SOUTH AFRICA – Eye health challenges in South Africa’s rural communities can be overwhelming. When cataracts steal someone’s vision, the impact extends far beyond individual suffering. Families bear the emotional and economic burden of caring for loved ones who can no longer work, move independently, or participate fully in community life. But the kindness of Operation Blessing friends like you has made an impact in this remote region as people with vision problems experience restored sight!
Sight Restored in South Africa: A Ray of Hope
Modern eye surgery techniques have revolutionized how we approach vision care in South Africa. These precise, minimally invasive procedures can transform a person’s life in mere moments. Dr. Asanda Jonga describes the powerful moment of healing: “When we open the eyes of patients who have been blind for a very long time, they dance, rejoice, and sing with unbelievable joy.”
A Testament to Generosity
To our incredible partners: you are the architects of transformation. Your generosity does more than fund surgery—you are literally giving sight back to those who have lost hope. You are the reason individuals are reclaiming their independence.
The Broader Impact: More Than Just Sight
When you support eye surgery initiatives in South Africa, you’re doing more than restoring vision. You’re:
Helping adults resume work
Preventing social isolation
Reducing the economic burden on families
Join the Mission of Sight Restoration
Every contribution, no matter how small, creates a ripple effect of change. By supporting our life changing surgery efforts, you become part of a powerful movement of hope. Your partnership doesn’t just change individual lives—it can help transform entire communities.
NORTH CAROLINA – In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastating strike on North Carolina, Charles and Maria faced the unthinkable: their home of 20 years buried beneath a mountain of mud and debris. The destructive force of nature had unleashed a massive landslide, creating a crisis that would test their faith.
Mountain of Mud Threatens Family’s Dream Home
“There was 80 tons of rock, mud, and 40-foot-long trees,” Charles recalled, his voice heavy with the memory of first witnessing the devastation. “We just looked at it and thought, we’re done. There’s no way we could even start.” The scope of destruction left the family contemplating the unthinkable: abandoning their beloved home. “I thought it was too big,” Maria shared, emotion evident in her voice. “Should we just walk away? I didn’t know… it was just too big.”
HurricaneDebris Cleanup Brings Community Together
That’s when you, our incredible partners and volunteers, stepped in to make the impossible possible. Through Operation Blessing, sixteen dedicated volunteers arrived ready to tackle the massive hurricane debris cleanup effort. Your support transformed a scene of devastation into a story of hope.
Partners in Disaster Relief: Your Impact
16 volunteers mobilized
Tons of hurricane mud cleared
Multiple days of intensive debris removal
One family’s home saved
Countless moments of hope restored
Hurricane Volunteers Demonstrate Love in Action
The partnership between Operation Blessing and Hope Community Church exemplified community service at its finest. Under Pastor Otis’s leadership, the hurricane volunteers worked tirelessly, moving mountains of mud one shovelful at a time. “The Bible says you will know them by their fruit,” Charles noted, watching the volunteers work. “You’re showing the love of Jesus more than anybody could show it.”
“You’re showing the love of Jesus more than anybody could show it.”
-Charles Markham
Hurricane Mud And Debris Cleanup Efforts Restore More Than Property
Your support made this incredible transformation possible. The hurricane mud and debris cleanup effort wasn’t just about clearing land, it was about restoring hope and demonstrating the power of community in crisis.
Pastor Otis witnessed firsthand how the cleanup effort impacted more than just the physical landscape. “Meeting people like that strong couple of faith, who have almost lost everything but one thing they have not lost is their love for Jesus Christ and their community… they have been just absolutely incredible to get to know.”
The Power of Your Support in Disaster Relief
You made this possible. Your generosity enabled Operation Blessing to respond swiftly and effectively to this crisis. The couple, overwhelmed by the support, are already looking forward to paying it forward. “If we can ever help, we’ll be there helping as well,” Maria promised. “I can’t wait to be on the other side of this.”
Help North Carolina Families Recover
Every day, families face similar challenges. Your continued support enables Operation Blessing and local partners to help families recover. You can make the difference between devastation and recovery for the next family facing a crisis. Your partnership ensures that no family has to face these challenges alone.
CAMBODIA – Sary is a dedicated mother who sold everything — including her house and land — to save her teenage daughter’s life. With huge medical bills, came a financial strain that Sary could not overcome. While Sary struggled, she had no idea that YOU would help facilitate this family’s miracle journey from financial devastation to one of abundance.
Together with Operation Blessing, friends like you helped Sary establish a thriving grocery business, providing her with essential business training and mentorship that transformed her life. This initiative created a sustainable income for her family, which had been on the brink of financial ruin after selling everything to cover her daughter’s critical medical expenses.
