Florida – In the aftermath of catastrophic hurricanes like Ian and Fiona, it’s an incredible comfort to know that when desperate times strike, you will be there—reaching out with a helping hand to assist victims in need. Whether it’s a hurricane in America, a war in Ukraine, an earthquake in the Philippines, or a drought in Kenya, your love arrives quickly to heal broken hearts and lift downtrodden spirits! Your caring and generosity to help us facilitate hurricane relief can make all the difference in assisting people after devastating hurricanes.
Restoring Shattered Lives In Florida After Hurricane Ian
The devastation following Hurricane Ian has been nothing short of horrific, especially in Florida. Coastal areas described as war zones, houses floating away, sharks in the streets, thousands of rescues and dozens of casualties marked this storm as truly historic. Devastating hurricanes like Ian put a toll on the communities that face them, But compassionate Operation Blessing friends like you offered hope in this dark time.
“The power’s out and you can’t see anything,” said Pastor Matt of Crosspoint Christian Church, who lived through the tragedy. He sat in the dark with his wife, his 1-year-old, his 3-year-old, and their Golden Retriever—just waiting throughout the terrifying storm in Cape Coral, Florida.
When he emerged from his home, the scene was almost unimaginable. Snapped power lines were everywhere. And his yard was covered in debris that looked like it had been through a paper shredder. He said, “The devastation here right now is significantly beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Matt told us about 40 downed trees on his church property and how the landscape of his town had completely changed. We also met Alexandria, who had two feet of sea water ruin much of her home, and Michael, whose roof had been smashed.
Even before the storm, because of your support our teams were nearby and ready to launch the moment roads became passable. Our first relief load reached victims the very next day. With your help, we sent truckload after truckload of vital supplies like food, water, generators, and tarps into hard-hit areas of Florida, including to Matt’s church.
Hurricane Ian Recovery Efforts
Then, thanks to you, just a few days after the storm we were able to start Hurricane ian recovery efforts. From our base at Calvary Assembly of God in Port Charlotte, we organized teams of disaster volunteers who would bless heartbroken homeowners with practical assistance like removing downed trees from yards, hauling off debris, cleaning out flooded homes, and covering broken roofs. Matt said, “Thank you! Thank you for being willing to sacrifice of your resources to resource people who are in need—who are suffering devastating loss. And thank you for living out who we’ve been called to be as followers of Jesus.”
We anticipate staying in Florida blessing the hurting for many months to come and helping with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts. Follow the latest at ob.org/ian.
Blessing Victims Of Hurricane Fiona
Puerto Rico – Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico as a Category 1 storm but still caused massive destruction. Widespread power outages meant that over a million people were plunged into darkness.
Tragically, Hurricane Fiona struck on the fifth anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Maria, damaging some of the same communities in Puerto Rico. The battered citizens again face a long road to recovery. Even when the power and water began running again, they were left to overcome ruined infrastructure and flooded homes. Giovanni, a local pastor, said, “We have experienced a national catastrophe.”
Disaster Supplies Made A Difference For Hurricane Victims
Because of your love we already had disaster supplies prepared and staged in Puerto Rico—so while torrential rains continued to cause severe floods and landslides, you provided solar lights to brighten the dark nights, water purifiers for those without access to clean drinking water, as well as disaster kits and other vital relief items.
Responding to the crisis, Operation Blessing also quickly began connecting with local partners who set up an emergency feeding program to provide hot meals, especially to children and the elderly. Our strategic partner, Centro de Ayuda Social at Puerto Nuevo, is a community kitchen that is capable of supplying at least 300 meals a day. Through your kindness, we offered hot meals to displaced hurricane victims. It is only because of your love that we are able to bring hope to these disaster victims. Pastor Giovanni said, “We feel blessed that we have Operation Blessing coming in here, because we know their heart.” Thank you!
