Aiding Displaced Ukraine Mothers and Children

Since the war, so many displaced Ukraine mothers and children are struggling with determining their next steps. The Russian invasion has disrupted every facet of life for these families. Many now find themselves in a new country, not knowing anyone or speaking the language.

To make matters worse, the war has called many men to stay behind and fight. Someone has to stay to defend their homes, but the cost is high. Without the input or support of husbands and fathers, displaced mothers and children are left alone to navigate the unknown.

Helping Displaced Ukraine Mothers And Children

But thanks to the generous gifts of faithful partners, Operation Blessing is able to meet these families in their need and offer assistance and encouragement. From greeting weary mothers and children entering Poland to delivering essential items, Operation Blessing is bringing comfort to people in desperate need.

We deliver food, hygiene products, and other crucial supplies to shelters and centers for displaced families. These items are critical in this difficult time and often hard to come by.

Your support for Ukraine mothers and children makes this help possible! Generous friends like you can give real hope to the hopeless. Make your gift today! And please pray for the suffering in Ukraine.

You Are Winning The Battle With Hunger For A Father In Peru

PERU – Carving wood is a passion of Wilson’s. Growing up along a river in Peru, he has memories of seeing his uncles craft a variety of items from balsa wood. Wilson continued the family trade and learned to make canoes and boats for a living. Now a husband and a father in Peru to five children, Wilson says his goal is to provide well for his family.

He began making handicrafts out of balsa wood to sell to local shops. Sadly, his carving skills were limited. He didn’t know how to paint, so he delivered his products plain and unadorned. The low price he earned was barely enough to feed his family.

“Providing for a family of seven is very hard,” Wilson told Operation Blessing staff. “I haven’t done any studies, and I’m not a professional, but carving these animals out of balsa wood allows me to help my family. There were days when it wasn’t enough to eat, but even so, I try to work in other things. When they call me to help build a boat, I go. I will do anything so my family can be okay.”

Training Helps A Father Provide For His Family

Then Wilson learned that, because of your kindness, Operation Blessing was in the area, holding wood carving workshops. Topics included painting and finishing, various carving techniques, and even balsa wood reforestation. Wilson started going to the classes to improve his craftsmanship. 

“I didn’t know how to use paint before, but now I know! I give my products a better finishing detail. With this, I can increase my selling price and earn more for my family,” Wilson exclaimed. “Nobody else has ever come here to teach us anything. Operation Blessing came to us and taught us something we never knew we could learn.” 

microenterprise-peru-wood-carving-business

In addition to skills training, you helped provide Wilson with the materials he needed to expand his balsa wood carving business. This gift included supplies of wood, paint, carving materials, and other items.

With his new skills and tools, Wilson is able to improve the quality of his products, increase his profits, and better provide for his family. Gloria, Wilson’s wife, is very grateful for the help you sent through Operation Blessing.

She shared, “With these materials, you are helping my husband and our family. With this, my husband can start again. This is a blessing from God—thank you so much!”

A Grateful Father Can Now Provide For His Family

Thank you for blessing families in need around the world including this grateful father in Peru. Your generosity makes it possible to equip struggling families with the training and skills needed to earn more income and consistently provide food for their loved ones. May God bless you for your kindness and compassion!

Nobody else has ever come here to teach us anything. Operation Blessing came to us and taught us something we never knew we could learn. – Wilson

$45 Can Feed a Family in Kenya For A Month!

Would you give $45 to feed a family of 5 in Kenya for an entire month? Right now, a devastating drought is wreaking havoc across Kenya. Millions of families are suffering from lack of rainwater, which kills crops and livestock alike. Without farming as a source of income, families are starving. Both children and adults are going to bed with empty bellies for days at a time. The dry, cracked earth is a constant reminder that the hunger isn’t leaving anytime soon.

Help Now!

Young Rebecca said, “There are days we have slept hungry. My mother would go out to beg amongst the neighbors, but no one had any food left to spare, so she would come back empty-handed.”

Countless mothers are desperately trying to provide for their children, but the sheer scarcity of food makes this impossible. Seeing their children go hungry is devastating for these mothers. Kadzo said, “It makes me very sad seeing my children like that. I cry so much when I see them going hungry.”

Help Feed A Family In Kenya

But you have the power to make a difference! For just $45, you can send a delivery of food to Kenya that will feed a family of 5 for an entire month. Operation Blessing teams are on the ground distributing these food packages right now. But our inventory of these live-giving resources is running low. Will you give $45 to feed a family in Kenya for a month?

To help rush emergency food to drought-stricken Kenya, visit ob.org/drought.

Ukraine Refugees Praying for Peace

UKRAINE – Before the war, Valentyna lived a happy life in Ukraine. She was employed as a caregiver, and her granddaughters attended the local school every day.

When the war started, their lives changed overnight. The peaceful community they lived in quickly deteriorated into ruins. Daily life was constantly interrupted by the threat of violence. Like many others, Valentyna and her family took shelter from the bombings as best they could, but life was lonely and terrifying.

