TEXAS – Operation Blessing met Tim and Sharon Fox of Brazoria to hear their account after Hurricane Beryl. Tim shared how they were, “listening to the wind howl and just all of a sudden heard all kinds of banging. And we found out that tree fell on the house. We got up that next morning, and everything just looked like a warzone.”
Sharon said, “I have so much work to do here on a daily basis because my husband is disabled and it’s left to me. And then with this storm, what it added to us is overwhelming.”
She continued, tears welling in her eyes, “We needed help. So it’s amazing to have the help.” Thanks to the dedicated support of friends like you, we’ve been helping affected residents clear downed trees from their homes while feeding families suffering from extended power outages and providing water and ice to help keep them cool.
Tim said, “The crew came out and picked up all the limbs and leaves to get our yard back in order—to get our lives back in order.”
Sharon said, “Thank you all so much. Thanks to everybody from Operation Blessing. And thanks all to all the donors who have made it possible for y’all to be here and give up time with your families all to come help us and our families.”
PERU – At first, it was hardly noticeable—just a suspicion that things weren’t quite right. Nothing that meant her symptoms were anything more than the subtle signs of aging, Juana assured herself.
And, in the absence of medical care in her remote community in Peru, Juana chose to ignore it. “Many times, due to the limited resources we have, we cannot go to the city to receive medical care,” she told us. So she never had a medical professional she could voice her concerns to.
Living in the close-knit but poverty-stricken community of San José, Juana and her husband are hardworking and stoic. Juana’s days are dedicated to caring for her household and supporting her husband, who works tirelessly to provide for their needs.
But her symptoms grew worse, which troubled the usually resilient woman. When she heard that an Operation Blessing medical brigade was coming to San José, she immediately planned to attend. Finally, Juana realized, she’d be able to tell a medical professional about her symptoms—and find out what was wrong. This was a pleasant alternative to daily life in the absence of medical care in San José, Peru.
Thanks to friends like you, our front-line health promoters journey to remote villages where medical care is hard to reach—bringing vital help and information to those in need. In so many poor, rural communities, these volunteers provide lifesaving basic care to local families for injuries, illness, pregnancy, and more.
And that’s exactly what happened with Juana because of your love and care. After medical tests were performed, she was surprised to learn the cause of her symptoms: diabetes. The condition could have been life-threatening if it had gone undetected. Thankful for the support you helped provide, Juana embarked on a journey to wellness—armed with medication, advice, and a newfound awareness of her health.
Juana was so grateful to finally have answers. “Fortunately, I was able to come today to participate in the medical brigade because I was already feeling some discomfort,” she told us. “Thank God this medical brigade was carried out in my community!”
And thank you for providing vital medical care to people in need.
GUATEMALA – Delfina lives with her three children in Guatemala. Her husband works as a farm laborer when he can find work, but the family struggled just to survive. There never seemed to be enough food for them to eat. Overcoming food scarcity proved nearly impossible. For them, hunger pangs and sadness often took the place of meals.
Her son Derek said, “My classmates told me that they’d eat cereal and eggs. I wanted that, but we couldn’t afford it.”
Delfina tried to help out with the family income as much as she could during harvest season. She said, “Women do not earn much. Depending on the job, we earn about $5 a day.”
When she and her husband can’t find work, the whole family suffered. With tears trickling down her cheeks, she said, “Some days my kids ask me, is there even an egg or bread? I couldn’t give them anything because I didn’t have it for them.”
Derek said, “I want to eat chicken and try other foods.”
A Chicken Business Helps a Family Overcome Food Scarcity
Then Operation Blessing visited Delfina and invited her to take part in a chicken project. After her training, we gave her a shed, feed, and 195 chickens to start a poultry and egg business. She said, “My kids are happy. My daughter loves scrambled eggs, and now I can give them to her. I’m so happy.”
Derek said, “Thank you with all my heart for helping us. Because now we will have a better life.” Thank you for making this microenterprise possible and for helping a family live without hunger!
CAMBODIA – In a small village in Cambodia, a young boy named Lik faced a world of adversity simply because he was born with a cleft lip. His brother Heng, a kind and devoted sibling, experienced firsthand the heartache that comes from seeing a loved one bullied and ostracized. However, through the incredible generosity of Operation Blessing partners, Lik’s story becomes one of hope and healing. This journey ended with triumph over bullying and poor health due to cleft lip because of YOUR kindness.
