Back To School In Boca Del Rio Viejo

HONDURAS – A good education can be hard to come by, especially in developing nations and in island villages like Boca del Rio Viejo. Good citizens in this community were doing their best to teach the local children outdoors, because funds for a school were out of reach.

Students like 5-year-old Josselin had to endure long hours in the sweltering summer sun, trying to stay engaged while the heat pressed on their outdoor “classroom.” Add to that the remarkably short attention span of little ones and the lack of play spaces to break up the day, and you can imagine how difficult it was for the children to stay focused and remember what they’d learned.

A New School In Honduras

Thankfully, friends like you helped them with the finances needed to build a brand-new school—complete with a restroom and playground! Now, the kids can learn and play safely, and they couldn’t be happier with their new school in Honduras. When asked how she felt about her new school, Josselin said, “I am very happy. We have new notebooks for learning. Everything is new, and at recess we go outside and have fun playing games.”

Her mother was so grateful, saying, “The people that donated are such a blessing! They gave us a new school for our children, and we will soon have water in our homes.”

children at school playground in honduras

The new school in Honduras was built with every need of the community in mind. It’s elevated off the ground to protect it against flooding. It has designated spaces for various activities, including a teaching area and proper bathroom facilities. The new school also has plenty of room so that even more students can attend classes. And the playground outside has a slide, swings, and a lookout tower—with binoculars for the children to look through!

A Community Water System

Although many are excited about the new school, the village still faced other issues, especially in accessing clean water. But that won’t be a problem for long! Operation Blessing—because of friends like you and hardworking community members—has begun developing a community water system.

This community water system is complete with a powerful pump, miles of piping, and a chlorinated storage tank, this new system will provide clean water access to 117 homes, two schools, and one church. Soon, residents will no longer have to deal with the dangers of unsafe water. They’ll be free of waterborne illness and able to put into practice the hygiene and sanitation training they will receive from the Operation Blessing team.

Thanks to caring partners like you, the people of Boca del Rio Viejo can look ahead toward a whole new future with better educational facilities and an alternative to unsafe water!

“We lost clothes. We lost food. We lost a lot.”

KENTUCKY- Operation Blessing visited Chasity Mullins, a single mother of four, at the home she inherited from her grandmother in Jenkins, KY. The night of the Kentucky flood, her 11-year-old son woke her screaming that there was water all over the floor. She described it as a “muddy river” flowing through her house. Chasity immediately told her boys to find their shoes and get out of the house. While the two oldest boys were able to escape safely by themselves, Chasity had to carry her youngest over the rising Kentucky flood waters.

When the waters receded, she discovered she has no idea just how badly her home has been damaged. Chasity shared that she had already been struggling to make ends meet before the flood due to high inflation, and now in the aftermath of the flood, she doesn’t know how she will make it.

Like many affected by this historic flood, she’s overwhelmed by recovery plans. The night before Operation Blessing called, Chasity remembers lying in her bed fretting about how she was going to begin the necessary removal of debris remaining in her home after the Kentucky flood.

She believes God answered her prayers by sending Operation Blessing to her house. Operation Blessing has been on the ground in several damaged areas offering physical assistance, supplies, and encouragement.

With the help of our partners, Operation Blessing is committed to being there alongside families trying to get back on their feet. In the midst of all of the chaos, Chasity is trusting God, because she has seen Him at work!

Empowering Female Entrepreneurs

HONDURAS – When COVID-19 hit, the world stopped. Government-imposed restrictions made life difficult for people everywhere— especially in impoverished nations. There, many must labor daily just to provide the bare minimum to feed their families. So losing work for even a short time means children going hungry. But you reached out to meet them in their need, providing help and hope through microenterprise assistance.

You Gave Women The Tools To Feed Their Families Through Microenterprise Assistance

For people like Carmen and the women she works with at a bakery co-op in Honduras, COVID drove them to the brink of bankruptcy. “The business was not working because of the effects of the pandemic,” Carmen explained.

Microenterprise assistance for entrepreneurs

As a single mother, Carmen must shoulder the burden of being her small family’s sole provider. At times, she was even forced to borrow food from her neighbors to feed her 8-year-old daughter, Dominic. But then Operation Blessing learned of their desperate situation.

