Providing Hunger Relief When All Hope Seems Lost

VIRGINIA – “We were drained in pretty much every aspect you can look at: financially, emotionally, spiritually.” During the COVID pandemic, Tyler and Roxanne’s family experienced hardship in a way they never thought they would encounter.

After the loss of three parents in quick succession, they found themselves financially drained. They needed help just to make ends meet. Facing food insecurity, they turned to Heritage Church, a distribution partner of Operation Blessing.

In addition to providing hunger relief, the partner church offers a lot more to families in need. Not only did Tyler and Roxanne find the food they needed, they found love, community and a restoration of hope.

“Receiving the food really helped to restore a lot of hope. Like a reminder from God like it’s going to be okay. And if He can supply food, you know, He’ll supply the rest,” said Roxanne. Thanks to the support of our partners and donors, Tyler and Roxanne’s family were able to receive the help they needed when they needed it the most. Now their family is on their way to recovery and are hopeful for the future.

Providing Hunger Relief for a Family in Need

There are so many families just like Tyler and Roxanne’s who are thankful for the food they receive in times of tragedy and need. Without this food, many people, including children and the elderly, would not have the food they need to thrive. Thankfully, there is hope. Our partnering ministries all over the US are equipped to be that helping hand if you or your loved ones are in need of food.

No one should go to bed hungry. We at Operation Blessing are dedicated to being the hands and feet of Christ. It is our hope that we not only help those in need but also convey the hope found in God’s love.

By providing hunger relief to families like Tyler and Roxanne’s, you show them that all is not lost. To learn more about how you can be a part of the fight to end hunger, you can visit our website at: ob.org/hunger-relief.

Assessing Medical Needs in Turkey

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TURKEY (February 17, 2023) – Since day one, Operation Blessing has been on the ground in Turkey working to help those in greatest need by distributing truckloads of vital disaster relief supplies. Our team has also been looking for a way to help with health care as soon as possible, and we’re actively assessing medical needs in Turkey.

Medical Relief is Key

With tens of thousands of people injured from the earthquake, one of the main needs is medical assistance. The local hospital in the impact area was destroyed, and many people lost their prescriptions and medicine during the quake when their homes were destroyed.

That’s where the Operation Blessing medical team comes in. We have the unique opportunity to show the people of Turkey that someone cares, offering tangible help and hope in the way they need it most.

Operation Blessing Assessing Medical Needs in Turkey

Already, we have people on the ground in hard-hit Hatay assessing the level of need as we seek to build an appropriate response that will best serve the hurting. We have also begun to help some of the people we encounter during our assessment process. Dr. Gustavo Angel, our medical professional on the ground, has shared with us some of the difficulties early patients are facing.

The doctor assisted one 70-year-old man whose body was simply overwhelmed by shock. He described it this way: “They have lost everything right now. So they are living on the street in a tent camp. So, the weather and the fear is generating spasms in his muscles. He has like an aftershock anxiety. He’s been traumatized and shocked with pain.”

Doctor Gustavo also shared his hope that we will very shortly expand our medical efforts in the country.

For now, most of the people need help with chronic disease treatment because there are no working clinics or hospitals nearby, meaning they have to travel at least an hour and a half to get any sort of medical assistance. We’re encountering elderly people suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease complications. And they need immediate assistance.

With the help of committed and compassionate friends like you, we can be the difference for the suffering in this critical hour.

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

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A Turkey Earthquake Survivor Story

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TURKEY – Fearful cries split the stillness of the night as the concrete walls of Grace’s home groaned. She was awakened by the terrified shouts of her family members and the sight of their walls shaking. They had to get out!

Grace recalls, “We were crying and shouting. My mother-in-law was screaming, ‘Go down! Go down! Earthquake! Earthquake!’”

Earthquake Survivors are Struggling

When the dust settled, the family was afraid to return to their damaged home for fear of further disaster. Earthquake survivors like Grace and her three children have been left to roam the streets of Turkey. Many families escaped the danger with little in their hands, and the damage to their homes was too great to attempt to salvage anything. “We didn’t have anything—clothes or shoes or jackets—and it’s very cold,” Grace said.

Now, they sleep in tents or in cars. Grace’s words capture the heart of so many: “I’m very scared for my kids. Where will we go? How will we live? It’s very difficult. Help us! We need food, water, shoes—everything!” People are practically drowning in fear. And they need hope.

Operation Blessing Extends Your Love to Grace and Others

Thankfully, compassionate friends like you sent an Operation Blessing response team to Turkey the day disaster struck. We’ve been there ever since, offering a helping hand to traumatized people. Together with you, we’re demonstrating God’s love in their hour of need.

