This year we have made an appeal for the charity 'Mary's Meals.' It began during the Bosnian war in 1992 when Magnus Macfarlane organised a local appeal in Argyll, Scotland for blankets, clothing and food and he delivered this much needed cargo to Mejugorje in Bosnia- Herzegovina. He returned to Scotland to resume his life as a fish farmer only to find his GARDEN SHED had been filled with more donations. He left his job and the shed became the hub of his registered charity, Scottish International Relief.
A trip to Malawi in the grip of a famine in 2002 ignited his desire to help some of the most impoverished children he had met. Mary’s Meals was launched with the vision for every child to receive one daily meal each day in a place of education. Just £15.90 feeds a child for a whole year. From feeding 200 children in Malawi Mary’s Meals now works with communities in 19 countries and target of 2 million children fed each day has just been reached this year with much celebration as the work goes from strength to strength.
A successful St Cross 50/50 Challenge Coffee Morning was held in the home of one of the congregation on Saturday 25th September and despite the intermittent rain it was superbly supported and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to relax and chat inside and outside (under gazebo cover.)
An outstanding amount nearly £1000 has been raised which will be equally divided between St Cross funds and Mary’s Meals.
The gifts of non perishable food collected at our Harvest Thanksgiving service on October 3rd were taken to our local food bank, Hope Central. Gifts of flowers were distributed to housebound parishioners.
Mary Daw - Reader
