THAILAND – Your love is reaching around the world and blessing so many hurting families in need. Children like Malik (age 6) have food today because you came to their rescue. Malik loved helping her grandmother. She cleaned the house and raised chickens on their poultry farm. “Grandma loves me and my brother,” said Malik. “She takes care of us.”
The chickens helped provide for their needs and put food on the table. But for Grandma Aon, raising her grandchildren by herself was hard. And then the unthinkable happened: a flood washed away their farm. Overnight, Grandma Aon had nothing left and no way to support her family without help from friends like you.
“I was very stressed,” Grandma Aon told us. “I have nothing to invest to buy more chickens.” She knew that finding a job would be difficult, but she needed to support her grandchildren. “Who will hire me? I did not know what to do.”
Eventually, their money ran out. Grandma Aon could no longer afford to buy food, except for a little rice. She boiled it for Malik and her brother first. “Grandma put salt on the rice for me because we had no money,” Malik said. “She told me to eat first, and she would eat what was left.”
The burden was too heavy on her grandmother. Sometimes, she simply broke down. Malik stayed by her side and tried to encourage her. “When I saw Grandma cry, I would wipe her tears and say, ‘Don’t cry. God will be with us.’”
Grandma Aon continued to seek God for an answer. “I prayed and asked Him to provide money so I could raise chickens once again. One night, I had a dream about some people from Bangkok who would teach me about raising something.”
Your Kindness Helps a Family Fight Hunger with a Chicken Business
Her dream came true! Through your generosity, our Operation Blessing team in Bangkok had the opportunity to train Grandma Aon in the skills she needed to run a business. You also gave her 300 chickens along with the feed and supplies she needed to relaunch her business. Then you went above and beyond to provide her family with enough food until the chickens were old enough to sell.
Malik jumped in and began to help her grandmother feed the chickens and fill their water buckets. “I’m glad Grandma has work to do and has income,” she said. “I am glad that I can help her.”
And Grandma Aon’s business is thriving once again. Since it relaunched, she has raised and sold nearly 700 chickens and says that her family is no longer hungry, thanks to you! She is grateful for all God has done through your love and support. “God has answered my prayer. God has brought His people to care for me. I have peace and joy now. Thanks for helping us.”
CHILE – Operation Blessing is mobilizing an international disaster relief team for a critical mission responding to the devastating wildfires that have swept across Chile. With over 5,000 homes destroyed and countless families affected, the need for wildfire relief and an effective disaster response is immediate and pressing.
The Need for Chile Wildfire Relief
The residents of Chile urgently need help. The wildfires have not only destroyed vast swathes of land but have also had a terrible impact on the Chilean people. Many families have been displaced, and tragically, more than 100 lives have been lost.
Wildfires are merciless, leaving behind a trail of destruction that can change the landscape of communities in an instant. The Chile wildfires have been particularly catastrophic. As an experienced charitable organization that has deployed across the globe, Operation Blessing stands ready to offer support to those who are suffering the most. The team plans to focus on offering much-needed first aid assistance for burn victims, as well as providing food and water to families in desperate need of resources.
A Heartfelt Thanks for Support and Prayers
We extend our deepest gratitude to all who have supported Operation Blessing, enabling us to reach out with aid and compassion where it’s needed most. Your support fuels our mission and empowers us to provide relief in the wake of disasters like the Chile wildfires.
The path to recovery for Chile will require a concerted effort of relief and rebuilding. Operation Blessing is committed to being a part of this process, helping to restore lives and bring hope to those in distress.
As we embark on this deployment, we ask for your continued prayers and support. We promise to keep you updated on our efforts to bring wildfire relief to Chilean families. Together, with your help, we can make a tangible difference in the aftermath of this disaster. God bless you for your generosity and for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
PERU – If the vista a person sees from his front door were an indicator of wealth and happiness, then Jacinto should have been a rich and contented man. Surrounded by towering mountains in the Peruvian highlands, he cares for his herd of sheep in this lovely spot. Jacinto lives in a distant community located about three hours away from beautiful Lake Titicaca.
