Saving Consuelo from an Inguinal Hernia

MEXICO – Ten-year-old Consuelo’s smile could light up a room, but behind it lay a struggle she faced every day—an inguinal hernia that caused her immense pain and discomfort. As time passed, the hernia worsened, affecting her mobility and limiting her ability to enjoy her childhood to the fullest. However, Consuelo’s journey toward healing was about to begin thanks to the intervention of Operation Blessing partners.

Her journey with an inguinal hernia was not an easy one. As the lump grew, she endured intense pain that brought her to tears. The young girl’s pain not only affected her physically but also emotionally, leaving her uncertain about her future.

Consuelo’s mother, Maria, shared the same concerns. But sadly, the lack of resources to pay for corrective surgery kept her from helping her daughter. To add to their difficulties, Hetzai, Consuelo’s father, suffered an injury to his right hand and wrist when a truck fell on him. After the accident Hetzai was unable to use his hand for work and lived with terrible pain. The financial burden of a loss of income and the need for two surgeries weighed heavily on the family’s shoulders.

Operation Blessing Helps Provide Hernia and Hand Surgery

During one of their most trying times, Operation Blessing stepped in thanks to friends like you. The organization’s medical outreach in their community proved to be a life-changing encounter for Consuelo and her family. Recognizing the urgency of their situation, Operation Blessing arranged for Consuelo and Hetzai to receive the help they really needed.

On the day of the surgeries, the atmosphere was filled with a mixture of anxiety and hope. Surgeons skillfully repaired Hetzai’s damaged bones and ligaments in his wrist and hand. Simultaneously, Consuelo had her inguinal hernia removed. Both surgeries were successful!

The transformation after the surgeries was nothing short of remarkable. Hetzai’s wrist and hand began to heal, and he underwent therapy to strengthen his arm. Eventually he regained his ability to work. For Consuelo, the joy of newfound freedom was evident as she could now run and play, doing many of the physical activities that were not possible before. Without the constant burden of hernia pain, her daily outlook is very different. Now she can experience life to the full because of your kindness!

Consuelo’s Family Has Hope

Consuelo expressed her thanks with heartfelt appreciation. Her family, too, extended their gratitude, recognizing the impact of the support and care they received. Their story is one of transformation and hope, made possible through the love and support of our caring partners.

The journey to healing is never easy. It requires a community of caring individuals like you who extend a helping hand and a heart of compassion. As a family of Operation Blessing partners, you show the love of Christ with your faithful support. By supporting organizations like Operation Blessing, you ARE part of this life-changing mission. Your donations make miracles possible for children like Consuelo, offering them the gift of a brighter future filled with joy, health, and hope.

Continue to support us in this meaningful journey of love and healing. Let’s make a difference together. Donate to Operation Blessing at ob.org/surgeries today and be a catalyst for change in the lives of people in need.

Providing Critical Supplies to Lahaina after Wildfires

HAWAII – Wildfires can be incredibly devastating, causing destruction to homes, communities, and the environment. In the midst of such crises, it’s important for people to come together and provide help to those affected. With the help of friends like you, Operation Blessing is stepping up to make a difference in Maui, particularly in the town of Lahaina, which has been hit hard by a recent wildfire.

Operation Blessing Is in Maui

Since shortly after disaster struck, our relief team has been helping in Hawaii, and today we’re in Maui working tirelessly to assist families in Lahaina who are grappling with the aftermath of the wildfires. One crucial aspect of this effort is getting critical supplies to the people who need them the most. These supplies are a lifeline for families who have lost so much.

Supply Management of Critical Supplies to Lahaina

Getting supplies where they are needed requires careful planning and coordination. Operation Blessing has decades of experience doing this. We have teamed up with YWAM, another group dedicated to making a positive impact, to ensure that critical supplies are brought to Lahaina from the Hawaiian mainland. These supplies are crucial for helping families after the Lahaina wildfire.

Managing these supplies is no small task. Operation Blessing has made sure that the supplies provided to YWAM are received safely and stored at a temporary holding facility where they’re being protected and made available for distribution to families affected by the wildfire. This strategy ensures that these essential items reach those who need them the most.