Our teams realized one cause of Carmen and her co-workers’ struggles was a lack of equipment for their food production business. The ladies make and sell pinole (a tasty mixture of ground corn, peanuts, cinnamon, pepper, rice, and wheat), plantain chips, and cakes—all without proper tools.

Microenterprise Assistance Helps Local Entrepreneurs in Honduras

But then friends like you came to their rescue with microenterprise assistance and gave them a hand up to save their bakery. Carmen’s business is now able to thrive because you provided her women’s group with an electric mill to quickly and efficiently process the seeds and grains they previously had to grind by hand. They also now have what they need to make and slice baked goods, presenting them to the public with pride.

Your help gave their business a real boost, and all the ladies involved have been blessed! Carmen shared, “Thank you to the donors of Operation Blessing for what you have given us.” With hope for the future, she continued, “We are going to take advantage of everything you gave us to make our business grow even more.”

And, thanks to your compassion for these local entrepreneurs, Carmen’s daughter now has the stability she needs to thrive and pursue her dreams— and so do many others.

Picking Up The Pieces

rebuilding lives after kentucky tornadoes

How you offered Bertha hope for tomorrow

KENTUCKY – “Will I have a home when this is over?” Imagine this question filling your mind as you huddle together with your family, terrified, hoping against hope that the storm raging outside will leave your house alone. Bertha and her daughter can. They lived it. And you were there for them on the other side. When the storm came to Russellville, Kentucky, Bertha took shelter with her daughter, knowing an EF3 tornado was wreaking havoc in her area. Bertha recalls her thoughts that day: “I didn’t know if we would have a house when we came back.” The situation seemed hopeless.

Sure enough, they soon discovered that the violent winds had destroyed Bertha’s roof, blown out the windows, and riddled the rest of the house with holes. Just thinking about her badly damaged home moved Bertha to tears. “I didn’t think it could be fixed. I just thought it was gone.” She didn’t know where to begin to pick up the pieces of her house—or her life.

But Operation Blessing focuses on rebuilding lives following disasters. They heard about her need, and faithful partners made it possible for her to imagine a new future. Bertha was told her home would be repaired, and over the last several months, partners like you not only repaired her roof and walls but also gave her new windows, flooring, cabinets, and furniture.

rebuilding lives after the midwest tornado

Rebuilding Lives Following Disasters

She shared her astonishment when she saw the finished work.“They went in and fixed it, and it looks better than it did before,” she exclaimed. “You can’t tell anything happened to it. I didn’t think it could be fixed that way, it’s just unbelievable!” Because of your support, Operation Blessing stays long after the media leaves to do the hard work of rebuilding lives following disasters.

tornado relief and rebuilding in kentucky

Bertha wants you to know how much all of this means to her. Time and again, she told our teams how overwhelmed she was with thanksgiving for those who helped her. “They’re good people,” she said. “I want to thank everyone for doing what they did—fixing everything.Y’all have really done great wonders to this house.”

Friends like you have changed Bertha’s life—and not just hers. Your compassion is also at work in Louisiana, delivering appliances to those whose daily lives were disrupted by a hurricane last fall. And with your generous support, we’re consistently preparing emergency food packages for the next disaster that’s sure to come.

In all these ways, Americans are receiving the help and hope they need to continue on when disaster strikes—because of you.

Calm After The Storm

new house after storm damage in indonesia

INDONESIA – When the strong winds came, the house fell down,”said Tise, recalling a tragic day not long ago. This hardworking wife and mother supports her disabled husband and three children by cleaning houses in their neighborhood in Indonesia. The amount of money she earns—about $10 a week—isn’t much, but it keeps food on the table. There’s nothing left over for emergencies, though, and they faced a major one recently when disaster struck.

Rebuilding after Disaster Strikes, Thanks to Friends Like You

Powerful winds kept buffeting their home. “The wind blew so hard that day,” Tise recalled. “I looked up and heard a cracking sound from the rotting wooden beam that held the roof up.” Then, terrifyingly, the roof was gone—and suddenly there was nothing to keep out the wind and rain. Angel, her 10-year-old daughter, shared her memories of the event. “That day I heard rain that sounded like stones hitting the roof.” She continued, “When I got out, I saw that our house was destroyed. I was sad to see my house like that.”