However, the 68-year-old sheepherder and his camera-shy wife, Juana, faced harsh realities. Situated in such remote spots, indigenous communities like theirs are made up of isolated, vulnerable people. They had no running water at their home, and they had to make long, grueling treks to fetch water for drinking, washing, and cooking—but the water was not even clean.
“We suffer a lot because of this,” Jacinto said. “Sometimes we got sick because we didn’t know the water wasn’t good for us. But,” he pointed out, “what else can we do—we still have to walk to get water. I want my wife to rest, but sometimes I get tired and she helps me.”
A Water System in the Peruvian Highlands
Fortunately, Operation Blessing reached the people of Osocco with great news for every member of this rugged community. With help from friends like you, our staff built a pumped water system that would take the water from its source to a reservoir, then filter and treat it—allowing clean water to be piped to each house!
And, because of your generous gifts, we also provided biodigester bathrooms next to each house. Thanks to donors like you with loving hearts, after so many years of suffering Jacinto and Juana had their lives changed forever.
“I can’t believe we have water. I can’t believe we have a bathroom.” Jacinto rejoiced. “Thank you so much, my friends. God bless you all!”
UKRAINE – Young Diana from Ukraine wanted nothing more in life than to play with friends and become a teacher when she grew up. Unfortunately, life for Diana hasn’t been that simple. Diana had problems with her vision from birth, but it wasn’t until she was in school that an eye exam revealed congenital cataracts in both of her eyes.
This condition affected her ability to interact with peers and her performance in school, as well as daily life activities. As if that weren’t bad enough, in February 2022— before her family even had time to look into further treatment— war broke out. Shelling began in her hometown, and Diana and her family were forced to flee to the area of Lviv, Ukraine, for safety.
Operation Blessing responded to the conflict in Ukraine as soon as it was safe enough to do so, providing comfort and aid for those in need. Thanks to you, we gave food and basic necessities both to refugees and to families remaining in war-torn Ukraine. Despite the ongoing woes of war, you continue to provide help to the hurting and healing to the afflicted.
Healing From Congenital Cataracts
In Lviv, Sunday school workers noticed that Diana was unable to play with the other children due to her vision issues, and they referred her to Operation Blessing. When friends like you heard the story of the 11-year-old Ukrainian girl struggling to see, they quickly responded with love and assistance.
Because of this outpouring of grace, Diana received the surgery she so badly needed. Her eyes are now well along the path to healing, and she can take full joy in being a child. Her family is so grateful. Diana said, “I’m happy that I can see now, I can draw now, and I can play with the other kids.”
Thank you for changing lives in Ukraine and around the globe!
VIRGINIA – Retired and living on a fixed income, Winifred knows just how difficult it can be making ends meet in today’s economy. Having worked many years for a Virginia-based shipyard, she thought retirement would offer her a chance to rest after years of hard work. But instead, Winifred has been struggling to even buy food due to rising inflation. Thanks to your generous support, she doesn’t have to weather the storm and fight inflation alone.
Because of faithful donors like you, Winifred was able to turn to Netcasters Kitchen, a food distribution partner of Operation Blessing. There, Winifred is able to receive food without paying the high grocery store prices.“It makes a difference, makes a great difference,” Winifred said. “I don’t have to worry about going to the store to get this or get that. Basically, they give you everything that you need. Fresh food and canned food and pastries … all that good stuff.”
Winifred is not only able to benefit physically, but she also receives spiritual support with every visit to Netcasters Kitchen. “It’s great. They start to pray for you. And, you know, some of us don’t get prayer unless we come through this line… I feel God’s love all the time. I know He loves all of us.”
Your Generosity Has Helped People Cope with Rising Inflation
Through the uncommon kindness of donors like you and the efforts of Netcasters Kitchen, Winifred can keep food on the table without straining her tight budget.
“You learn how to maintain. That’s what you got to do,” Winifred explained. “When you get this stuff at the food bank, and you see the price of the stuff in the store, you’re like, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ because you don’t have to pay the high price to get the healthy meals.”
Your support continues to offer hope and positively impact lives across the United States. Thank you for embodying the love of God through the essential gift of food and helping seniors like Winifred fight inflation.