As our teams canvas the devastated region of Hatay in search of where we can best serve the suffering, we’re blessing people with much-needed supplies. Thanks to the generous gifts of friends like you, Grace’s family and others have received critical items like blankets and solar lamps to keep them warm and provide light in the darkness. Kids receive juice boxes and snacks to brighten up their day. For those who are hungry and cold, we’re providing hot meals. And hygiene supplies are a help to those who couldn’t take basic necessities as they fled for their lives.

Reaching out to earthquake victims in Türkiye

Kids being blessed after Turkey earthquakes.

Grace shared her gratitude, “Thank you for the help. We have pillows; we have blankets to cover ourselves because it’s very cold. Thank you for the food they are sending and water.” She went on, “We need your help for our situation, not just for my family but for our neighbors and everyone.”

As the response continues, our team has plans to increase our involvement in the region and ramp up our aid to bless far more hurting people. And you can be part of it! The need is great, but with your support, we can stand with the families of Turkey in this dark time.

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

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Your Love Offered Healing to the Hurting

GUATEMALA – It felt good to run. Ehimy’s hair streamed behind her like a banner as she chased a ball across the field, laughing as she evaded her brothers. Oh, how she loved to play. Then she felt it—a twinge of pain, the telltale sign that the cyst was pushing on her airway. “Mama!” she called out in alarm.

For months, 9-year-old Ehimy had been struggling to do nearly anything that took physical effort. When her family first discovered the lump in her throat, it didn’t hurt. But the pain soon became almost commonplace, something Ehimy could expect when she did certain things—like eat. And it only grew worse.

“Many times I have a lot of pain, but then it goes away on its own,” Ehimy shared. “One night I realized that the lump was bigger, and I told my mom. I got really scared and cried.”

She also told us how she looked to God in her desperation. “Every day I ask God to remove the lump. I get sad because I don’t like having it.”

Her mother, Maria, was worried. She wanted to make sure Ehimy was safe, but they didn’t have sufficient income to handle unexpected medical expenses. Maria and her husband were field laborers in a small rural community and earned barely $8 per day. Maria said, “I cried before God, because we didn’t have the money to do a surgery for my daughter.”

Surgery In Guatemala For A Cyst

Still, they persevered until they could pay for an exam. The doctor told them Ehimy had a cyst and confirmed that she needed surgery in Guatemala. That was far, far out of reach for them—but it wasn’t for friends like you! Thankfully, Operation Blessing saw their situation and reached out to them quickly with love and support from caring partners like you.

The Life-Changing Surgeries team in Guatemala offered Ehimy the chance of a lifetime. We would provide her surgery for free, and her family would even have their travel expenses paid. It seemed like a miracle to this family.

And her surgery was a tremendous success! Because of the compassion of our Operation Blessing family members like you, Ehimy can envision a future without throat pain. She can play freely without fear. And eating can be a joy again! She doesn’t have to fight to swallow anymore.

Ehimy was so grateful. “After they operated on me, I thanked God because that cyst was no longer there.” She appreciates all of you whose support made this possible. “Thank you for helping me, I am very happy!”

Helping in the Devastation of the Türkiye Earthquake

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The devastation of the Türkiye earthquake is tremendous.* This Turkey quake has destroyed buildings, homes and businesses stretching a staggering span of nearly 300 miles.

The graphic in this video shows the destruction zone in Turkey after those two massive earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks. As a comparison, it’s similar to the area stretching from New York City to Washington, D.C., including New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and part of Pennsylvania. The country faces a massive rebuilding program.

Additionally, millions of Turkish citizens are suffering from post-traumatic stress from their harrowing and traumatic experiences, like Abdulkerim Arserim. He shared his story. “The ground floor of our building was gone. They threw a rope. I tied my children and they went down, then my wife, then me.” He continued, “Of course, we had no socks, no shoes. Then the building collapsed. We didn’t believe we would be rescued. We thought death had come at that moment.”

Devastation of Turkey Earthquake Has Cost at least 37,000 Lives

death toll turkiye earthquake — Death toll as of 2/14/2023 – and it continues to rise

The devastation of the Türkiye Earthquake has spawned grim statistics. The combined death toll between Turkey and Syria currently stands at about 37,000, with tens of thousands more injured and hundreds of thousands left homeless. Furthermore, that death toll is expected to rise over coming days and weeks, perhaps even to double.

Humanitarian Support for Earthquake Victims

In order to provide material support and hope to the Turkish people, Operation Blessing mobilized within hours of the earthquake. They recruited volunteers like Carin Cochrane. She shared, “As soon as the earthquake happened I was like, ‘I’ve got to get on the ground and help in any way I can.’ So I got connected with Operation Blessing, and here we are…. It’s amazing to be able to be a part of bringing any aid and relief to the Turkish people in this time.”

In addition, Diego Traverso, Operation Blessing’s International Director of Disaster Relief said Turkey is a critical place to be. “Because we want to be in the center of the action where the people need it. Keep praying for us. And keep praying for the victims. Keep praying for our volunteers, for our additional teams who are deploying right now. The help is so needed.”