Clean Water Issues

Natural disasters like wildfires can cause additional problems beyond the immediate destruction. One such problem is the scarcity of clean water. The Lahaina wildfire caused significant water source contamination, making it difficult for families to access safe and clean drinking water. This is a major concern for the community’s health and well-being.

Using Water Filtration Units to Help Lahaina

Operation Blessing has taken a proactive approach to address the clean water issue in Lahaina. The organization has brought water filtration units to a community center that is a lifeline for many families. These water filtration units are essential to help people get drinkable water.

The community center staff have taken on the responsibility of distributing clean water through these filtered water points. The goal is simple but crucial: to provide consistent access to clean and safe drinking water. This is a critical step toward helping families recover from the Lahaina wildfire and get back on their feet.

A Special Thanks to Operation Blessing Partners

In times of crisis, every helping hand counts. Operation Blessing is grateful for our partners who have joined forces to make a difference in the lives of families affected by the Lahaina wildfire. The organization acknowledges the support it has received and sees it as a result of God’s divine guidance. It’s a reminder that even in challenging times, there are opportunities to do good and help those in need.

Partner with Operation Blessing to Help Lahaina

The work of Operation Blessing is far from over. While progress is being made, there is still much to be done to help Lahaina families recover from the wildfire. If you’re looking for ways to contribute, you can partner with Operation Blessing by visiting www.ob.org/disaster-relief. Your support can help more families and show the people of Lahaina and Maui that you care.

Helping Maui Fire Victims in Lahaina

Help Disaster Victims Now!

HAWAII – Since raging wildfires decimated Lahaina, Hawaii last week, tensions are high as Maui fire victims look for a reason for the disaster and as search crews continue combing the area in search of missing persons. Sadly, the death doll continues to rise, and more than 1,000 people are still missing. Governor Josh Green says the search has only covered about 45% of the massive burn zone so far.

Providing Supplies for Grieving Families in Lahaina

As families grapple with grief over lost and missing loved ones, their suffering is made worse by the struggle for survival. With more than 11,000 people displaced when their homes were destroyed, there is a desperate need for basic necessities. Thankfully, friends like you are there for them through Operation Blessing.

Our disaster relief team is on the ground in Lahaina searching out and responding to those in greatest need. In partnership with a well-connected network of local churches and other organizations, we’re supplying the relief efforts with critical items for more long-term relief, including water filtration systems, tents, clothing, hygiene supplies, tarps, lanterns, generators, grills and propane for cooking, and more.

Clean Water is Critical for Maui Fire Victims

As soon as team members arrived in the city, we immediately encountered a group of people struggling without clean water, and our staff quickly secured a set of water filtration units from Air Mobile Ministries and provided them to families.

“These machines will take the dirty water and make it extremely clean; it gives people the ability to make their own clean water,” said Air Mobile Ministries Rescuer Joe Hurston. “They can take their water, whatever the source, and make it clean.” Joe continued, “Most importantly, they can get that water when they need it, and they can get it for their neighbors. It empowers people to be able to give clean water.”

Wildfire survivors are facing contaminated water because the city was essentially incinerated, including major infrastructure such as water systems. Maui resident Edward shared, “It’s so contaminated, we have to fight for bottled water and clean air.” But with the help of filtration systems provided by compassionate supporters, families can drink water and cook in safety without fear of getting sick.

“Just to have a machine like this, to know that everybody is drinking healthy water, is going to mean a lot to these families…” said Edward. “It means a lot to us that people like you reach out to us in our time of need. We’re so thankful! Thank you!”

More Help is Coming

Soon, Operation Blessing will be able to give even greater news to wildfire victims by distributing a massive shipment of supplies covering a wide variety of needs. With resources in pitifully short supply on the island of Maui, we procured the items on Hawaii and shipped them to Maui in partnership with YWAM. Thankfully, they’ll be in the hands of the people very soon.

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing’s Hawaii response. Friends like you are making a difference! Please continue to pray and give as you are able. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/mc/obdisaster/

Help Disaster Victims Now!