The Plight of a Child with Cleft Lip in Cambodia
Lik’s condition, although correctable, posed health risks and proved a significant challenge for his loving family. He struggled to eat, and they didn’t have money to buy milk for him. There were adults in the community who were rude to Lik and his brother for no other reason than Lik’s cleft lip. The family desperately wanted Lik to get surgery to avoid the cruel stigma children faced. This was not possible due to the financial burden of cleft lip surgery.
The cost of the surgery was beyond their modest means, as Lik’s parents toiled daily earning mere dollars through fruit selling and fishing. The cruelty of bullying compounded their despair, making the need for surgery not just a matter of health, but also of dignity.
Changing Lives with a Single Operation
For families like Lik’s, the dream of cleft lip surgery was not even possible. However, Operation Blessing partners help provide surgery to families that cannot afford it. Operation Blessing is a charity with a heart to help others in a number of ways. One of those ways is by providing life-changing surgeries in different parts of the world. The reason for this mission is simple: these kinds of surgeries change lives and reshape futures.
Through the generous contributions of partners like you, Operation Blessing can make lasting change in the lives of children like Lik. Because of our partners, Lik was able to get cleft lip surgery. This is an example of how our partners directly impact lives, offering children like Lik a chance at a normal life. The surgery grants a fresh start and paves the way for a future where Lik is not facing bullying due to cleft lip. A future without mistreatment due to a condition out of his control.
A Future Free from Bullying Due to Cleft Lip
Post-surgery, Lik’s weight gain and increased vitality are visible testaments to the success of the procedure. Heng’s joy is obvious as he shares the playground with a brother who wakes up eager to play, no longer hindered by a cleft lip. Heng can look to the future with relief knowing that Lik is free from a future threatened by bullying and poor health due to cleft lip. Thank you for making this surgery possible!
TEXAS – Operation Blessing is still bringing relief after Hurricane Beryl devastated the small community of Brazoria. We continue to see improvements in the power outages. Little by little residents are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But there are still many needs in this area. One major need is meals for hurricane survivors.
A big part of Operation Blessing’s hurricane relief efforts often involve feeding hurricane survivors. This can mean everything from providing ready-to-eat meals to operating a full mobile kitchen. Thanks to compassionate friends like you, we provide hot meals for survivors who may not have power or even a kitchen. To people who are in shock after a storm like Hurricane Beryl, it can mean a lot.
Feeding Hurricane Survivors With Hot Food Operations
Local resident Dede said, “We lost all of our food due to the power outage. And payday’s not until next week, so just a little bit helps.”
We started our hot food operations with the use of a small mobile kitchen, and it successfully transitioned into the local elementary school kitchen. This gave us the ability to expand the number of meals we are able to provide to those who need them. Local resident John Marc said, “I feel blessed, and I can’t believe y’all are here.” Thank you for you support that allows us to keep feeding hurricane survivors in Texas.
For the next part of our relief, debris cleanup, WE NEED YOU!
If you have the ability to give us a morning and afternoon, or even to stay overnight, we have the work for you. You can help even more families like Dede and John Marc when you visit www.ob.org/volunteer today!
PERU – In the heart of Peru, nestled near the Amazon rainforest, a single mother named Esther faces an uphill battle against nature’s fury. With two young children by her side, she lives in a rickety home. As such, she deals with the fear that her fragile shack will crumble. Her current home was often battered and bruised due to the relentless rains and fierce winds of the Amazon’s rainy season. In such bleak surroundings, she could hardly imagine that in the future, she would be in a new house in Peru.
Struggles in the Little Shack
Esther’s daily life was marked by the constant worry that her makeshift home would collapse. Each rainstorm meant their roof would leak. In addition, heavy rains also brought the threat of flooding. Against this active climate, Esther’s run down home was no match. Because it was riddled with holes on the roof, rain could easily pour in. This, of course, left her family vulnerable to sickness and despair.
A Mother’s Sorrow
As storms raged outside, Esther’s older daughter, Lexi, bravely attempted to patch up the leaks. But her efforts were futile against the deteriorating structure. Esther’s heart ached as she witnessed her children’s suffering, knowing that she lacked the means to provide them with a safe haven.