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Click here for the latest on Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*New official spelling of Turkey

On the Ground Doing Relief Work in Turkey

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TURKEY – A convoy drove through the night last night to reach our disaster relief team on the ground with truckloads of vital supplies. Compassionate friends like you have enabled us to significantly ramp up our disaster relief work in Turkey.*

It took the convoy nine hours to make what would normally be a four-hour trip because of intense traffic heading into the disaster zone. A wide-scale humanitarian effort involving charitable organizations and rescue teams from around the world is now underway. Operation Blessing’s staff and volunteers are right in the middle of it.

Humanitarian Efforts in Turkey

Operation Blessing's humanitarian effort in Turkey.

The death toll in Turkey and Syria has risen to over 36,000. Our head of International Disaster Relief, Diego Traverso, said, “I never thought in 10 years of working in disasters that the magnitude of this disaster was possible. The despair and the suffering are huge, and Operation Blessing is here to support the victims.”

The disaster zone is being compared to the size of Great Britain, and the earthquake has affected as many as 14 million people. Almost every building in the region of Hatay, where we’re now working, is either uninhabitable or completely destroyed.

Charity organization, Operation Blessing, reaching out in Turkey.

Thankfully, with help from compassionate friends like you, we are on the ground doing relief work in Turkey. We’re receiving truckloads of vital supplies and distributing them in some of the hardest-hit areas. We’re handing out relief items like food, drinks, diapers, fuel, solar lights, and hot meals. Our team of staff and volunteers is multinational, multilingual, and multigenerational.

Charitable Organization Reaches Out to Earthquake Victims

With your support we can continue to bring comfort, help, and—perhaps most importantly—hope to those in need.

In addition, Traverso said, “Today we’re going to set up a soup kitchen, hopefully two of them…. for the rescue teams and the people that were affected by the earthquake.”

Thank you for your kindhearted support of the precious people in these shattered communities. Traverso wrapped up by saying, “Pray, pray, pray for sure. And if you can donate in some way, please do it. People need it, and it will help us to extend our humanitarian footprint here. We are going to be able to do more of what we’re already doing. $1 goes really far here, and that’s amazing.”

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Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*Turkey is now officially spelled Türkiye

Comfort and Supplies for Turkey Quake Victims

Operation Blessing is providing comfort and supplies to Turkey quake victims.

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TURKEY – Operation Blessing is in Hatay, *Turkey, one of the most devastated areas after the recent earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. We are providing comfort and supplies to Turkey quake victims.

Operation Blessing on the ground offering comfort in Turkey.

First, we started by delivering hot food and solar lamps, in addition to relief bags filled with hygiene supplies and other helpful items for the families. For the kids, we provided snacks, juice, and nutrition bars.

Families are expressing their gratitude for Operation Blessing showing up for them in this dark time. Our team has been walking through the rubble of the city, seeing many buildings with several floors that have collapsed into a heap. The devastation and destruction is overwhelming.

Tragic Aftermath of Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Rescue teams are still on the ground searching for victims. Please keep praying for them, and keep praying for the families that are being affected by this earthquake.

In addition, we saw many families living out of their cars. They are not sleeping in their houses, because they are afraid to return to them, or they’ve been destroyed. It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes. And the death toll now stands at over 22,000.

Currently, our team is looking for ways to be even more effective with the aid we offer so that it helps the most people with the greatest needs.

Please Pray for Quake Victims

Thank you so much for your partnership. Operation Blessing is committed to being here and supporting the victims of the Turkey quake, because of you. Please join us in praying:

Father God, we ask that you would reach out to all of the shattered victims in Turkey and Syria. Soothe their hearts and minds, provide for their needs, and fill them with hope. We pray that the trapped will be rescued and that the injured will be healed. Give Operation Blessing wisdom to help in the most effective ways possible and to be a beacon of God’s love in this dark time. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Comfort for a heartbroken earthquake victims in Haiti.

You can help disaster victims immediately by visiting www.ob.org/disaster-relief today!

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Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*Turkey is now officially spelled Türkiye

When Food Feels Like a Miracle

KENYA – For several days, Rasianae tucked all four of her children into bed at night without any food. She didn’t have a choice. All the food she had was gone. She and her family were not just facing food insecurity, they were starving.

“They are young and don’t really understand why you can’t give them food,” said Rasianae. “It is a very painful thing seeing your children suffering like that.”

Getting Food Feels Like A Miracle In Parched Kenya

Her children became so weak, they could barely walk. Desperate, Rasianae begged for food from her neighbors, but they were facing the same situation. “Everyone is suffering and struggling,” she said. “There is nothing left for anyone.”