Wildfire Relief Efforts in Hawaii

HAWAII – Operation Blessing is in Kona, Hawaii near fire-stricken Maui. As part of our wildfire relief efforts in Hawaii, we have been gathering critical supplies to take to families who have lost everything. This has required us to traverse the island to procure what is needed. Sadly, the impact area in Lahaina is devoid of most resources due to the widespread destruction of the wildfire.

Working with YWAM Accelerates Wildfire Relief

Our wildfire relief efforts in Hawaii are being done with the partnership of Youth with a Mission (YWAM). YWAM is helping us deliver the supplies to people in need on the island of Maui. Partnerships with organizations like YWAM help us get supplies into the hands of the community faster.

Christophe Ulysse is part of the leadership team at YWAM. He shared with us accounts of how destructive the wildfire was. “It was just absolutely devastating to see a town [be destroyed] that’s been such a historic town, such a beautiful place that many of us know and love.” He continued, “it’s just incinerated in many parts, just completely burned down to ash.'”

Partnerships Make the Difference for Wildfire Relief Efforts in Hawaii

Operation Blessing is working with a network of churches and other partners in Maui who have direct connections to wildfire victims in need. We are securing critical supplies from other locations and sending them directly to Maui by means of a partnership with YWAM who have secured a boat to transport the supplies.

Once on Maui, the supplies will be distributed to suffering wildfire survivors by our network of on-the-ground partners. Christophe sends his thanks, “Thanks so much to Operation Blessing and all the donors, because they were able to get us the resources, and we were able to get it to our friends at ground zero.”

We also send a special thanks to our generous Operation Blessing donors. Your love and support are making it possible for us to help people who have lost everything. Because of you, we are able to send over much-needed supply items like:

generators
gas grills
tents
tarps
rope
clothing
diapers
flashlights
batteries

As you can imagine, these items mean the world to Hawaii wildfire victims who have lost everything from their homes. Many only have the clothes on their backs and lack access to even the most basic necessities. Food and clean water are now things families desperately need, as even the water is contaminated due to the breadth of the destruction.

Clean Water Is an Essential Part of Relief Efforts

Christophe helped us understand how serious the situation is for disaster victims. “The water is being contaminated because everything was incinerated. So getting water, food, and the basic necessities for life for the people that have been affected [is paramount].” Along with basic supplies, we are also sending water filters for residents to have clean water.

Christophe said, “This is going to be a major blessing for the people that have been affected with now having water that is unclean to drink, unclean to bathe in.” He continued, “I just want to, from the bottom of my heart, say thank you so much for all of the partners in Operation Blessing. You’re getting it [relief] to the people that live here, the people that are here for the long haul.”

Friends like you are making sure Operation Blessing is on the ground during a crisis sending aid to those in need. You can join us in helping the suffering when you visit https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief today.

Providing Critical Supplies to Hawaii Wildfire Survivors

Help Disaster Victims Now!

HAWAII – Operation Blessing is on the ground in wildfire-stricken Hawaii offering tangible aid to disaster victims who have just experienced what some are calling the deadliest wildfire in modern U.S. history and the most devastating disaster to ever hit the island.

A local from Lahaina recalled the traumatic experience, “I ran out of the car and ran for my life down to the ocean. I was only a quarter mile from the ocean, and they stayed in their car. They died with their dogs and everything. Three of my friends in one car and two dogs died.”

“We always want to be praying for the people who lost loved ones and who lost everything they know,” said Drew Friedrich, Chief Operating Officer of Operation Blessing. “Homes are destroyed, water systems are damaged, entire neighborhoods are gone.” To help provide some comfort to desperate residents, Operation Blessing has connected with local partner organizations and churches all over the island and is actively working to meet the most pressing needs.

Emergency Supplies for Hawaii Wildfire Survivors

One of the most critical needs at this time is for emergency supplies for Hawaii wildfire survivors, and Operation Blessing is uniquely equipped to get those supplies to the front lines thanks to friends like you. Our disaster relief team is stationed on a nearby island in the town of Kona since devastated Maui has limited resources that don’t need to be drained by relief workers.

“While a traditional deployment of the U.S. Disaster Team and its caravan of heavy equipment is not possible due to the remote island location, Operation Blessing is committed to helping the people of Hawaii through our partner organizations who are on the ground,” said Jeffrey Westling, Chief of Staff for Operation Blessing.