A Beacon of Hope: Operation Blessing Steps In
In the midst of Esther’s struggles, Operation Blessing, an international charity dedicated to providing aid to those in need, extended a helping hand thanks to friends like you.
Building Dreams: A New House in Peru
With the support of our generous donors, Operation Blessing constructed a new house in Peru. This provided a sturdy home for Esther and her children. Equipped with solid walls, a resilient roof, and essential amenities including a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom, the new home stands as a symbol of hope in the face of adversity.
Comfort and Security: A Mother’s Joy
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Esther rejoiced as she steps into her new abode. The once elusive feelings of comfort and safety now embrace her family, bringing tears of relief to her eyes. No longer does she fear for her children’s well-being during the stormy nights because of the love of friends like you.
Empowering Change: A Brighter Future
Beyond providing the gift of shelter, Operation Blessing partners empowered Esther by giving her a new brick oven, enabling her to increase her production and secure a sustainable income for her family. With renewed hope and determination, Esther looks ahead to a brighter future for herself and her children.
A Heartfelt Thank You
To the caring donors who made this transformation possible, Esther extends her deepest thanks. Your kindness has reshaped her family’s life. You have also helped reignite her faith in the compassion of others. Thank you for providing a new house in Peru for Esther and her family.
TEXAS – Although a week has passed since the storm struck Texas, the hearts of Hurricane Beryl survivors are still broken throughout the hardest-hit areas. Reports of fatalities from heat and a lack of electricity continue to trickle in, as hundreds of thousands are still without power.
Local resident Latonya told us, “A hurricane came and blew a tree down on my porch, and I couldn’t get in the front door.”
Thanks to friends like you, Operation Blessing’s disaster relief team deployed to the surrounding area before the hurricane made landfall. We’ve been supporting a cooling station while distributing food, water, and crucial ice. We’ve also been handed out over 1000fresh cooked meals for relief workers, volunteers, and victims struggling through the aftermath.
Volunteers Are Helping Hurricane Beryl Survivors
With trees down throughout the region, we’ve rallied volunteers who are braving the heat to help distressed homeowners recover. Through the partnership of our supporters, we’re providing the equipment, organization, and oversight to make these efforts possible.
Our volunteer named Bridgette said, “I’m awestruck every time I come through here to see how much damage can happen. But at the same time, just see how much the community can come together and just how much love can come out of such a bad thing.”
We’re excited to share that our teams are on the ground and on the job reaching out to provide help, hope, comfort, and tangible aid in this difficult time. But many more hurting residents still need assistance.
Together, we can continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus for these hurting families in their time of need. Thank you so much for your love and care!
NIGERIA – Today, young Kavnen has abundant clean water in his community because of Operation Blessing friends like you. Once bound by water scarcity in Nigeria, they now have a future with clean safe water.
Not long ago, the residents of his primarily Christian village called Ashibi would wake up as early as 4 a.m. to trek for water during the dry season. That really cut into their time for work, education, and family. And that trek took them to a stream where they would wait in line for water that might not even be safe to drink.
But Kavnen is not alone. All around the world, people suffer due to lack of clean water. This steals their time, their vitality, their health, and sometimes even their lives! Approximately 800,000 people—including nearly 300,000 children—die each year due to water and sanitation related illnesses.
Sustainable Water Solutions that Impact Communities
That’s why we’re so grateful to you. Because of our faithful supporters, last year alone Operation Blessing installed 155 water systems around the globe, providing clean water to approximately 36,000 beneficiaries. That’s a lot of people! Our water programs reach out to hurting villagers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In each case, we design the best system for that specific community. Our water experts take into consideration factors like geology, climate, available resources, and even culture in order to provide sustainable water solutions that will last long into the future.
In the case of Kavnen’s village, a well was the best course of action for this community. But we also utilize technologies like rainwater catchment, networks of pipes, solar power, filtration, chlorination, and even desalination to ensure that each community has the ideal system for its circumstances. Water might be made available in a nearby central location or piped straight to homes. In many cases, we are also able to offer handwashing stations, showers, and toilets for the residents.
