1. www.cafod.org.uk Meet Mayling

2. Mayling is 10 years old. She lives with her grandmother in Nicaragua.

3. Finding food is a big problem. Droughts, heavy rains and pests also make it difficult to grow food.

4. When Mayling was very young, her dad left to find work in another country, and her mum is not well enough to look after Mayling.

5. She now lives with her grandmother, Marta.

6. Marta has arthritis, which is an illness of the bones. She is often in a lot of pain.

7. Some days they only eat two tortillas no bigger than the palm of your hand. Mayling sometimes feels unwell because her grandmother can’t afford enough healthy food to give them both.

8. CAFOD helped women in the area learn how to keep bees and gave them some bee hives. Mayling’s grandmother Marta looks after bees.

9. Mayling loves the honey because it’s sweet and tasty, and it also gives her energy to concentrate at school. She likes to eat honey and coconut. When there is some honey left over, Mayling and Marta can sell it to buy food.

10. Did you know...? Bee stings help with arthritis. Honey is good for sore throats. Honey helps reduce swelling.

11. God is important to me because he gives us our daily bread. He is the one who looks after me and helps us to get through the day.

12. Things to think about… How do you think Mayling feels when all she has to eat is a tortilla the size of the palm of your hand? How have the bees helped Mayling? It is important to remember that the abundance God created is not ours to give, it is for everyone to share. What have you shared today?