Although Dar’s parents were initially overjoyed with the arrival of beautiful twin boys, they quickly became troubled when they noticed Dar’s cleft lip. The family endured severe ridicule from neighbors in Cambodia, suggesting they should throw Dar in the trash or leave him to die. His mother also watched him struggle to drink milk.
A cleft lip, in Cambodia, often carries a negative stigma, but that didn’t matter to Dar’s grandmother who was moved with compassion for him.She told his parents that even if they wanted to give him away, she would care for him. But Dar’s parents would not give away their son they loved so much. They were prepared to endure any pain for the sake of their son. They had no money and no other options to correct his lip.
One day when Dar’s parents were taking him to receive his regular vaccinations, a doctor told them about Operation Blessing’s life-changing surgery program. And thanks to you, Dar was able to receive a free surgery to correct his cleft lip in Cambodia! He is now on the road to full recovery from surgery and can drink milk without choking. Thank you for your heart to see Dar healed and his future changed! To get involved, go to ob.org/surgeries.
PERU– To see Andy’s bright smile now, you would never realize how much of life he’d missed out on during his first seven years, before he received hernia surgery. The painful medical condition kept Andy sidelined. Then you put your love into action through a procedure that changed his life!
Andy was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia at birth. But he was too small and frail to have hernia surgery. However, as years passed and Andy’s father took him to the hospital multiple times, the available healthcare system let him down again and again.
They continued sending him home with pain medicine and suggestions to keep the hernia from worsening. Meanwhile, he still badly needed surgery to correct the problem. His father, David, said “I felt sad that I was not receiving what I was looking for, but kept praying.”
David, a single father, simply couldn’t afford to pay for the surgery himself. He works as a musician and music teacher. After his wife left him and Andy, his financial situation became difficult. He currently lives with his parents at the church where they serve as pastors and David as worship leader. “I kept looking for other possibilities but there wasn’t enough money to afford them,” he said.
When David worked with kids at his church, “I saw all these children moving around. They sit for a moment but cannot stay seated for too long. They are very active.” He said, “Among the children playing, there was one boy that looked like my son. I thought to myself, how I wished to see my son as healthy as that child, and be operated on.”
Andy’s suffering brought David much sorrow. “I can see he feels frustrated and sad even though he doesn’t tell me that. He loves soccer and would like to run as much as he can, but he is limited,” David said. While Andy also enjoyed singing with his father, the extroverted child mostly wanted to be able to play with his friends.
Then things turned into a nightmare as Andy’s pain grew worse, and he struggled through each evening. Not only was he experiencing a painful childhood, his life and his future were at risk.
That’s when Operation Blessing Peru staff heard about Andy’s case—and you put your love into action to provide Andy with the hernia surgery he needed! Even better, Andy quickly recovered without any complications. Now he can enjoy his life without pain or limitations, because of friends like you.
It’s amazing to see how a simple surgery for a hernia can transform a life. David sent along his thanks to you. He said, “I wish with my heart that…Andy could one day share hope to other people with the story of how he was restored and healed. Thank you Operation Blessing for making this possible.”
Liscy lives with her children in Honduras in the remote community of Las Quebradas. Unfortunately, the need for relief for disaster victims in Honduras remains dire. Her community was still in the process of recovering from recent hurricanes Eta and Iota when tragedy struck again. One afternoon, Liscy’s neighbors began to stir with panic at the sound and feel of the earth shaking. A neighbor raced to a high point in the community to confirm that a nearby hill was collapsing. The man ran down to the community, shouting the news. Liscy and her neighbors immediately fled the area, racing to safety before the hill fully collapsed, burying 14 houses as it fell.
Liscy and her children cannot currently return to their home. Flood waters are still running through her community, making it unlivable. But thanks to you, hope was on its way! You were the answer to so many prayers as you sent relief for disaster victims in Honduras. Operation Blessing Honduras arrived to Liscy’s community with resources to bless those suffering from recent disaster. Bags filled with food, medicines, and first aid supplies were distributed to dozens of families in Las Quebradas. Liscy was so grateful for these supplies to sustain her children as her community begins to recover. Thank you for your heart to see disaster victims cared for around the world! To get involved, visit ob.org/disaster.
HONDURAS – Ever since she was 4 years old, young Jeslin has followed a strict schedule, heavily limited by lack of clean water solutions in Honduras. She gets home from school, does her homework, plays for a bit, and then has to attend to a big chore—fetching water. Walking for miles, she searches for the stream where she gathers as much water as she can carry. But Jeslin’s stream is contaminated, and she risks being bitten by snakes. Jeslin told Operation Blessing staff about how the water she gathers makes her sick. “I drank it and I thought, ‘I hate this and I never want to drink it ever again.’ I thought my stomach was going to explode, and the pain made me cry.”
Unfortunately, this is the reality many families in Honduras face. Lack of access to clean water solutions in Honduras causes thousands of childrenand adults to contract waterborne illnesses each year. The task of gathering water often falls to young girls like Jeslin, who should be studying and playing with their friends. But thanks to you, this reality is changing bit by bit.