A New Home in Indonesia

Angel takes part in an after-school program supported by a partner organization. She knew that there were people out there who could assist her family. There was no way Tise could rebuild the house on her own, so she was overjoyed when Operation Blessing offered to help. Thanks to friends like you, we built Tise and her family a brand-new home in Indonesia. After the work was completed, the family moved in and life returned to normal—now with the added safety and security their sturdy new home provides.

Tise has nothing but gratitude for Operation Blessing. With tears in her eyes, she said, “When Operation Blessing told me that they would build my house, it was like a dream come true for me!” She went on, “I knew that my kids would not have to worry about rain and storms anymore. I was so grateful to God.”Thank you for your heart to make this blessing possible!

Hot Meals Prepped and Delivered to KY Flood Victims

KENTUCKY – Operation Blessing prepared and delivered thousands of meals to the communities devastated by unprecedented flooding in eastern Kentucky this summer. Providing food to flood victims is essential for those who now find their homes and communities in total disarray. The worst part is there is no set timeline for when things will return to normal. This only adds to the strain for Kentucky flood victims.

Many flood victims have lost not only personal items, but also kitchen appliances, refrigerators, and food. Because many people already suffer from food insecurity due to economic reasons, it can often be a major negative factor after a natural disaster. Many people no longer have access to supplies due to the complications that follow a natural disaster.

Lack of transportation or access to groceries and even impassable roads are just a few of the things that can start the spiral of hunger. Tragically, families are going without meals and relying on outside help to feed their children. Since so much has been taken from them due to this natural disaster, they must struggle daily for things many of us take for granted—like food.

The Importance Of Providing Food To Flood Victims

One person dedicated to helping eastern Kentucky flood victims is chef Ben Bennett. Chef Bennett and Operation Blessing volunteers say that even in the worst of conditions, a hot meal made with love is one way to offer hope to those who are struggling. The chef knows how the simple comfort of warm food can mean so much to people who have so little.

With the help of our partners, Operation Blessing is showing love through tangible assistance and shining as lights in a dark place.

Surviving a Flood of Despair

You Reached Out to a Hurting Mountain Community in Virginia

VIRGINIA – Nestled in the mountains of western Virginia, the community of Buchanan County has seen its share of heartache. High unemployment and gas prices had already left many to struggle with putting food on the table. Then the unthinkable happened. A flood disaster did incalculable damage to this community in Virginia.

One night in mid-July, a severe storm pounded the valley with heavy rain. The waters roared as the river overflowed its banks in the darkness. Elderly residents like Beulah were taken by surprise. Thankfully, her daughter Julie lived right next door and sent her husband to help. Beulah and her son-in-law clung to each other as they pushed through waist-deep water against the raging current until he was able to pull her to safety.

But the next morning, things didn’t look promising. The river had torn through Beulah’s trailer, ripping away her AC unit and leaving her home clogged with mud, sticks and debris. “It was just the mercies of God that the flood didn’t push it off its foundation and it didn’t go floating down the river,” Julie shared.

More than 400 homes like Beulah’s had been affected—some nearly or completely destroyed by the flood. Across the county, trees had fallen. Roads had crumbled into the river. Bridges were damaged or completely wiped out. Long-term resident and social services director, Marcella Watson, had never seen anything like it. “It’s going to take a good year or two for them to just restore and get back to where they were.”

All seemed hopeless, but help was already on the way.

Hope for the Community Following the Flood

“Operation Blessing just showed up out of nowhere,” said Julie. Thanks to your support, a team of volunteers got to work and dug the debris out from under her mother’s home after the flood disaster. With the space cleared, Julie could focus on getting the electricity turned back on and ensuring the foundation was steady so her mother would be safe.

But we didn’t stop there. Faithful friends and partners like you helped supply emergency meal kits to families in Buchanan County who had no electricity or running water to prepare what little food they had.

“I just don’t even have the words, because it means that they get to eat,” said Marcella, who’d worked tirelessly at a local shelter since the storm.

For families like Beulah and her daughter, it was an answered prayer. “God completes the work that He starts,” said Julie. “He is using you guys to do that.”

Fresh Start for Local Artisans in Peru

PERU- Indigenous communities such as Manacamiri and Padre Cocha are home to dozens of artisans with great potential for entrepreneurship in handicrafts. For generations, they have survived by dedicating their lives to agriculture, fishing, and handicraft creation.