Last spring, the rains that so many people expected throughout Kenya never came. The ground became parched; the wells, dry. Crops and grass quickly dried up. By July, the nation had come face to face with severe drought. Like Rasianae, many Kenyans began living a nightmare.

“It was painful waking up every morning hoping to see signs of rain, only to wake up to the sight of my animals dying,” said Rasianae. When she took them out to graze, they couldn’t find anything to eat.

Like so many people in Kenya, Rasianae has long relied on crops and animals to provide food and income for her family. With both gone, she had no money to purchase food when her own supply ran dry. She tried to find work at a local shopping center, but very little was available.

Desperate, she sold what remained of her animals in order to feed her family. “The money I got from selling the goats was barely anything, and in no time, it was all gone,” she said. “Now we had no animals and no food, either.”

Her Children Went To Bed Hungry

The worst was watching her children suffer. Many nights, she simply had to send them to bed hungry. Once when she did find food to cook for her children, it made them very sick because they hadn’t eaten in so long. “All the food I had managed to get—and now it didn’t even help them,” Rasianae said, heartbroken. “That was such a loss!”

When we learned about the critical situation so many of our brothers and sisters were facing in Kenya, our Operation Blessing partners stepped in to fill the gap. Your love and compassion sent Rasianae and the families in some of the worst-hit communities a month’s supply of food to get them through the difficult days of the drought.

“Before you came here and brought us the food, we had gone three days without,” said Rasianae. “I thank God because this is a miracle.”

Because you reached out to them, Rasianae’s children were able to eat and go to bed with their bellies filled. “I feel happy today when I see my children eating the food that you have brought us. May God indeed bless you!” And you continued reaching out to these villages in the months that followed.

Thank you for your heart to bless people around the world! When food feels like a miracle to families like Rasianae’s, it’s arrival means that you made a difference!

Relief Supplies for Earthquake Victims

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In the aftermath of the earthquake, Operation Blessing is in southern Turkey right now. We’re working with a large group of volunteers from various organizations to prepare relief supplies for disaster victims.

We’ve been experiencing firsthand the pain and suffering of disaster victims in Turkey. The devastation from this massive earthquake is overwhelming as thousands of lives, homes, and businesses have been lost. People are traumatized, but we have a chance to reach out to them in love with tangible aid.

Team Prepares Relief Supplies for Disaster Victims

Right now, our team is prepping bags of relief items for affected families. As people struggle without basic necessities, some simple provisions can be life-changing—and can give people a little bit of hope.

International Disaster Relief Team leader Diego Traverso shares, “In these bags, we’re including hygiene products, food, water, and a solar lamp that can bring some light in this dark time for them. We’re still in the phase of assessing the need, but we are not going empty-handed, and we want to show up with something in hand so the people can be blessed. We want to thank Operation Blessing partners. Thank you for your prayers and support.”

Together, We Can Be There for Them

Operation Blessing will remain in Turkey, assessing the need and bringing solutions to shine light in a terribly dark time. We see that the need is great in the areas of water, shelter, and food, and we’re committed to bringing aid to the victims of this disaster.

When you support Operation blessing, you are there for precious families in Turkey who are suffering right now.

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

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On the Ground Reaching Out in Turkey – Please Pray

giving support to turkey earthquake victims

*As of 2/13/23 the death toll has passed 36,000

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People all across Turkey are weeping today. Many have seen the bodies of their loved ones being pulled lifeless from the rubble of ruined homes and businesses. Others aren’t sure if they’ll ever see their family members and friends again because so many are still missing. They are in desperate need of hope. And that means they need our prayers for the God of hope to help them.

Reaching Out in Turkey to Earthquake Victims

Friends like you aren’t leaving them on their own. You’re working in and through the Operation Blessing international disaster response team as our staff members on the ground collaborate with local partners to assess the areas of greatest need and offer relief. We are prepared to provide critical supply items for people who are without food, water, and electricity as we’re reaching out in Turkey.

Operation Blessing’s Diego Traverso shared these words, “Operation Blessing is on the ground in Turkey… And right now, the weather is not helping at all. The snowstorm is very intense. The weather is very, very cold. People are sleeping on the streets under a tarp. An Operation Blessing assessment team is here on the ground to see how we can reach the people that are in need right now. Keep us in prayer. Keep Syria and Turkey in your prayers.”

Operation Blessing is on the ground reaching out in Turkey.

Please Pray for Turkey

So please join us in praying for:

Our teams on the ground to have insight for where the work is most needed and what is the best help we can offer
Open doors of access for Operation Blessing and for staff safety
Search and rescue operations to find many more survivors
Protection for residents from continued aftershocks that have already cost lives
Displaced people who are struggling to find shelter and assistance
The weather to become less harsh so that those who are suffering can recover
Comfort for hopeless and grieving souls

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

Help Disaster Victims Now!