That wasn’t the end of their story, however. Thanks to the generosity of friends like you, Operation Blessing was able to connect Valentyna with a local church partner with whom she could find shelter.

Staying with the church has been a tremendous blessing. Through these faithful church members, friends like you help provide refugee families with warm food and hygiene supplies. Now they are in the company of other Ukraine refugees praying for peace in the world.

More than that, families are able to find hope when they are surrounded by a sense of community. They can fellowship safely after the long ordeal of fleeing their native country.

Please continue to pray for Valentyna and all Ukrainian families who are impacted by the war. Thank you for joining the countless Ukraine refugees praying for peace in the world.

To help change their lives by offering your support, make your gift today for crisis victims.

Meet Gisella: COVID Outreach and Small Business

covid outreach and small business support

PERU – Before COVID, Gisella supported her family by creating and selling products in a tourist town in Peru. But when the pandemic struck, international travel disappeared. As tourism came to a halt, there were suddenly no visitors to purchase Gisella’s products. As a result, her business suffered severely. Like so many other hardworking single mothers crushed by the pandemic, Gisella struggled to provide for her family.

To add to the tremendous difficulties she faced, a storm tore the roof off of her home. All her belongings—including her crafting materials—were damaged. Now her ability to earn a livelihood was completely gone.

COVID Outreach and Small Business Support

Thanks to the generous gifts of friends like you, Operation Blessing was able to reach out to communities impacted by the pandemic, including Gisella’s. You provided COVID outreach and small business support. You ensured Gisella had new supplies and business training to jumpstart her business even stronger than before.

You also showed your love and support when Operation Blessing built Gisella’s family a new home! Now, Gisella has what she needs to continue to provide for her family. To make your gift of support for families like Gisella’s today, visit ob.org/give.

Clean Water And Hope In Kenya

KENYA – For years, residents in the village of Gongo, like young Ashley and Anna, lived without access to a clean water source. The lack of this precious resource made life especially difficult.

Villagers did what they could to survive. Many had to either drink water from dirty wells or walk over three miles to fetch river water. Sadly, both water sources were untreated and contaminated. Walking to the dirty river often left little time for other daily tasks and even caused children to miss school. The struggling Gongo community needed help—and fast. Thankfully, partners like you sent hope.

A Clean Water Source For A Kenya Village

When Operation Blessing learned of the suffering in Gongo Village, we took action. Our team visited the area to understand residents’ needs and put a plan of action in place to help provide a clean water source in Kenya. Because of the compassion of friends like you, we were able to drill a new well that would provide fresh water for the entire community.

Village members excited about the project put in hard work by digging trenches for the necessary piping. The new system provides safe water—filtered and treated for bacteria and other contaminants—for villagers to drink.

Additionally, our supporters provided two hand- washing stations along with sanitation and hygiene training to help keep the community healthy and thriving.

In honor of this new blessing, an inauguration ceremony was held in the community, where more than 200 people gathered to celebrate. They gave thanks for the water project as the only one of its kind in the area.

Thank you for your heart to bring increased health and happiness to communities like Gongo. You are making a huge difference around the world for kids like Ashley and Anna. God bless you.

Ukraine Refugees Carried on Wings of Joy

HELP NOW!

UKRAINE – It might be hard to imagine a source of joy for Ukraine refugees in the midst of war and tragedy. But you make it possible!

Marina is one of millions of people displaced by the recent conflict in Ukraine. Like so many, she and her husband have had to face the heart-rending choice of leaving their beloved country behind to protect their children.

However, this Christian family is committed to reaching out in compassion to their fellow Ukrainians during their darkest hours. And they carried that passion to Poland. Generous partners like you made it possible for them to both feed their children and give food to hungry refugees they met along the way.

PROVIDING JOY

Operation Blessing and our partner organizations are uniquely positioned to distribute vital food and aid to fleeing Ukrainians. We also continue sending truckloads of aid to those who remain in the war torn country. Your love greeted refugees like Marina at the border with warm food, essential supplies, and a place to lay their heads. You have provided true joy for Ukraine refugees during this difficult time.

You have offered critical support to families like Marina’s for months now, and with your help, we can continue to extend a lifeline to them.

We are asking our faithful supporters to continue reaching out with kindness and compassion to Ukrainian refugees so they can find what they need the very most at this traumatic time—hope.

Their needs will last long after the war is over as people begin rebuilding their lives either inside or outside of their homeland. It means the world to Ukrainians to see that there are people out there committed to helping them for the long run. Will you extend a helping hand to them today? And please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

A New Lease On Life In Costa Rica

COSTA RICA – One lesson we’ve learned over the years is that giving a hand up makes an even bigger impact than giving a hand out. As the popular saying goes, “Give a person a fish, and they will eat for a day. Teach someone to fish…” Well, you get the point.