Partnership to Help Hawaii Wildfire Victims

We are working in close partnership with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) who have a specialized capacity to reach remote areas with relief. Operation Blessing is serving as the supply arm providing all the necessities, while YWAM provides the direct connections and transports the supplies to needy families in the area.

YWAM Flotilla Ministry Director Julie Mclaughlin shared, “It’s been such a good partnership with Operation Blessing. For us as YWAM, we have volunteers, we have a drive to get there, we have connections on the ground, but we really don’t have the means to purchase these items and to supply them, and so having Operation Blessing here is amazing. The partnership allows us to really move forward.”

Reports are saying that a main reason the wildfires were so destructive was the extreme wind from a recent hurricane spreading the fire—at times making it leap ahead of victims as they tried to escape—and people are most concerned with preparing for the next storm.

“It looks like there is another hurricane brewing in the area, and we were able to respond to some of those needs very quickly to prepare for the bad weather with tarps, ropes, flashlights, and ways to secure the few belongings that they have left,” said Julie.

Your Kindness Is Helping Hawaii Wildfire Survivors

Compassionate givers are a lifeline to people who have lost so much, and we’re thankful for supporters like you who have already provided potentially life-saving relief. There is still much to do, and we appreciate your continued support for the suffering. Please join us in praying for God’s comfort and provision for their spiritual and physical needs.

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing’s Hawaii response. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/mc/obdisaster/

Help Disaster Victims Now!

The Struggle for Clean Water in Honduras

clean water system for families in Honduras

HONDURAS – Tucked in mountain jungles, village families like Myra’s daily face the struggle for clean water in Honduras. With limited income, they have no choice but to drink from contaminated sources filled with bacteria. They often got sick. Then you answered their cries and provided clean water solutions that changed Myra’s family and their entire community.

You are bringing hope to communities all over the world through the power of clean water. Providing basic necessities like access to clean water can transform families like Myra’s who are hurting and give them the power to break the cycle of poverty.

A Water Crisis in Honduran Mountain Villages

Like many families in rural villages throughout Honduras, Myra struggles to support her family. A widow with three children, she cannot afford bottled water and must drink from small open pools on the side of the mountain that are filled with bacteria.

“The water is yellow,” said Myra. “It has garbage in it and a lot of dirt.” Sometimes the water smells so bad that her son Emmanuel won’t drink it, even though he is thirsty.

But Myra and her children have no other choice. It is their only source of water.

The Daily Clean Water Struggles in Honduras and the Health Risks

Many families in Myra’s village face the same challenges. With no access to drinkable water, they often suffer from painful stomach cramps and waterborne diseases.

“I remember those moments when my children suffered with that pain,” said Myra. “It was if the pain was killing them. I asked myself, what am I going to do?”

Myra and other families desperately needed to find a solution to the water crisis in Honduras.

Operation Blessing’s Arrival and a Healthy Water Solution

Thanks to friends like you, Operation Blessing was able to bring hope to Honduran families through clean water solutions. Our team discovered a new water source higher up the mountain. With help from the community, they ran pipes down to a 5,000-gallon tank near Emmanuel’s home and installed a chlorination system to purify the water and make sure it was clean for the entire village.

The Joy of Clean Water

Emmanuel was overjoyed when he tasted the clean water for the first time. “The water is refreshing. It doesn’t taste bad,” he said. “Now, even if I drink 5 glasses of water, it does not give me a stomachache.”

The entire community is grateful to those who gave them the gift of clean water. Access to clean, safe water has drastically improved their health and quality of life. They no longer experience stomachaches or suffer from waterborne diseases. The villagers now have hope for a healthier future.

Myra’s Gratitude from YOUR Impact

Myra expresses her heartfelt gratitude to Operation Blessing and our generous donors who helped provide them a source of refreshing and drinkable water. Your support has brought transformation and relief to her family and the entire village.

Myra thanks God for touching your heart to bless them in their time of need. “I will always be grateful for everything you did for us!”