MEXICO – Huddling under the kitchen table, Yaretzy and her husband clung to their 3-year-old son and shielded the tiny newborn baby in their arms as the wind from Hurricane Otis pounded their home in Acapulco, Mexico. Over and over the young mother cried, pleading for the winds to stop, but the unexpected Category 5 hurricane was relentless. It tore through their roof and ceiling, leaving the terrified family drenched—and even toppling over their refrigerator.
Just two days before the storm hit, Yaretzy and her husband had welcomed their second baby boy, Dylan, into the family. As he had been born several weeks early, they were overjoyed, unaware that trouble was brewing in the Pacific.
The young family was prepared for a tropical storm like other storms they had encountered—never dreaming this one would grow into a monster that would turn at the last minute to rip their home and lives apart. “We had never experienced anything like this,” Yaretzy told us. She even feared it would kill her baby. “The wind was very strong. We were screaming for it to stop.”
When the storm was finally over, their trouble was just beginning. The destruction that Otis left behind overwhelmed Yaretzy. She cried most of the day, wishing it was all just a nightmare. But it wasn’t. Everything the young couple owned was gone.
For three days, they wore wet clothes and searched for food, water, and something dry to sleep on. All they had for little Dylan was a plastic box for him to rest in.
You Provided Shelter After Hurricane Otis Through Supplies and Comfort
Then you reached out and surrounded Yaretzy and her family with love and compassion. Your generosity provided them with clean bottled water, food, an air mattress, pillows, hygiene items, and the supplies she needed to take care of her children—even toys for 3-year-old Diego and a crib for baby Dylan.
Yaretzy couldn’t contain her tears—this time, tears of joy. “I didn’t imagine they were things for the baby,” she cried. “Before, I put him in a little box that is plastic, but I don’t put him there anymore. Now, I put him in the crib.” And young Diego was overjoyed with the toys you sent him. “I saw Diego happy, and I hadn’t seen him like that.”
For the first time since the storm, Yaretzy and her family were able to sleep through the night. “I feel blessed, more than anything,” she told us with a smile on her face. And she has you to thank!
With your support, we were also able to provide hot meals, water purification systems, and medical care to many other families who were hurting after Hurricane Otis. Your kindness is giving them hope and shining God’s love in the middle of a terrible disaster. Thank you for being a shelter from Hurricane Otis!
CHILE – The recent wildfire has left thousands of homes in ashes. Many families are in desperate need of critical items like food and water. In response, Operation Blessing and Vina Puerto Church have started relief efforts to address Chile wildfire victims’ most pressing needs.
Opening a Soup Kitchen: Nourishment for Wildfire Victims
Partnerships with friends like you have given birth to a soup kitchen in the heart of the disaster zone. This kitchen serves as a hub for sending hot, nutritious meals to the various communities ravaged by the wildfires. Thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers and the essential kitchen equipment and supplies provided through your compassion, daily meals are reaching those who have suffered immense loss.
In addition to the providing of food, Operation Blessing is collaborating with Sibaros, a local brand that has dedicated its resources to producing clean, purified water. This water is canned and handed out freely to those affected by the fires. This effort is not only a testament to community spirit but also to the power of partnership in times of need, as Sibaros forgoes profit to prioritize humanitarian aid.
Your Support Has Made THE Difference
The work being done in Chile is only made possible by YOU! Your endless generosity and loving kindness are allowing us to help people who are in dire circumstances. You are giving supplies to families who are homeless. Imagine how comforting a fresh, hot meal is to someone who has lost everything. Please continue to support our efforts and help heartbroken but grateful disaster survivors. Visit www.ob.org/disaster-relief and continue to bless the wildfire victims in Chile!
UNITED STATES – Disaster volunteers are the hands and feet of Operation Blessing. In 2023, friends like you allowed us to respond to multiple disasters across the United States. You gave your time and effort in so many ways. From preparing meal kits before disasters to going when and where disasters strike, you helped others facing unfortunate circumstances and tragedy. Not only did you help them with provisions, but you also gave them hope. Many saw the love of Christ through YOU!