Along our journeys we’ve found many talented and hardworking people who just need a helping hand in order to change their lives—some training, a few supplies, a bit of encouragement and support. This was the case with Graciela from Costa Rica.

As a single mother and sole provider for her 15-year-old son, Juan, Graciela needed a way to earn a living and keep him focused on school.

Working But Still Facing Food Insecurity In Costa Rica

Graciela cleaned houses for a time—until her doctor advised her to stop due to chronic pain she suffered. Then she tried baking from her home. Despite her talent, without the right tools and supplies she simply couldn’t earn enough. She was left feeling anxious and hopeless.

Juan shared with us how hard his mother works despite her pain. He explained sadly, “There is no food in the pantry. There is no food in the fridge. It is almost empty. If I look at the freezer, there is no meat—there is nothing.” They mostly survived on rice and often had to skip meals.

Then they found Operation Blessing! Thanks to friends like you, Graciela got the blessing she so badly needed. First, you gave Graciela the necessary tools for her baking business, including a professional mixer, a scale, cookware, utensils, containers, and other essential baking supplies. But you didn’t stop there.

A New Lease On Life In Costa Rica

Thanks to you, Graciela received personalized business and financial training that will help her succeed. In addition, you supported her with top-notch signs and promotional stickers to help her advertise her business. And over the next months, she will receive ongoing support as she learns and develops in her growing endeavor.

She said, “This business is something that helps me and that I can do from home.” Now she’s able to make and market her beautiful homemade bread called pan casero and other tasty baked goods efficiently and effectively. Graciela is so grateful to you for this chance. Thank you for giving her and Juan a new lease on life in Costa Rica!

Operation Blessing Aids Refugee House in Poland

POLAND – Imagine having to flee your home and travel to a place you’ve never been. The peace you once knew with the family you love is suddenly upended by the horrors of war. Now you must do everything you can to get to safety. What will you do? Where will you go? These are the questions Ania and her family had to face when they were forced to leave their hometown due to the war in Ukraine.

While so many are troubled by the war in Ukraine, children are especially affected. Their sense of safety and security is shaken, and fear and worry set in. As the war continues in Ukraine, more and more families are displaced and fleeing from the violence.

Shelter At A Refugee House In Poland

Thanks to the generosity of partners like you, Operation Blessing is able to meet families like Ania’s and offer them support. Through help from Operation Blessing and our partner Orphan’s Promise, refugees like Ania are given access to a clean safe shelter. Aid going to this refugee house in Poland is essential to people who have been displaced from their homes.

Thanks to your kindness, so many families with young children now have a warm place to stay, enjoy meals, and be encouraged. Your continued support also allows Operation Blessing to offer critical supplies and information for the journey ahead.

Please continue to pray for Ukrainian families and show your support to crisis victims today.

The Long Awaited Gift Of Water In Mexico

MEXICO – The people of Benito Juárez, a small community, had gone without access to clean water in Mexico for far too long. For 9-year-old Gilberto and his little brothers, lack of safe water was simply a way of life.

Although the town had a water system, it was poorly designed, did not treat the water for safety. It didn’t reach everyone in the community. In addition, the decades-old storage tank was cracked and leaking. Without the funds or technical knowledge to find a solution, the residents had only one other option. They had to drink water from a river—without any means of ensuring it was safe.

Community members like Gilberto would also use the river for bathing and laundry. This meant the women and children responsible for taking care of the household chores had to spend a lot of time walking to the river and back with heavy buckets of water.

When Operation Blessing learned of this community’s need for clean water, we quickly developed an action plan with our partners on the ground in Mexico. First, we visited the community to determine their exact needs and test its water source. It was indeed positive for harmful bacteria. Then they decided the best way forward.

The plan of action was to give Gilberto’s family and all the people of Benito Juárez a reliable, community-wide clean water system. And it became possible thanks a to special gifts from our generous friends like you. Now, because of our donors’ compassion, the 338 residents of Benito Juárez have access to clean water. It reaches right outside each of their 86 homes!

Access To Clean Water In Mexico

For the first part of this clean water project, a nearly 8,000-gallon water storage tank was built. And now spring water flows through a new conduction line to the tank. From the tank, the water is filtered and chlorinated to remove any contaminants and harmful bacteria. This makes it safe to drink. Then it continues to new faucets outside every home in the community, including Gilberto’s!

These faucets allow quick and easy access to clean water for every man, woman and child. A newly established and trained local water committee will oversee ongoing treatment of the water, ensuring it is safety!

Thanks to our friends like you, the community of Benito Juárez also participated in WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) training throughout the project. More than 100 men, women and children participated. These training sessions covered topics such as the prevention of waterborne illnesses, healthy hygiene habits, good water care practices at home and in the community, and hand washing. All of these tools will help keep this community healthy well into the future.

We’re so grateful that partners like you care about reaching out and giving the gift of hope and health through clean water to communities in need. God bless you for your kind hearts!