INDONESIA – Have you ever experienced a sudden loss? Imagine your main source of income being ripped from your grasp tomorrow, and there not being a thing you can do to replace it. What do you do when all is lost? According to Jorim, you pray. When powerful Cyclone Seroja blasted coastal communities in Indonesia, Jorim and his village lost their livelihoods. The storm’s fury tore apart homes, ruined boats, and washed away their entire seaweed harvest—and the village didn’t have adequate funds to rebuild. They desperately needed help from someone like you.
Cyclone Seroja Devastates Tablolong Village
“I was devastated. Since it is my main source of income, it felt like the ground crumbled. I lost everything—not only the seaweed, but also the ropes and other equipment. Everything was ruined by the storm,” Jorim shared.
For this community that had relied on seaweed farming to sustain them for generations, all hope appeared to be lost. That’s when the church of Tablolong Village committed to praying every week until their livelihoods were restored. Little did they know that you would reach out in answer to that prayer.
Because the whole community relied on the seaweed industry, everyone felt its loss—especially the children. Jorim spoke of how people struggled to obtain enough fuel to get their kids to school. Fifi is a widow who supports her two children through seaweed farming, and the storm made her already difficult circumstances nearly impossible to overcome.
Restoring The Village’s Livelihood After The Storm
But then love sailed in from a distant shore, and your compassion changed everything! Your generous gifts empowered Operation Blessing to provide a canoe, seaweed seeds, nylon rope, and all the necessary supplies to help 10 families restore their livelihoods and care for their children.
At last, the community is beginning to see the answer to their prayers because you cared. Triana, another seaweed farmer, said, “Praise be to God. We’ve had two harvests from this help already. May God always bless the Operation Blessing family to continue to be a blessing to everyone in need.” Friends like you are helping Trina feed her three young children—and her new income could also provide them a chance to pursue an education.
