OURFEED

FUTURE

EVER

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DONATION DOUBLED

EVERY DONATION DOUBLED

From 28 September until 28 December, 2015, the UK Government will DOUBLE ANY DONATIONS you make to Mary’s Meals.

CHILDREN’S ADVENT PACK

Seven-year-old Livinesi is one of 1,500

children at Chirimba primary school who

recently began receiving Mary’s Meals

bringing them hope for a brighter future.

The school is in the Machinga district of

eastern Malawi.

Little Livinesi lives with her three sisters, who are so enthusiastic about

their education, they have decorated their home with pictures of the

alphabet and sums. Beatrice – the eldest of the four – gets her younger

siblings up and ready for school each day.

She speaks of the benefi t Mary’s Meals has for the younger girls: “Having

food at school has helped the children a lot. They are energetic and alert,

and can concentrate. They are not gloomy anymore!”

1. Can you think of a time you felt great hope? It could be a time when

someone helped you, or a time when something happened that you had

wished for.

2. What similarities are there between you and Livinesi?

What diff erences are there too?

3. Name three things you are hopeful for this Christmas.

Each child who receives Mary’s Meals in school is

given a mug to collect their daily porridge.

Use the template to make a mug just like the ones

used by children in Malawi for your Christmas tree.

When you see your mug decoration, think about the

children who receive Mary’s Meals and what they

might be doing on Christmas Day.

Print out the bauble templates on the next page.

Decorate them with lots of pretty designs, then cut

them out and stick them together with a little string

sandwiched between. You can then display them on

your Christmas tree at home or in church.

Make your own

Mary’s Meals

mug for your

Christmas tree!

Glue

Cut

Decorate

Ta-da!

String

Make your own Mary’s Meals mug for your Christmas tree!

Print this page

Decorate the mugs with lots of pretty designs

Cut them out

Sandwich together with glue and a little string!

You can display them

on your Christmas tree

at home or in church!

Ta-da!

Varney is 16 and lives in Liberia. He was just

a small child when he was chased from his

village with his family. Life was very diffi cult

for Varney, his family moved between

refugee camps, struggling to fi nd enough

food for them all.

Varney recognises the importance of this food, “I remember a time when I

went to school and there was no food, learning was very hard.”

Varney hopes to complete his schooling and fi nd a good job, he says that his

mother and father have worked so hard for him that he wants to help them

too. “My hopes for the future are a peaceful Liberia, everyone says Liberia

has the chance to become great, for that I hope.”

Varney is 16 and lives in Liberia. He was just

a small child when he was chased from his

Varney

1. At Christmas time we celebrate with our friends and family, but imagine

how you would feel if you had no home to stay in. How do you think that

made Varney feel?

2. How do you feel when you’re hungry? Can you run around and play?

3. It is important to be nice to one another. In these weeks of Advent, what will

you do today to be nice to your parents, siblings, and friends?

WORDS TO FIND...

ADVENT

CANDLE

CHRISTMAS

HOPE

INN

JESUS

JOSEPH

JOY

LOVE

MANGER

MARY

PEACE

Name Date

What you will need:

• Wooden clothes peg

• Paint of your choice (we loved mixing blue

and white paint for a Mary’s Meals theme)

• A gold and black pen (or use paint)

• Glue & Sissors

• Wool/Tinsel (for the all important halo & hair)

• Piece of paper for wings.

Dixon lives in the Lirangwe area of rural

Blantyre with his siblings, Welozumi and

Junior. They attend Makelenge School and

Dixon says, “I love it very much. There isn’t

enough food for us all at home, and don’t

want them to have any excuse not to attend

school,” he says.

Dixon has a positive outlook and says with a smile, “I enjoy attending school

with the other children and eating the hot porridge in the mornings.”

“I am able to concentrate in class a lot more now, I want to become a driver!”

As for his brothers, Dixon has dreams of them becoming a teacher and doctor,

respectively.