Empowering Communities through Potable Water

Operation Blessing’s safe water projects provided a lifeline for Myra’s family and empowered her entire community. Access to clean water frees women and children from the burden of collecting water so they can focus on education and developing economic opportunities.

Your help enables us to provide that impact to communities in need around the world. You can bring the life-changing power of clean water to change lives and communities by making a donation at ob.org/clean-water.

Responding After Deadly Wildfires Strike Lahaina

HAWAII – Operation Blessing is responding after deadly wildfires struck Lahaina, Hawaii. The wildfires that have wreaked havoc across the island of Maui left more than 55 people dead.

The flames damaged or destroyed as many as 270 buildings in Lahaina alone. Hawaii Governor Josh Green said, “Without a doubt, it feels like a bomb was dropped on Lahaina.” He claimed there were more than 1,000 structures decimated across the island.

After such a terrible event, disaster victims are desperate for help and hope—and friends like you are there for them through Operation Blessing. Our disaster relief team is connecting with partners in Hawaii and supporting their efforts as they strive to help those in greatest need. We are planning to provide relief supplies soon.

Responding After Deadly Wildfires Strike Lahaina

The people of Lahaina and nearby areas are suffering, but compassionate supporters like you can help. Please pray for first responders working to save lives, our team, and our partners as they coordinate relief. And—most of all—pray for those who have lost homes and loved ones.

To help disaster victims in need, please click here to visit ob.org/disasterrelief.

Thank you for your compassion. May God bless you as you bless others through your prayers and gifts.

Provision For A Family And Community In Need

For Lorena, a young single mother living in the rainforest of Peru, it was a constant struggle to provide for herself and her 10-year-old son, Edgar. The two of them live in the village of Manacamiri, where Lorena had a small business selling plantain chips. But because she lacked proper tools and adequate supplies, she often fell short of the earnings she needed to keep going—and her business was constantly at risk. Many days, she and her son had enough food for only two meals. Hunger was their constant, unwelcome companion.

Then, Operation Blessing staff in her area took notice and invited her to participate in our microenterprise program. She would be able to receive business training along with a donation of supplies to boost her production and income. This program would help to change her life and provide provision for a Peruvian family in need.

Your Support Provides The Provision For A Peruvian Family In Need

Peruvian family microenterprise training

Thanks to the continuous support of generous donors like you, this hardworking young mother was blessed with both ingredients and materials. In addition to bunches of plantains and other foods, you gave her knives, pots, and pans to equip a small-scale kitchen. You even supplied her with a dolly to transport her products—everything necessary for Lorena to help her business grow. Now, for this family, there’s no more wondering about where their next meal is coming from or how to meet their nutritional needs. They’ll have the opportunity to truly thrive, not just survive.

“I thank God for this great opportunity and blessing … to improve the quality of my work,” Lorena said gratefully.

Lorena’s involvement with Operation Blessing has another important aspect as well, allowing her to give back. Thanks to friends like you, our Community Health Volunteers program was offered in her village—and Lorena decided to join the volunteer class. This important program provides training in first aid, disease prevention, nutrition, waterborne illnesses, handwashing and hygiene, prenatal care, and other vital areas.

Today, with those lessons in hand, Lorena is able to really help the people of Manacamiri. “When I was in training,” she explained, “I was able to learn valuable knowledge to help my community. I learned about first aid, measuring blood pressure, and giving injections. I also learned how to detect different signs of disease—and how to treat them in time.”

Because you reached out to her village, not only has Lorena received help, she is also helping others. Thank you for being a part of empowering communities like Lorena’s to better care for their own! Your kindness helped provide provision for a Peruvian family in need.

Lorena is enthusiastic in her thanks to all the loving and generous people like you who make such transformations possible. “I know God makes all things beautiful in His name. I also thank Operation Blessing and everyone who makes this great help possible!”

help and aid for a peruvian family in need

A Burden Lifted

INDIA – The sun had barely risen above the horizon, and Moso was already on her feet. She didn’t have a choice. There just wasn’t enough time in a day for everything she needed to accomplish. She had kids to feed—five of them—and it was up to her to provide. Her husband’s battle with tuberculosis was keeping him down, so he couldn’t do anything to help. And his aging parents living with the family only increased the burdens Moso carried. Her load was getting heavy. And then there was the burden of water.

