OB’s Light & Lean Summer Cookbook!

It’s Tuesday night—dinnertime again. Time to feed the family between finishing up work reports, picking up the kids from practice, and remembering to walk the dog. Do you really want the same old recipes that you’ve made dozens of times? Wouldn’t a summer cookbook with incredible international recipes liven up a sometimes boring mealtime?

Forget the predictable meatloaf or pot pie dish! Your family wants something fresh and new! How about a summer cookbook with scrumptious authentic international recipes. Presenting Operation Blessing’s “Light & Lean” summer recipe booklet!

Delve into a world of taste and culture, hand-selected from countries around the world. Impress your friends, family, or colleagues with these authentic dishes, as you cook recipes directly from the kitchens of locals around the world! Whatever your taste or occasion calls for, turn to the pages of flavor-filled recipes passed down to families like the ones that our generous partners continue to bless. Get your to Operation Blessing “Light & Lean” International Recipes Booklet today to spice up your summer!

2021 Indonesia Earthquake – Operation Blessing Friends Respond

INDONESIA – Not long ago, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in the early morning hours, sending thousands fleeing from their beds. Over the next days as the dust cleared, 84 people were found dead, over 300 seriously injured, and approximately 30,000 residents were displaced from their homes. 

In addition, the quake and over 39 aftershocks caused significant damage to homes, businesses, roads, and other infrastructures in the area. This left the people of Sulawesi in desperate need of help, and Operation Blessing friends like you responded to their cries.  

Thanks to your support, we quickly sprang to action, preparing for a massive effort to offer relief to those affected by the earthquake. Fortunately, our Indonesian branch, Obor Berkat, was already on the ground and able to respond. We reached out to the Indonesia earthquake victims with food, hygiene kits, and medical care.  

indonesia earthquake victims

Disaster Relief For Earthquake Victims 

Remy was one of the many Indonesia earthquake victims to receive aid thanks to your compassion. This 56-year-old worked as a cookie seller. She told us that she was sleeping when the earthquake suddenly struck and shook her awake. Next, everything went black as the electricity died. She tried to run from her house but struggled to find her way in the dark. When she finally found the door, it wouldn’t open due to the damage from the quake. She screamed for help for a long time, afraid she would die trapped her home. Finally, someone heard her cries and helped her escape.  

She shared with us that the earthquake badly damaged her house, and she’d had nothing to eat for days. Then, thanks to your generous support, Operation Blessing workers handed out food packets and hygiene kits to Remy and her neighbors. She was so happy to receive the help! You also provided medical exams and care to victims of the quake. 

Remy gives glory to God for her escape from death. She’s thankful to God and to you for helping her through this difficult time. 

disaster-relief-for-earthquake-victims

Answered Prayers for Desperate Flood Victim in Louisiana

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA — “You’re not going to believe this” Cheri Levine said to her sister over the phone. “They’re coming to help me today!”

Cheri Levine is a long-time resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana. A TSA agent, Cheri lives alone in her home along with her dogs and cats. Because of Hurricanes Laura and Delta, her home had already suffered from structural damage from the roof down. And now, the floods damaged her home from the ground up. Faced by months-long waitlists for contractors, Cheri had no idea what she was going to do. “I was just sitting there praying.” she said. “And that’s when you walked up.”

Thanks to your incredible generosity, Operation Blessing showed up just when Cheri needed help the most. Your love provided a desperate flood victim like Cheri with the relief she needed at her most vulnerable hour. Because of you, Operation Blessing staff and volunteers helped Cheri tear out rotten panels, soggy insulation, and water-logged furniture. “I could never do what they’re doing.” she said. “And I just wanna say, from my heart, thank you!”

None of this would be possible without your support to help a desperate flood victim like Cheri. Thank you for your amazing generosity as we continue to bring relief to victims of the Louisiana floods. To learn more, visit ob.org/obdisaster.

Supporting Flood Victims in Louisiana

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA — Less than a year after the 2020 hurricane season, Operation Blessing is back on the ground in Lake Charles. Our staff is meeting with residents to understand their greatest needs at this time. Thanks to your support, we are organizing volunteers to send out into the community, blessing flood victims through prayer support and by meeting their physical needs through mucking out and gutting damaged houses and removing debris.

Right now, the community is in desperate need of aid. Operation Blessing is ready to respond to work orders and start giving hope to the community of Lake Charles. To get involved and learn more, visit ob.org/obdisaster.

New Business During COVID-19

Krishna lost her job due to COVID-19 lockdowns in India. As a single parent, it was hard for her to take care of her family and she fell into a lot of debt. She couldn’t find anyone to help her family through their hard times. Consequently, Krishna’s hope began slipping away.

Like so many others all around the world, Krishna’s family faced a desperate situation. But Operation Blessing friends have been reaching out around the world throughout this crisis, providing both crucial supplies, and income earning opportunities.

That’s why Krishna found hope through you! Because of your gifts and prayer support, Operation Blessing set up a mask making business in Krishna’s community. She now spends her days sewing masks to sell to the community. Krishna is keeping others safe from COVID-19 while also earning enough income to care for her family again.

In addition, after our staff saw how hard she worked, you gave Krishna her own sewing machine! She can now work faster and more efficiently to produce many hand-crafted items to be sold. This has significantly increased her income and Krishna has been able to pay back all the debt she owed. Thank you for liberating Krishna following COVID-19 lockdowns and putting her back on her feet! To get involved, visit https://www.ob.org.

