Ben from Scotland

I’ve been here over one month now. It’s the longest I’ve ever been out here. It’s a real blessing that I am actually out here. 

I’ve been coming to Medjugorje all my life, partly for Mary’s Meals and my dad’s work there, and also on pilgrimages, especially to the Youth Festival. I’ve been to 6 of the last 7. It’s been a massive part of my life always.

I’m here working with Mary’s Meals and working with pilgrims all day. People come in and want to find out more about Mary’s Meals, we give them information, as well as people come to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. We give them free fasting bread and water and also often have conversations about prayer and Medjugorje. 

I’m studying primary teaching. I just finished my first year and when I go back in September, I go back to start studying again. I think it’s been an amazing chance for me to get into a better routine in terms of my prayer life and it’s definitely that I will try to take away and implement into my own life. Make sure I get my priorities straight with faith first. 

The youth festival is absolutely amazing, it can be truly life changing. I think it’s so inspiring to be among so many young Catholics from all of over the world. I don’t think there’s another place where you can get that sort of experience and that kind of motivation – feeling of belonging in the faith and remember that being Catholic is normal and how we should be. Just seeing that you can have a good, normal, fun life and still be Catholicas well. It think it’s a really good place to realize that. 

Mary’s Meals is a charity that feeds over 1.5 million children every school day around the world, and it is also a fruit of Medjugorje. Learn more at www.marysmeals.org