Without YOU…There Is No Operation Blessing
You ARE Operation Blessing! We cannot stress enough how vital you are to hurting people throughout the United States. You gave in so many ways, including:
Preparing hygiene kits
Cleaning and preparing homes for repair
Serving hot meals
Packing grocery bags
Praying with disaster victims
The Difference a Prayer Can Make
You didn’t just help people with physical needs, you did so much more! YOU prayed with and encouraged people whose lives had been turned upside down. You gave them hope. You let them know they are not alone.
Meet Some of Our Dedicated Disaster Volunteers…
Crystal Moore
Judi Browning
“With GOD – you give…and you get”
“HE lives in our heart, and we just want to show Jesus’ love everywhere we go”
Imagine The Impact You Could Have
Being a disaster volunteer is just a beginning. There are so many ways you can volunteer your time and energy. You can go to disaster sites and pack meals; you can donate your time online, helping us to get the word out as a digital volunteer; and, of course, you can be a prayer warrior for the hurting.
As volunteers, you can be the hands and feet of Christ, honoring us with your passion to help us serve others. Join our family and change lives! Find out more at https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief/volunteer/
WORLDWIDE – There’s no way to deny it—the world has been in a lot of trouble lately. The end of 2023 was a uniquely challenging season at Operation Blessing, with disasters and crises taking place on what felt like a weekly basis. Regardless, YOU were always there to help during this season of disaster!
From August to December, our disaster relief teams deployed to Hawaii, Florida, Morocco, Armenia, Israel, and Mexico while we’ve also continued our work in Ukraine and Poland.
But thanks to you, this has also been an unprecedented time of hope. You have taken this opportunity to shine a light into some of the darkest situations we as a human race can face. Only through the faithful support of you and so many caring souls like you have we been able to keep up the pace, responding to multiple disasters around the word, often simultaneously.
For that, you have our sincerest and humblest thanks!
The deadly fires on the island of Maui in Hawaii caught the world off guard. Driven by high winds, these fires decimated a large area around Lahaina—taking 100 lives and leaving an estimated 11,000 people homeless. With support from friends like you, Operation Blessing quickly reached out with a shipment of vital disaster relief supplies. We also worked with partner organizations to help create a temporary housing community for displaced residents.
Dusten and his family were among the wildfire survivors we had the pleasure of meeting and helping. They lost everything in the fire, only having time to grab their documents and a bag of clothes as they fled the terrifying flames. He said, “Everything else is just ashes.”
They were especially touched by the fishing and diving supplies friends like you gave them. These would help Dusten provide for his kids again and would also give them a priceless sense of normalcy and help restore their island culture.
As we were still responding in Maui, Category 3 Hurricane Idalia struck the area of Homosassa in Florida. While not as deadly, it packed a powerful punch and left a path of destruction in its wake. Because of generous donors like you, we were able to send another disaster relief team there to provide water, food and cleaning supplies, and assistance for residents as they began recovering their property and their lives.
In one week, more than 50,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to flee Azerbaijan for their safety after their area was attacked by anti-Christian occupying forces. Even before this attack, they had been cut off from food supplies for months, and Operation Blessing had been sending resources to them. Once they reached Armenia as refugees, they needed tremendous support. Along with our sister ministry, Orphan’s Promise, we provided food and supplies while helping them find temporary shelter and hope for the future.
WAR IN ISRAEL
After a brutal terrorist attack on October 7, war broke out between Israel and Hamas. Many residents living near the Gaza border fled for safety, leaving their homes, jobs, and possessions behind. Operation Blessing got to work with our partner ministry on the ground, CBN Israel, to provide shelter, hot meals, food, hygiene items, trauma counseling, and even safe spaces for children to continue school and have opportunities to play.
Eight-year-old Alka was one of the many children blessed by partners like you. She was given a place to stay, warm meals, and the chance to enjoy games, sports, and toys that made her feel a little more at home during this turbulent time.
“It sounds like a vacation, but it isn’t. They just want to go back home, and the kids are having a rough time,” said her father, who is also volunteering with Operation Blessing. But seeing his daughter laughing and playing brought him great joy. “It’s amazing, and it’s really helping the community … thank you.”
Help Providedin Israel
Hotel Accommodations | Safe Play Spaces | Hygiene Supplies | Food Packets | Hot Meals Educational Supplies | Trauma Counseling
Although Mexicans along the coast had been warned a hurricane was coming, Otis shifted direction and strengthened unexpectedly to a massive Category 5 storm. Families were taken completely off guard as the deadly hurricane slammed into the Acapulco region. In the aftermath, many victims needed medical care and essential supplies in order to survive.