Sadly, however, many do not have all the materials they need to create their handicrafts. These handicrafts are important because their sale helps provide extra income for impoverished Peruvian families. When local artisans can’t produce or sell these wares, it negatively impacts them. Some face food insecurity and even go hungry since they can’t provide enough.

Income for Peruvian Families

For years, these communities wished to be part of a project that promotes new crafting techniques for their products, in addition to being recognized as a formal association. Thanks to generous friends like you, Operation Blessing started a community project for the artisans of Manacamiri and Padre Cocha in Peru.

Technical workshops were developed to improve the skill level and knowledge base of local artists. In the workshops, artists learned how to make products using new techniques. The added income from these improved products brings more income for Peruvian families and makes all the difference to their well being.

Each artisan also received tools and materials to continue working. And they were registered to be able to sell as vendors and compete in competitions. These blessings have made all the difference in providing income for Peruvian families. It’s not just extra income, but essentially provides hunger relief and prevents food insecurity.

A New Start For Baby Jordano

surgery in peru for a child named Jordano with deformed feet

You Sent Life-Changing Surgery To A Child In Need

child in peru able to play and walk again after surgery for clubfoot

PERU – The nurses looked frightened. Why won’t they let me see my baby? Belzabeth will never forget the day Jordano was born. He entered the world with deformed feet in Peru.The doctors said the umbilical cord was wrapped around his leg and called it “equine foot.” The diagnosis left Belzabeth feeling shocked and helpless.

Jordano, a lovable, playful little boy, brimmed with energy despite his condition. While he gave his parents so much joy, they constantly worried that he might never be able to walk. Can you imagine how they must have felt, wondering if their child would be able to run and play with other children, thrive in school, or even hold down a job someday with deformed feet in Peru?

successful life changing foot surgery for child in peru

They did their best to find help for their son and met with an orthopedist who informed them that Jordano’s condition could be corrected by surgery. However, they would have to wait until he turned 7 months old. They counted down the months, the weeks, the days.

But then, the pandemic quarantine hit Peru, and sadly, Jordano’s surgery was postponed indefinitely. Meanwhile his parents’ meager funds dwindled as the lockdown continued. All hope began to fade. After what felt like an unbearably long time, life began to get back to normal, but Belzabeth had no idea how to help Jordano. “I could not possibly pay for our baby’s surgery!” she said.

Then Jordano’s doctor recommended that Belzabeth reach out to Operation Blessing. Thanks to you, we were able to offer Jordano the surgery he had waited so long for. And the best part was that all of his medical expenses would be covered as well. Belzabeth could not believe the good news. “I felt so happy, I almost cried.” Because of your kindness, Jordano was able to have the surgery that would change his life.”

After the successful operation, Jordano’s hard-working parents faithfully supported him as he wore corrective shoes, attended therapy, and went to doctor visits. Months after the surgery, little Jordano began taking his first steps with the help of your love and support.

He is now more playful than ever. He can even wear normal sneakers to run outside and have fun. “I couldn’t be more thankful for Operation Blessing.” Belzabeth couldn’t contain her joy. “My son is going to grow up like other kids. He doesn’t have to worry about his foot. He won’t be in pain. He will be happy. Thank you for everything”

Feeding Ukraine Refugees in Poland Shelters

UKRAINE- For families in Ukraine, the war came as a shock. Overnight, peaceful neighborhoods were turned into hubs of violence. The once quiet landscape became enormously dangerous with no warning to the inhabitants. The sky was filled with the sound of deadly weapons and ordinance. Tetyana and Valentyna saw rockets, missiles, and shells exploding in the area around them.

For Tetyana and Valentyna, this kind of devastation made living in their hometown unbearable. In the wake of the destructive violence, basic necessities were taken away. Utilities like electricity and running water were no longer available due to the fighting. Life as they knew it was shattered.

Valentyna said she was not a believer before the invasion. As the intensity of the violence unfurled around her, she prayed for GOD to save her. Her prayers were answered. They fled to safety where Operation Blessing and other humanitarian groups in Poland were waiting to help them.

Humanitarian Groups In Poland

When they left their homes to escape the violence, they connected with local humanitarian groups in Poland that partner with Operation Blessing and Orphan’s Promise. They also were united with other Ukrainian refugees who were forced to leave their homes.

Thanks to the love and support of our partners, there is plenty of fresh, healthy food, and critical supplies for these families. Thank your for heart to help Ukrainian refugees as they adjust to their new lives in Poland.