With a renewed sense of hope and support, Sary not only stabilized her income but also expanded her venture, opening a second grocery store in a neighboring village. Through this business, she now earns enough to support her family, illustrating the profound impact of Operation Blessing’s programs.
A Family’s Miracle Journey Leads to a Remarkable Transformation
From earning $5-10 daily in profits to opening a second shop in another village, you truly transformed this family. Watch the video to see this remarkable transformation.
Thank you for making this powerful story of hope and resilience possible. Please continue to partner with us to help families like Sary’s rebuild their lives and create lasting change in their communities.
TEXAS – The wind howled, and trees groaned as Hurricane Beryl unleashed its fury on eastern Texas. For Kymberly and her family, the hurricane devastation of the storm was beyond anything they could have imagined. “We hadn’t really had a hurricane hit us the way it did,” Kymberly recalled. “We heard some trees cracking and some noises outside.”
The morning after the storm, Kymberly surveyed the damage to her property. “It took my breath away … it was devastating,” she said. “The first thing I noticed was my chicken coop. It was leaning. It looked completely destroyed. Then I noticed the big tree in the back that completely covered the backyard and all the debris. There were tree limbs down everywhere.”
Faced with the daunting task of cleanup after the hurricane devastation of Beryl, Kymberly felt lost. With her husband working long hours and her time consumed by her children, she wasn’t sure how to begin the recovery ordeal. “I knew it was going to be a process to get everything back to normal, knowing that this was going to take so long to clean up,” she shared.
That’s when compassionate friends like you stepped in through Operation Blessing.
Our disaster relief team had deployed even before Hurricane Beryl made landfall. So they were already on the ground nearby and ready to help when it was discovered that Brazoria was one of the hardest-hit areas. Half the city had lost electricity, and there were downed trees on almost every street.
Operation Blessing partnered with First Baptist Church of Brazoria to distribute crucial supplies and coordinate volunteer efforts throughout the region. Thanks to your generosity, we were ready to help families like Kymberly’s in their time of need.
“I actually met with a gentleman who was telling me that they were offering help to people whose yards were a disaster,”
Kymberly explained. Soon, Operation Blessing volunteers were hard at work on her property. “All the guys in blue that you see, they are in my yard helping me and cleaning my yard up.” Following the intense hurricane destruction, your support enabled our team to remove large trees and limbs, making Kymberly’s property safe for her family again—especially the kids. “I don’t have to worry about them getting in any of the trees and the limbs and all of that,” she said gratefully.
Kymberly’s heart overflows with gratitude for friends like you. “I’m very thankful for anyone who chooses to donate with Operation Blessing. They are doing the work out of the kindness of their hearts.” Your compassion has brought hope and healing to hurting families across eastern Texas and, more recently, to residents in Louisiana after Hurricane Francine. Thank you for being there in their time of need!
KENYA – Thanks to generous friends like you blessings abound for Kenyan girls. The 452 students at Nyiro Girls Secondary School in Kenya no longer have to share only four toilets. Your kindness has provided a new 14-stall latrine system and a water tank that sends clean water to enough handwashing stations so the girls can wash their hands and prevent the spread of infections. You even blessed the girls with sanitary products so they wouldn’t have to miss classes.
Principal Roseline is grateful for your care. “The girls’ concentration is now on their classwork, and I believe the performance is going to improve.” Truly, blessings abound for Kenyan girls as a result of your kindness.
“We no longer have to crowd around the tanks as they are at designated points, and we can freely access these tanks for drinking water and handwashing. … Thank you so much to Operation Blessing!”
FLORIDA – Dealing with a hurricane with all of your senses is not easy. Can you imagine facing the wrath of a powerful storm with no sight? Watch as Operation Blessing’s disaster relief team assists Joseph DaSilva, a blind Hurricane Milton survivor, as he copes with the aftermath of the storm
After losing sight in one eye and having limited vision in the other, Joseph, a resident of Sarasota, faced unique challenges during both the hurricane and its cleanup efforts. Joseph described the terrifying night when Hurricane Milton struck his home, with howling winds threatening to tear off his roof while debris and trees crashed around him. His disability made the post-hurricane cleanup particularly dangerous, as his limited vision put him at risk of injury from fallen debris.
Operation Blessing’s volunteers stepped in to bring critical relief and hope to Joseph in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. With compassion and determination, they worked tirelessly to clear fallen trees and remove hazardous debris that had piled up around Joseph’s home, a daunting task that would have been dangerous for him to tackle alone.