Your generosity has allowed Operation Blessing to work tirelessly to bring clean water solutions to communities like Jeslin’s. Your donations gave Jeslin and her village a state-of-the-art water purification system, which brings clean, drinkable water right into their homes. Thanks to you, Jeslin no longer has to make the daily trek for dirty water. “I am so happy we have clean water, and we aren’t forced to drink dirty water anymore!” she exclaimed. This is all thanks to your amazing generosity. Click here learn more about how you can bring clean water solutions in Honduras to children like Jeslin!
INDONESIA – Early Friday morning on January 15th, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, sending thousands fleeing from their beds. Over the next days the dust cleared. In the aftermath, 84 people were found dead and over 300 seriously injured. Additionally, the 2021 Indonesia Earthquake displaced approximately 30,000 residents from their homes.
Beyond the human toll, the quake and over 39 aftershocks have done significant damage to homes, businesses, roads, and other infrastructures in the area. Now, the people of Sulawesi desperately need our help.
Operation Blessing Friends Reach out to Earthquake Victims
Operation Blessing friends like you have heard their cries. We quickly sprang to action, preparing for a massive outreach effort to those affected by the earthquake. Fortunately, our Indonesian branch, Obor Berkat, stood ready on the ground and able to respond.
The team moved quickly to assist hundreds of families with food and hygiene kits. Thanks to you, they are also providing medical care to the wounded. Moreover, our teams on the ground will also be monitoring ongoing needs, to see how else we might be of assistance to hurting victims. Come back for updates on this urgent situation.
Please keep victims of the 2021 Indonesia Earthquake in your prayers. And consider giving a special gift today to help disaster victims in need at ob.org/disasterrelief
The COVID-19 crisis has extended into 2021. The state of Texas and the entire United States still face great challenges. Sadly, feeding hungry Texans is one of many priorities in the Lone Star State. Texas continues to weather a struggling economy carried over from 2020. The new year has brought the same worries and issues as the year before for many families. Hunger and food insecurity are a major concern and no country or state is immune. Thousands of men and women are still trying to find work after being furloughed or let go at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. Now, in 2021, they have still been unable to secure a new source of income. Likewise, the crisis has left many families unable to pay for the most basic resources, like food to put on the table. Feeding hungry Texans is a real issue challenging the people of the state. Rochelle Fletcher, director of The Goodness Project in Texas, saw the tremendous need for hunger relief in her community and immediately sought to help.
Thanks to YOU, Rochelle and her team at The Goodness Project partnered with Operation Blessing to bring food to these desperate families!
Your kindness provided critical groceries to hungry men, women, and children in Texas. You are serving up hope and security to these families in very uncertain times. Thank you!
BEIRUT, Lebanon – This year a historically massive explosion at a port in Lebanon demolished the surrounding area for miles, taking over 200 lives. But you sent comfort and blessings to survivors like Walid after the Beirut explosion.
Walid worked as a delivery driver for a well-known restaurant in the port area. He had thought he noticed a fire on his way back one day. But it wasn’t he was at the restaurant that everyone realized the magnitude of the situation and rushed outside to see.
He remembers one of the waitresses filming the fire one her phone. And then, a strong gust of air pushed him high into the air as the fire turned into a massive explosion that shook the city. The force threw Walid across the road and to the other side.
With teary eyes he retold that moment. “I can’t describe the seconds that went by…. I got up bleeding, holding my leg, looking around me. It was rubble and chaos.”
In the Aftermath of Disaster
Walid continued, lowering his voice so his daughters wouldn’t hear his next sentence. “I saw bodies falling down from buildings around us, I saw flesh and blood all around me, I heard people screaming but it wasn’t clear. My ears were damaged, but I could still hear panicking screams. The waitress that was filming a few seconds earlier was found dead meters away from the restaurant.”
The scene around him was a nightmare, and everything on the street had been reduced to ashes. He remembers the injured moaning and calling out for help, but Walid was in bad condition himself. With the roads blocked, no assistance could reach them. Even the hospitals in the city were badly damaged.
Traumatized and injured with a severe head wound, he stumbled to where the ambulances could reach him. He even managed to help a few others who were worse off them him along the way.
Meanwhile, his wife Layla and his children were experiencing their own traumatic situation. Layla said, “He was so close to the explosion. It all happened in seconds and while we were stuck in the elevator terrified. I called him several times but he didn’t answer, so I assumed the worst had happened. Two hours later, I was losing my mind, nothing was clear. The whole country was in shock. Even watching the news wasn’t giving me an answer, until my husband called. I thanked God a million times for protecting him.”
Eventually Walid received the treatment and stitches he needed, and made it home to his family. However, with the city in rubble, including Walid’s workplace, they still needed so much help.