As we dedicated the well in Kavnen’s village, a local pastor read from Matthew 11:28— “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Their new water system brought that promise alive for this village of Christians, as it freed them from the burden of water scarcity. It offered them a much more abundant life, thanks in part to your love and support! Now the blessing of a well has removed the bonds of water scarcity in Nigeria for Kavnen’s village.
Battling Water Scarcity Across the Globe
You also help to provide water in disaster scenarios. Recently, you gave clean water to survivors of Hurricane Otis in Mexico. And in Chile, we worked with a beverage company that stopped all other production to help us provide clean water to wildfire survivors.
Kavnen’s community sent their sincere thanks to you. “We are happy receiving this project because we have suffered from lack of access to clean drinking water,” said a villager named Iorakosa. “God has sent Operation Blessing to our rescue. We are grateful.”
We also offer you our sincerest gratitude for breaking the bondage that people suffer without proper access to clean water. You are ringing the bell of freedom throughout the world for those in need. God bless you.
PHILIPPINES – In the busy streets of Cavite, John Paulo’s childhood was overcast by the shadow of poverty in the Philippines. Without a father to help provide for them, both John Paulo and his brother endured the harsh realities of life in a daily struggle to survive. They even lived as street children for a time. Surrounded by drugs and crime, they got involved in fights and were dubbed juvenile delinquents. These boys needed compassionate intervention from friends like you.
In time, John Paulo’s eyes were opened to the possibility of a better life—a life where love and hope prevailed over the despair and hardship he had known all too well.
Through the intervention of a local Christian church, the Gospel’s transformational power began to take root in his heart. Every Sunday he would sit alongside fellow believers and recite the words of John 3:16. He felt a stirring deep within him—a call to change and to embrace a new way of living. But could this kind of freedom really be possible?
“He sent His Son to change us all,” John Paulo said. “He’s the one who will find a way for us to escape from sin.”
Breaking the Grip of Generational Poverty in the Philippines
Though his heart had shifted, John Paulo’s journey to gain freedom from the grip of generational poverty in the Philippines was not without its challenges. He was living in a single cramped room with his mother and brother. It gave them a place to sleep and protection from the rain, but little else. Together, they would scavenge through garbage for items that could be sold to the junk shop to help provide for their daily needs.
Reflecting on his family’s dire situation, John Paulo said, “When I see them without food and relying on the junk shop, it’s like we’re slowly reverting back to what we were on the streets before. Struggling and depending on other people’s charity. Just hoping someone will lend money. I don’t want to see them like that.”
Then your kindness stepped in and paved the way toward freedom. With the support of Operation Blessing’s microenterprise project, John Paulo—now a young adult— finally gained the freedom he had been searching for.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, John Paulo was provided with everything he would need to start his own food cart business. Through training sessions and the guidance of dedicated mentors, he and his family were equipped with the tools they needed to break free from the cycle of poverty.
“I thank everyone who made this possible,” John Paulo expressed with gratitude. “Without this, we would not be able to provide for our daily needs. Thank you so much!”
John Paulo’s days of scavenging are over. His family has been able to move into a better home. Their story has become a living reminder of the Gospel’s hope and the freedom that is possible when caring donors like you help break the chains of poverty for families in need!
COSTA RICA – At a school in Costa Rica, dreams and education intersect. For years, the school faced a significant challenge: the lack of a reliable water source. When the water ran out, the doors of education closed, leaving the children of Palmera in uncertainty. However, a recent development has changed the course of the school’s future. A development in the form of a new rainwater harvesting system.
Join us in watching this inspiring story as Sheibony, a student of Palmera School, takes us on a heartfelt tour of her beloved school. Through her eyes, we witness the daily struggles and triumphs of the students. Sheibony passionately shares what the school means to her, emphasizing the vital role it plays in shaping their futures.
A Rainwater Harvesting System Provides Clean Drinkable Water
The highlight of the tour is the new rainwater harvesting system. Installed with the support of dedicated partners, this system ensures that the school has a consistent supply of clean water. No longer will the children of Palmera worry about school closures due to water shortages. This innovative solution has not only provided a basic necessity, but has also opened the doors to continuous learning and growth.
With the new system in place, the Palmera School stands as a beacon of hope and resilience. The children can now focus on their studies, knowing that their school will always be open, rain or shine. Watch as Sheibony’s pride and joy shine through, representing the bright future that now lies ahead for Palmera School.