Beyond physical help, Operation Blessing provided essential disaster relief services to address the immediate needs, easing the burden on Joseph as he navigated this challenging recovery. Their efforts didn’t stop at the practical; volunteers also offered much-needed prayer and emotional support, standing beside Joseph and his girlfriend Linda during a time of fear and uncertainty, lifting their spirits and showing them they weren’t alone.
Your Impact for a Blind Hurricane Milton Survivor
“You guys coming over and helping us takes a huge load off of my mind,” shares Joseph, highlighting the impact of community support during natural disasters. For storm survivors like Joseph, your kindness is giving them hope in a difficult time. As partners of Operation Blessing you make it possible for us to reach out to victims like Joseph, and let them know they are not alone.
CHINA – Peng and Rao often spoiled their younger sister—because they didn’t know how much longer she’d be around. You see, little Miao had a hole in her heart. As you would expect a hole in your cardiovascular system is a serious challenge. A challenge that life changing surgery in China would ultimately solve.
“Doctors said if it got bigger, she could die of heart failure,” her mother shared. “My mom kept her at home, so I bought her a little toy frog,” Miao’s brother said. “When she saw it jumping, she smiled.” Miao’s sister added, “I always gave her stuffed animals and said, ‘See, sister, you have friends!’”
But Miao became still weaker, and before long she had pneumonia. Miao’s sister said, “Her heart beat really hard, like someone hit it with a hammer.”
Their father explained that the hole in Miao’s heart had grown from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a bean, and her life was in danger. When her brother asked their father if his sister was going to die, he said an operation was just too expensive. Miao’s mother recalled, “It was the most painful thing to watch. I wished it was me with heart trouble, not her.” “I didn’t want to see my daughter die like this,” Miao’s father added. “So, I looked around for a charity to help.”
“I didn’t want to see my daughter die like this”
-Miao’s Father
You Helped Provide Life Changing Surgery in China
Thankfully, a friend told the family about Operation Blessing—and your kind heart helped make heart surgery possible for Miao. The operation went beautifully. “My sister is a different person now,” exclaimed Miao’s brother joyfully. Her dad declared, “She put on a lot of weight and is full of energy every day.”
And her mother beamed. “Whenever I see her smile, I am the happiest person in the world,” she said. “And during the surgery, Operation Blessing volunteers shared God with us. I will try to pray to this God in the future. Thank you to all the Operation Blessing donors. You brought my family out of the dark. Thank you for your love.”
We were able to show this family in China God’s abundant blessings—all because you care. Thank you for providing life changing surgery in China!
MEXICO – Because most of us have such easy access to basic necessities, it’s hard to imagine that other people living in our same world simply do not. For many water scarcity is a tragic way of life.
The women of San Mateo, a small community of around 250 residents surrounded by rugged terrain, know all too well the burden of water scarcity. The difficulties they face when attempting to access one of Earth’s basic resources: water, are considerable.
Water scarcity is a problem in this community. There are no domestic supply systems, which means residents either have to purchase water at a high cost, collect rainwater, or go on a strenuous journey to fetch water. Water retrieval is a time-consuming daily chore for women in this community.
Juana, a mother of five, relocated to San Mateo approximately 20 years ago, not knowing the hardship that lay ahead. She and her small children travel for one hour daily just to collect water. As though the danger of the landscape and wildlife weren’t enough of a problem to face, the water that is collected is often the cause of sickness for those in the community.
“My youngest boy has been sick with diarrhea for 15 days,” said Candelaria. “I’m giving him medicine but it’s not going away.”
Candelaria and her eldest daughter make four to five trips daily on a rocky path to a water well. It isn’t uncommon for them to fall—each time fearful of breaking a jug and having to purchase a new one.
Thanks to friends like YOU, Operation Blessing was able to bring hope and relief to the people of San Mateo. Together, we installed a rainwater harvesting system that brought access to clean water for 50 households and five communal sites.
The community members held an inauguration to celebrate the gift Operation Blessing and its supporters had given to them. The compassion and commitment of supporters like you was an answered prayer for San Mateo.
“Thank you very much!” exclaimed Juana. “My water tank looks beautiful. My children will no longer have to go with a donkey to fetch water. Now we will have it right here at home.”
Not only does the new water system alleviate physical strain and water scarcity, but it is also bringing families together. “My feet won’t hurt anymore, and now I have more time to take care of my newborn daughter,” said Candelaria. “Thank you!”
The people of San Mateo are all grateful for the abundance and convenience they now have. Your dedication and kindness are making a tangible difference in the lives of others around the world.
NORTH CAROLINA – When Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury, countless families faced upheaval, including the Thomas family. They suffered in many ways. The workshop where they earned a living was destroyed. In addition, they lost access to clean water. But because of YOU, hope wasn’t lost. With your support we were able to help start the recovery process by providing professional-grade tools and a vital clean water system to help them get back on their feet.