The Burden Of Safe Water

Everything in their life required water at some point, and the only available source near their forest village of Bondabra was over a mile away by foot. The burden of water or the need to get safe water, impacted every area of Moso’s life. To gather water to cook dinner, Moso had to walk for an hour. To help any of her five children bathe, she had to walk an hour. To get anyone, man or beast, a drink—including the two animals she used to farm her land and make their meager living—it was another hour of backbreaking work. And the water wasn’t even safe when she got it from the river.

Perhaps the worst part was the inner conflict. Everyone needed her, and Moso had to leave them to go fetch the water—often at inconvenient times and under dangerous conditions—but if she didn’t, no one in her family would survive. She desperately needed the help of friends like you to provide usable safe water. Without it, it was only a matter of time before one of her burdens crushed her.

Thankfully, there are kind and compassionate people out there who care about the Mosos of the world— people like you. And these generous friends sent Operation Blessing to Bondabra to solve the clean water crisis—not just for Moso’s family, but for the entire community.

Today, there is a safe water source in place in her community, offering fresh, clean water to Moso and her children. Now, she can lay aside the burden of the constant need for water and focus on caring for the people she loves. Her whole village is experiencing the same blessings, and they will for a long time to come— thanks to generous support from Operation Blessing partners like you. Learn more about how you are changing lives through clean water programs around the world.

Contaminated Water in Nigeria

Clean Water in Remote Mexico

The Gift of Sight

SOUTH AFRICA – It was supposed to be the move of a lifetime. At the age of 67, Nosajini was looking forward to living with her daughter and grandchildren in their home on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. In that land she could look out over majestic rolling hills and spectacular sunsets, with small clusters of rural huts and houses spreading farther than the eye can see. Even without such an impressive view, the gift of sight is precious.

Instead, soon after Nosajini moved in, her spirits were dampened when she lost the vision in both eyes due to cataracts. And her world, instead of being filled with joy and enrichment, became a frightening descent into darkness and isolation.

Because her eyesight was so poor, Nosajini was scared to even step outside the door to wave her grandkids off to school. She couldn’t see her neighbors in their community to greet them each day or get a glimpse of the magnificent blue sky that Africa is so famous for.

“At first, my vision was just blurry, then suddenly it was very bad,” Nosajini explained. “I can’t walk outside alone anymore, because I am worried I will fall and break my leg. I am afraid to use the stove, because I can’t see anything and might start a fire or burn myself.”

a grandmother loses her sight to cataracts

The Gift Of Sight With Cataract Surgery

So, as her family went about their day, Nosajini spent her time inside. “While my grandchildren are in school, I am alone,” said Nosajini. “I try not to worry, because I know they will come home soon. I sit here with the door closed and think, ‘If only I could see.’ The Bible says, ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.’ When I am left all by myself and the door is shut, I pray, ‘Father, have mercy on me.’”

When her family learned about Grace Vision, a ministry partner of Operation Blessing, they reached out for help. And because the love of friends like you came alongside this precious family, she received the life-changing surgery she needed. The cataracts were removed—free of charge—and a thankful Nosajini said she experienced no discomfort.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” she exclaimed, “because there’s no way I would have been able to afford this surgery. I never thought I would see again.”

A Beautiful Life With Sight

Able to once again view the beautiful vistas of the Eastern Cape and enjoy the sunset with her family, Nosajini said with gratitude, “My heart is full of happiness. When I saw for the first time, I felt my body come back to life. I can go outside and work in my garden. … Now, when the kids leave for school, I walk out with them and wave goodbye. When they come home the food is ready, because I have cooked. I am just so happy. God bless you and protect you. I pray help like this will get to many others like me.”

You are indeed changing lives and restoring health and hope to hurting people in many lands. Nosajini’s procedure was only one of 10 that you supported right in her area.

Thank you for your loving heart to reach around the world with compassion and support. And for giving grandmothers like Nosajini the gift of sight. In addition, you enable us to repair cleft lips and palates, remove disfiguring and life-threatening tumors, and perform so many more operations that change lives. Together, we’re comforting the brokenhearted, one life at a time.