“If they continue to attend school and receive Mary’s Meals daily they can be

the best people in life. They’ll be able to do jobs that help others around them!”

1. At Christmas time we have lots to celebrate. Think of a time when you

felt great joy, when was it?

2. Dixon loves going to school, what do you love about school?

3. Dixon likes to be kind and play with other children at school, what can

you do diff erently to be kind to other children?

Method:

Dixon

Pen & Paper

Tie tinsel into a bow and stick on with lots of glue.

Cut out wing shape. Draw some feather lines and glue on.

Tinsel Bow & string for hair

Using pens, draw on a lovely pattern, you could use a contrasting paint and put little dots on. Don’t forget to give the angel a face!

Paint to decorate

Paint the peg in one main colour except for the top,

paint that white for the face and leave to dry.

Peg

Here is a recipe to make your own Likuni

Phala (alternatively you can use porridge oat)

1. Mix soya and maize fl our together in equal parts.

2. For every half cup of fl our use one and a half cups

of water. Bring to the boil for 15 minutes.

3. Pick your toppings, why not add some dried or

fresh fruit?

At Mary’s Meals, we often speak about the

many little acts of love that make up our

work—from the volunteers who help with

the everyday running of the charity to our supporters —everyone can do

something to make life better for the many hungry children in this world.

One such child is Shazia from Malawi. Shazia is fi ve years old, but already

she has lost both her parents. Unfortunately, her story is not unique– it

is estimated that one million children in Malawi are orphans and one of

the biggest challenges they face is hunger. But there is hope, Mary’s Meals

provides Shazia and thousands of other children in Malawi with a nutritious

meal everyday in school. It means Shazia has one fewer thing to worry

about and can concentrate on her learning, she loves to recite her ABCs!

Shazia exclaims, “I like porridge!”

She loves going to school and can now attend every day knowing she will

receive a big mug of porridge and an education which can be her escape

route from poverty.

1. How would you feel if you couldn’t go to school because you were too

hungry? What would you miss most? Think of playing and your friends!

2. At Christmas we get to spend time with the people we love most, think

about who you are most looking forward to spending Christmas with.

3. Think of three things you are grateful for this Advent.

Shazia

Children in Malawi eat Likuni Phala which is a lot like porridge. Shazia loves

her porridge, you can watch her video online,

www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/fundraising-resources

Why not try and make your own Likuni Phala, or have a porridge morning

with some exciting toppings?

Colour in the words. Be as creative as you like by creating different shapes and patterns. Can you think of a time when you experienced any of these feelings?

We hope you enjoyed our

Children’s Advent Pack,

if you would like to learn

more about Mary’s Meals

please visit our website:

Joy, hope, food & love!

Use the template on the next page of Mary’s Meals

Christmas card to colour in. Fold it in half and write

your Christmas message inside. Give your Christmas

card to someone you love.

1. It is Christmas Day, a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus! One of the

great traditions of Christmas day is the gathering of the family to have a

meal. What are you most looking forward to?

2. Think of all the people that you love and how you’re going to show them

you love them on this very special day.

3. Would you have room to invite one of the children you have learned

about to your table?

Mrs Zolongati is one of the kitchen

volunteers in Mlemeka Primary School in

Malawi. She says, “Mary’s Meals isn’t just

about food for the children or even better health. To us in this community

it’s a symbol of progress. I can cook for the children of my community each

morning so they can eat, learn, and be independent.

She speaks these words with a huge smile as she ladles out porridge to a

long line of children laughing children, sharing stories over a big mug of

warm and nutritious likuni phala.

Mary’s Meals has, at last, just arrived at Mlemeka Primary School in a very

remote district of Malawi and already, hungry children who have never

attended before are arriving at school. It is a cause for huge celebration! Mrs

Zolongati exclaims, “It shows life!”

Mrs Zolongati

FoldColour in

www.marysmeals.org.uk

www.marysmeals.org.uk

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Registered Charity: SC022140 | Limited Company: SC265941

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