Responding to Historic Louisiana Flooding

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA — Less than a year after the 2020 hurricane season, Operation Blessing is back on the ground in Lake Charles. Our staff is ready to tackle the historic flooding which ravaged the area recently. We met with local resident Mickey Smith Jr., who told our staff about how the storm affected his family. Right now, the community is in desperate need of aid. Operation Blessing is ready to respond to work orders and start giving hope to the community of Lake Charles. To get involved and learn more, visit ob.org/obdisaster.

Donate Today

Operation Blessing Ready to Tackle Flooding in Louisiana

LOUISIANA — Operation Blessing’s United States Disaster Relief Team rolled out this week. They’re ready to tackle the immense flooding seen in Louisiana and Texas over the past few days.

Operation Blessing Is On the Move in Louisiana

Deployment Manager Blake Mueller is leading the team as they proceed to scout out the area. Following that assessment, they will determine how best to serve the affected community.

You Can Help Flood Victims

Please keep the families of Louisiana and Texas in your prayers. These areas were ravaged by last year’s hurricane season and still recovering. To learn more about how you can bring relief to victims of disaster, visit ob.org/obdisaster. In addition, to find out about how you can help on the ground visit our volunteer page. Thank you and God Bless.

New Business Means Hope For Costa Rican Mother

COSTA RICA — Single mother Kimberley lives in Costa Rica. As a child of poverty herself, Kimberley did everything she could to not let her three kids fall into the same fate. “She told us that she would want to be a baker, but she hadn’t the tools she needed” said Kimberley’s daughter. If only she had the tools or capital for a new business in Costa Rica, things might be different. 

However, Kimberley’s dreams shattered when she got laid off from her job at a hotel. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Costa Rica, a country reliant on its tourism industry, suffered massive layoffs across its numerous hotels and resorts. Like Kimberley, many workers suddenly found themselves jobless.

“Come to get your termination letter and the final paycheck, and I will let you know if they allow us to open again. We will have work for you again.” These words spoken by her employer rang in Kimberley’s ears as she walked home to face her new reality.

How would she feed her children? How would she pay the bills? “It reminded me of my childhood, and it is very hard,” said Kimberley. “Very hard to face the same situation but now from another perspective.” But thanks to your astounding generosity, hope was on its way. Your love provided Kimberley with the goods she needed to get back on her feet.  

A New Business for Kimberley

Thanks to you, Kimberley and her children received bags full of food to restock their pantry. But even more help arrived that day–you also gave Kimberley the opportunity to start a new business in Costa Rica. You provided the supplies she needed to finally follow her dream of becoming a baker!

Joy overwhelmed Kimberley at the sight of your gifts. “Thank you for making it possible to have food on our table every day. And thank you for letting me feel proud of myself again.” Kimberley said.

Thanks to your love, families like Kimberley’s receive priceless gifts like this all over the world. 

Feeding Struggling Grandparents

Juanita Harris has spent her life caring for her family. For many years she raised her children as a single mother. Then circumstances necessitated that Juanita take in several of her grandchildren. She is now caring of four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. When Juanita met Tim, she was already caring for her grandchildren. When they married, he began caring for them as his own. Their family bond means everything to them.

Even with a dual incomes, sometimes their paychecks would not stretch far enough to cover all the bills. Caring for so many children caused strain on Tim and Juanita’s finances. They found themselves in the role of struggling grandparents. Facing food insecurity, they sometimes had to choose between bills and putting food on the table.

But hope was not lost! Tim and Juanita began receiving groceries from Operation Blessing partner Dayspring Church in Texas. Regular visits to their food distributions sustained Tim and Juanita in their darkest hours. Now Tim has a higher paying job and they rarely have a need for food. But they will never forget your generosity when they needed it most as struggling grandparents. Thank you! To get involved, visit https://www.ob.org/hunger-relief/.

You Are Sending COVID-19 Help to India

INDIA – For over a year, COVID-19 has ravaged not only our country, but our entire world. While most of us are familiar with the death tolls, the number of cases, and the vaccination process in the U.S., we might not be aware of the situation in other struggling nations, like India.

Update May 24, 2021

News coming out of India has continued to become more tragic. Those on the ground have reported the Ganges river being filled with bodies and the smell of death. They largely attribute this to COVID, which is causing approximately 4000 fatalities per day. Operation Blessing is currently in the process of expanding our COVID-19 humanitarian efforts in India to help these suffering people.

With your support, our goal is to provide medical oxygen supplies to various mission hospitals in the Indian states of Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Andhra Pradesh. We hope that together with friends like you, we can save thousands of lives per month.

COVID-19 India

In recent weeks, COVID-19 infections and deaths have skyrocketed in India. COVID cases in India have surpassed 20 million since the beginning of the pandemic, and the death toll is increasing by as many as 120 every hour. In the face of these grim numbers, YOU are helping to bring relief.

Oxygen, one of the key resources for helping seriously ill COVID patients recover, is in short supply in India. Some hospitals are having to turn the sick away because of lack of oxygen. Thanks to your support, Operation Blessing is helping provide oxygen for the Philadelphia Hospital in Ambala, India. The goal is to provide oxygen for 60 COVID patients per day for the next two weeks.

If you would like to help with this ongoing crisis with COVID-19 in India and around the world, or if you’d like to learn more about Operation Blessing’s work with to help others during this pandemic, please visit our COVID-19 page.