After the Beirut Explosion
That’s where you stepped in! Thanks to faithful partners like you, we were able to quickly connect with our partner in that area, Heart for Lebanon. Through them, you sent help to the weary people of Beirut, like Walid. You provided his family with assistance repairing their home, food, hygiene supplies, and cleaning supplies.
A staff member from Heart for Lebanon told us, “We went to many homes in the past few months, most of the families have miraculously survived this terrible explosion. All have a story in which God has protected them.” Thank you for being part of the miracle story for hundreds of these brave survivors.
KENYA – Meet Dominic, a hard-working father doing his best to provide for his family as an industrial painter in Nairobi, Kenya. Little did he know how crowdfunding would change his life and allow him to get the tumor surgery he would so desperately need.
One day a few years ago Dominic got what he thought was nothing more than a pimple on his face. He assumed the blemish would go away but it began to grow, instead. Over time, it became a large benign parotid tumor that bulged from the left side of his face.
Dominic’s life was greatly
affected by the enormous tumor. He became very self-conscious, wearing a hooded
sweatshirt wherever he went in an attempt to hide the unsightly growth. Dominic
needed surgery to remove the tumor, but his income as a painter and his wife’s
work as a subsistence farmer weren’t enough to afford the operation.
When Operation Blessing
found out about Dominic’s condition, we knew that the kindness of OB partners
like you could change Dominic’s life. We set up a crowdfunding campaign to
raise the $2,000 needed for Dominic’s tumor operation—and faithful friends like
you responded!
Although Dominic’s tumor surgery
was funded quickly, then COVID-19 hit, placing a hold on non-emergency
surgeries. Thankfully, the hold was eventually lifted and Dominic’s tumor was
finally removed. Now Dominic is completely healed!
To help people like Dominic, who struggle with medical conditions requiring surgeries they cannot afford, Operation Blessing created our Life-Changing Surgeries catalog where you can read stories like Dominic’s and change lives of adults and children forever through the priceless gift of healing.
CONCEPCIÓN, HONDURAS – Things have been difficult for Maria Telma since the pandemic began last year. A the virus spread, she and her family were in need of hunger relief in Honduras. As the sole provider for her young daughter, Maria is under a lot of pressure. She works as a for-hire cleaning lady, cleaning client’s homes on a day-to-day basis. Usually, her clientele calls her to request service, and the next day Maria shows up ready to clean. But things have changed drastically due to COVID-19.
Nowadays, Maria’s clients have dwindled dramatically. Most people are justifiably concerned about the spread of the virus. Because of this, most of Maria’s work has dried up due to people being afraid she will bring COVID to their homes. “I am so worried about the situation,” Maria told Operation Blessing staff. “I am doing everything I can to earn money so that my daughter can eat.” Unfortunately, the situation forced Maria and her daughter to ration their food. They were in desperate need of hunger relief in Honduras.
Hunger Relief In Honduras
But your generosity didn’t let them go hungry! Thanks to you, Operation Blessing staff in Honduras prepared food packages for Maria and the people of her village. Families received packages full of essential food items like rice, beans, and flour. Because of you, Maria and her daughter no longer have to ration their food. Maria is so grateful to everyone who made this possible. “Thank you Operation Blessing for this donation, thank you donors for sending rice, beans, and flour,” Maria exclaimed. “Thanks to you, our homes are now stocked with food so we can cook again!”
Your support allows stories like this to be told all year long. Operation Blessing provides hunger relief for hungry families in the U.S. and overseas! Thanks to you, families like Maria and her daughter go to sleep with stocked cupboards and full stomachs. Click here to learn more about getting involved with Operation Blessing. You made last year a year marked by unwavering support. Let’s make 2021 even better!
PERU – Andy is 7-years old and lives with his family. From first glance you would never know he needs hernia surgery in Peru. In many ways, he is much like every other boy at his school. He enjoys running and playing with his friends outside. Unfortunately, all is not what it seems. Sadly, Andy has a condition that holds him back. A severe hernia has caused years of pain for him.
Accordingly, he often must cut his playtime short, as long periods of activity cause him extreme pain. While other friends his age keep playing, Andy is only able to sit and watch in pain. As a result of the condition, Andy’s father has witnessed his son suffer with this affliction. His heart hurts for his son, seeing he is unable to thrive like a young boy should.
Andy’s Father Struggled To Get Him Help
Andy’s father tried to find ways to get his son the hernia surgery in Peru that he needs. Likewise, Andy’s father sought medical intervention through Peru’s social medicine program, but to no avail. With no other financial means to have Andy’s condition looked at, frustration began to set in. Consequently, his father began to lose hope, overwhelmed by the struggle to get his son the medical procedure he needed.
But thanks to you, hope was not lost! When Operation Blessing Peru heard of Andy’s hernia condition, they travelled to his home to deliver good news. The good news was that our generous partners would pay for his procedure! Andy underwent hernia surgery and now runs and plays without pain. Thank you for your kindness. Because of you, Andy and others like him all over the world are being healed from their infirmities. You have given Andy a bright hope in the future and brought joy to his father. Thank you!