The Devastation Left by Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene brought destruction that left families like the Thomas’s in terrible shape. Their basement workshop, a place where the father-son duo bonded and earned a living together, was submerged. This wiped out all their essential power tools. This loss of equipment didn’t just affect their livelihood, it struck at the heart of their dreams and security.
Operation Blessing Arrives
Amid this devastation, Operation Blessing arrived, backed by the compassion and support of donors like you. Donors who just refused to stop caring. With this level of support, our disaster response team was able to provide essential provisions, including a comprehensive clean water system and a full set of professional-grade tools.
Providing Clean Water After Hurricane Helene
The clean water system was a game-changer for the Thomas’s. As the farther Matthew shared, “The water makes it possible to use those tools.” Equipped with the essential machinery and clean water, the family could get back to work and provide for the family again.
A New Beginning: Helping a Family after Helene
As the Thomas family examined the high-quality tools, they felt something unexpected—hope. These tools represented more than physical items. They symbolized a fresh start and a brighter future. Beyond just equipment, the relief team and caring volunteers not only provided resources, but also rekindled the family’s faith in their community and in themselves.
Restoring Hope for the Future
With every tool and every gallon of clean water, Operation Blessing is helping families like the Thomas’s rebuild their lives. But YOU are the ones who are helping. When you support us, we go right out to families like the Thomas’s. This work is more than just disaster relief; it’s a testament to the kindness of people who want to make a difference. It shows the power of community and the hope that arises when people come together to lift each other up. Through the support of our compassionate partners and donors, families can overcome even the darkest challenges and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you for helping a family after Helene like the Thomas’s.Visit www.ob.org/disaster-relief to help more families in dire need. Your support makes a lasting difference.
UNITED STATES – “My husband is on Social Security, and so am I,” an older American named Barbara began, her friendly voice tinged with worry. “Everything’s so expensive. Eggs are out of sight, gasoline’s out of sight, utilities. Everything.”
With her husband’s diabetes medication adding to their financial strain, Barbara found they were standing at a crossroads, unsure how to make ends meet in a world that seemed to grow more expensive by the day.
Retired, ill, unemployed or underemployed, increasing numbers of families are struggling to put food on the table. People like Barbara and her husband, along with millions of other Americans, are grappling with the rising prices of groceries, causing untold harm to their health and happiness. But thanks to your compassionate aid, a helping hand continues to reach out to those in need.
For Barbara and her husband, your abiding kindness has been a game-changer. “They have a very generous food pantry,” Barbara said, speaking of Faith World Ministries, a distribution partner of Operation Blessing. “It just helps stretch.”
Fighting Hunger in the Heartland of America
The generosity of our donors is helping us fight hunger in the heartland of America. Your support helps put food on the shelves for caring partners like Faith World Ministries. Through these partnerships, friends like you are creating a network of support to lift up struggling families. From urban centers to rural communities, your kindness is felt in food pantries, meal programs, and emergency relief efforts—all working to ensure that food is available where it’s needed most.
But it’s more than just food—it’s about dignity, community, and hope. “They share prayers, ask how we’re doing,” Barbara added. Because your generosity doesn’t just fill stomachs; it eases minds and hearts. As Barbara said, “We don’t have to stress out over where the next bill is going to get paid from.”
This peace of mind is a precious gift! It’s the difference between a sleepless night worrying about tomorrow’s meals and the security of knowing food will be on the table.
The impact of your kindness ripples far beyond the immediate relief. By ensuring families have access to nutritious food, you are contributing to better health outcomes, improved school performance for children, and increased productivity for working adults. You are helping to break the cycle of poverty, giving individuals and families the strength they need to build a better and more bountiful future.
Like many others, Barbara and her husband are more than just recipients of aid—they are part of the mission to bless the hungry and hurting. “We’re partners already,” Barbara says proudly, speaking of her support for Operation Blessing. “The outreach they’ve got with the different countries and helping out in disasters and everything, it makes a big difference.”
Your compassion is making a real, tangible impact for Barbara and countless others who were once weighed down with fear of an empty table. Again and again, your faithful and persistent kindness has been the difference between a child going to bed hungry and having a nutritious dinner, or an elderly couple choosing between food and medicine. You are the hands and feet helping Operation Blessing fight high prices on groceries that have led to hunger in the heartland of our nation.
Barbara’s message resonates with the heart of our shared mission: “Even the least amount, if you can, give it.” Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Because you’re not just providing food—you’re nourishing hope, one meal at a time.