Rosa recently became a single mother to five kids—with her sixth still on the way! Facing the hurricane alone with them was terrifying, as the storm tore the roof right off their house. After sleeping on wet mattresses, the children had coughs and fevers. But friends like you reached out to them with much-needed medical care, food, and supplies. Rosa even received a free ultrasound and was reassured that her baby was doing fine. She is incredibly grateful for your love and compassion.
Help Providedin Acapulco
Medical Care | Medications | Solar Lamps | Hot Meals | Food | Clean Water | Children’s Activities | Baby Supplies | Toys | Home Recovery Assistance
MOROCCO
When a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco, taking nearly 3,000 lives, people needed help—and fast. With support from faithful friends like you, Operation Blessing swiftly took action. Most of the hardest-hit areas were difficult-to-reach mountain villages. We used jeeps and even donkeys to make sure we got lifesaving supplies to those who needed it most!
Over the following weeks, we also provided medical care, hygienic bathrooms, water filtration systems, furniture and supplies to restart schools, and other essential items to help Moroccans rebuild their lives.
Rebuilding lives after a season of disaster can take years. Not only do survivors face physical destruction of homes and possessions, they often suffer tremendous grief and trauma as well. We’re so thankful that you reach out and wrap your arms of love around them in these difficult times. And we’re doubly thankful that you’ve chosen to partner with us and allow us to physically reach out to them with practical help, encouragement, comfort, and hope.
Please keep all of these disaster victims in your prayers as they continue to build a new future after a season of disaster.
Times are challenging, and the need is great. But one day at a time, people in the U.S. and around the world are finding hope on the road to recovery because of you. Thank you so much for sending your love and compassion to them.
If you haven’t already done so, we hope that you will please consider getting involved with Operation Blessing on an ongoing basis, reaching out to poor and hurting people as a dedicated member of our community of Blessing Builders.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. –Psalm 147:3
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. –Isaiah 41:10
ALABAMA – A severe tornado tore through the community of Cottonwood, AL, and an Operation Blessing disaster relief team deployed immediately to aid residents like Florence.
She shared her experience in the storm, saying, “The morning of the tornado, it was a horrible scare, because the sky had turned colors I had never witnessed before, and it was a sudden experience. A lot of damage was done to the property. One particular tree which fell on the side of my home actually fell over my bedroom.” She continued, “Sometimes in a case like this, you feel, ‘Wow, what? What do I do? How do I get that done?’”
Tornado Disaster Relief Makes an Impact
Florence’s daughter lives nearby and had already received help on her home. She told her mother about Operation Blessing. Florence told us, “I hadn’t heard of this organization prior to my daughter coming over and telling me. She saw the damage. She was with me for hours trying to just say, ‘Oh, mom, it is going to be all right. I trust Operation Blessing.'” The tornado disaster relief provided by Operation Blessing made a critical difference.
Backed by the generous support of our Operation Blessing partners, the team got to work right away on Florence’s property using much-needed heavy equipment to remove the fallen trees and debris from her home. Florence was elated. “I experienced kindness and people were actually eager to do the work. ‘What do you need? How can I help you?’ I feel comfortable that the work is superior. Once I look at and see that the huge amount of damage that’s been done, all I can do is say thank you.”
Your Generosity Touches Lives Through Operation Blessing
The critical aid given to residents like Florence is only possible with the ongoing generosity of your gifts. Your support quickly allows families to begin the journey to recovery. Florence shared with us the immense impact friends like you had on her life. “I will tell the donors how tremendously blessed I am because of the help from Operation Blessing and all of the service that they provided. Your donation is a gift from God. It is a gift from the heavens.”
She went on to share this encouragement. “Maybe some people have a gift. They don’t know how to share it. But we have something such as Operation Blessing already established and ready to receive donors, helpers, workers, food, clothes, whatever it is that they do to service the public. Step right up. They’re right there.” You can help even more families like Florence and her daughter when you partner with Operation Blessing at https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief/ today!
