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.
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.
How to Cook Mexican Shrimp Aguachile
MEXICO — Did you know that you can cook shrimp using only lime juice and a little time? It’s true! In this video, Sissi and Paco will show you how to make traditional Mexican Shrimp Aguachile, a classic recipe that is sure to please. You will need a pound of fresh shrimp and 5-10 limes to start. Squeeze the juice from the limes and make sure all the shrimp are covered in juice. Leave the shrimp to sit for awhile, or overnight. Because of the acid in the lime juice, the shrimp will “cook” and are perfectly safe to eat. But, you can sauté them if you prefer.
Next comes the salsa. Using serrano chilies, garlic, and lots of fresh cilantro, this flavorful salsa packs a punch. Blend up the vegetables with a little lime juice and salt to the consistency of pesto. To finish, slice up some red onions, cucumbers, and avocado, and toss together with shrimp. All done! Serve with chips and eat with friends.
Because of your love, families in Mexico are being fed through Operation Blessing’s hunger relief programs. You are providing food packages and life-changing microenterprises for families who struggle to put food on the table. If you enjoyed this Mexican Shrimp Aguachile salad recipe be sure to get a copy of our free summer recipes booklet mailed to you at no charge! Thank you for your incredible support to feed the hungry in Latin America and around the world!
How to Make Guatemala Chojin Salad!
GUATEMALA — Hola! Welcome to beautiful Guatemala. Today, Geraldina will show us how to make the delicious and flavorful classic, Guatemala Chojin salad. This recipe features a unique ingredient: pork rinds! When crushed up, the pork rinds add a tasty crunch to this colorful dish. Combined with peppery radishes, juicy tomatoes, and peppermint, this unique salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Start by chopping up all your vegetables. If you like, you can add onion for some extra flavor. Then, crush up your pork rinds. Geraldina used a mortar and pestle, but you can also put the rinds in a plastic baggie and crush it with a rolling pin. Kids will love smashing up the crunchy pork rinds! Once everything is ready, add it all to a large bowl and mix together. Add your peppermint, lemon or lime juice, and salt, and you’re almost done! It’s important to let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes to let all of the flavors mix together. All done! Serve with soft tortillas or crunchy chips.
Because of your love, families in Guatemala are being fed through Operation Blessing’s hunger relief programs. You are providing food packages and life-changing microenterprises for families who struggle to put food on the table. If you enjoyed this Guatemala Chojin salad recipe be sure to get a copy of our free summer recipes booklet mailed to you at no charge! Thank you for your incredible support to feed the hungry in Latin America and around the world!
How to Cook Honduran Chicken Tostadas!
HONDURAS – Welcome to beautiful Honduras! Today, Hilda will show you how to cook the delicious Chicken Tostadas from our Healthy Recipes Booklet, which you can access for free at ob.org/summer. This simple tostada recipe is sure to please both young and old.
To start this tostada recipe, make a simple marinade using spices, vinegar, lime juice, and more. Letting the chicken marinade overnight is the key to flavorful tostadas! Then, fry up the chicken until it’s golden-brown and crispy. While the chicken cooks, make the healthy salsa. Now you’re ready to assemble the tostadas. Take a pre-toasted tortilla, add the chicken and the salsa, and viola! Delicious, authentic Honduran tostadas.
Because of your love, families in Honduras are being fed through Operation Blessing’s hunger relief programs. You are providing food packages and life-changing microenterprises for families who struggle to put food on the table. If you enjoyed this Honduran Chicken Tostadas recipe be sure to get a copy of our free summer recipes booklet mailed to you at no charge! Thank you for your incredible support to feed the hungry in Honduras and around the world!
Hope Fulfilled for Single Mother in Need
GEORGIA – Jen has always had a passion for motherhood. Her two teenage boys, Roman and Lucca, mean the world to her. She enjoys being able to care for them.
“I just always wanted children. And I’m so, so grateful that they want to spend time with me.”
A couple of years ago, Jen started her own property management company. The business was initially successful. Then things fell apart when one of her major investors left the company, and she had to shut it down. Jen grew heartbroken.
“It was devastating. I mean, it was so unexpected. When you’re in that situation, it is a freefall, and you just get creative. You try not to run up bills, try to pay what you can. I sold lots of stuff, even if it’s for $10 or $20. Anything to pay a water bill, anything to keep the electricity on. It’s a scary thing. I was really trying to meter the food out, and I was running out of ideas. How do I feed these kids?”
Hunger Relief Thanks to You
That’s when you stepped in. Jen found out about Warehouse of Hope, an Operation Blessing partner that provided hunger relief in Georgia to help her feed her family.
“Just the environment and the atmosphere there is one of hope,” Jen said. “And then when you go to shop, there are so many things like rice and pasta. You end up with some really good food… They gave us what we needed.”
Thanks to you, Operation Blessing has been working with Warehouse of Hope since 2003. We send trucks with nonperishable food and other grocery items to the ministry on a weekly basis to help bring hunger relief in Georgia. The organization strives to not only provide families with food and clothing, but to also show them the love of Christ. By partnering with Operation Blessing, you are a part of that mission as well.
Because of the overwhelming love and support Jen and her boys received from friends like you, they now serve as volunteers. They work to pass along that same love and support to others who are in need.
“The opportunity to give back changed our lives. It changed our outlook,” Jen shared. “My son, Lucca, he loves the warehouse and stocking and running and helping people with their carts. It just became something that we looked forward to doing.”
Jen now has a new job in finance. And with the assistance of your faithful support, her family is finally getting back on its feet. While COVID-19 temporarily halted the family’s ability to volunteer, Jen’s youngest son, Lucca, says he will always hold Operation Blessing and the generous partners who support it, dear to his heart.
“People that donate to Operation Blessing can make things like Warehouse of Hope possible. It’s really nice, and it helps just so many families.”
Recovering From An EF3 Tornado
Cheryl and Peter were asleep when an EF3 tornado tore through their neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee. Like most tornadoes, it struck quickly and with ferocity. The tornado caused extreme damage to their property. The fast moving twister even tore a tree out of the ground and threw into their home. Terror washed over them. They were in fear for their lives.
Thankfully they made it through safely, and insurance covered the damage to their home. However, home damage does not encompass all of the expense in a disaster situation. Tornadoes destroy yards. They uproot trees. They tear fences and smash anything on your property. Consequently, the amount of debris left after a tornado can be significant. Hiring a contractor to remove debris can cost thousands of dollars. So what do you do when you do not have that kind of money available?
Cleaning Up Tornado Debris
Sadly, the insurance did not cover tornado debris cleanup in the yard. Peter was left alone to clean up the debris, including other fallen trees. He felt overwhelmed by the size of the job. That is when Operation Blessing showed up! Thanks to YOU, volunteers arrived with truckloads full of supplies that your generosity helped provide. We are able to help meet disaster victims’ needs in these trying situations.
In addition to supplies, Operation Blessing also provided the manpower to help clear storm wreckage. Our teams cut trees, cleared debris, and removed the weight off of Peter’s shoulders. Thank you for supporting disaster victims in their darkest hour! To get involved, visit ob.org/disaster-relief.