place of education for a whole school year. It is evident that, when it comes to Mary's Meals, we are no longer talking about a single drop or several drops, but a river of hope for children around the world.   

Mary's Meals’ vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack the most basic things. These meals mean that children don’t have to give up on their dreams. Even when they have no food at home, they can trust that there will be food in school. They can rely on consistent support because of the consistent support Mary’s Meals receives for the feeding programme.  

In response to children’s hopes and dreams, God provided this organisation that grew from a drop to a river of love that runs towards millions of children around the world in areas of great need.  

While you are reading this, many children around the world are still hoping. So, be a drop and join that river. You can be the answer to a child's hope. Together, let us be a river of active hope that lovingly runs towards every child who is still hungry! One drop may not be able to change the world, but it can surely change a person's whole world. We invite you to become part of the great river of hope that is Mary's Meals today.  

Fr. Josip Ulić, SDB 

a drop in the Mary's Meals river of hope for over a decade