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!
The Christmas season is here once again. A time of family, celebration, and generosity. Following any year, it is important to share your love at Christmas. After the struggles of 2020, it is more important than ever to share and give back. This year, we find the world weary and unsure. 2020 was a difficult and challenging year for everyone.
It was one of the most active hurricane seasons in recorded history, bringing damage to the United States, Mexico, and Central America. The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, killing over a million people, and making countless others sick. The economic impact of the pandemic has been felt worldwide with shutdowns and food shortages all across the globe. Wildfires, tornadoes, and typhoons made the disasters of 2020 seem endless. Your kindness, however, has made such an impact.
Thanks to YOU, Operation Blessing stands ready to serve your generosity and love to the most vulnerable! Your faithfulness made a difference this year and now we ask you to share your love this Christmas once again. For the single mother struggling to feed her children, your caring put food on the table. As victims faced the destruction of natural disasters, you helped us bring them relief. For people suffering amidst a lingering global pandemic, you gave hope and help. For families receiving aid they never thought would arrive, your gifts have kept them going. Your kindness, prayers, and compassion this year helped support poor, needy, marginalized, and forgotten people worldwide. Please continue to share your love this Christmas with men, women, and children all over the world.
Enjoy Christmas by exploring Traditional Christmas Craft projects with this free guide. This guide offers International craft project instructions for multiple projects. Projects include everything from holiday beads to Christmas Origami.
PERU – Silvia and her husband, Roger, eke out a living by farming in the highlands of Peru as they struggle to support their two sons, 6-year-old Gianfranco and 1-year-old Deivis. Their remote community San Jerónimo de Ullagachi lies an hour’s drive from the nearest city of Puno and the closest health center in Peru. Like most people in this region, Silvia and Roger raise livestock and cultivate their land in the high-altitude tundra as best they can.
Life in San Jerónimo de
Ullagachi is hard and parents like Silvia often have a difficult time meeting
even their family’s basic needs. As recently as a few years ago, the most minor
medical problem could become a major issue because of the distance to the
nearest medical facility.
Thankfully, your support made it possible for Operation Blessing to help establish a health center in Peru. The health facility is in San Jerónimo de Ullagachi and serves the hardworking and isolated residents like Silvia. Each month you send much-needed medicines to the community.
“Before we had OB in the community, the next medical center was located more than an hour away by foot,” Silvia recalled. “But I was recommended by a teacher in my son’s school that in this place they can quickly treat your children and do it well. It is such a blessing to have OB’s health center in the community, very close to home.”
When both of Silvia’s boys
got sick, the health facility you provided proved an immense blessing for the
family. “My children got sick at the same time,” Silvia remembers. “Gianfranco
was having a toothache so painful that it made him cry. Then, Deivis was
coughing a lot and it would not pass. I needed to do something immediately.”
Silvia took her sons to the heath clinic and the boys received immediate care from the health professionals there. Thanks to you, they gave Gianfranco analgesics for his tooth and referred him to a hospital to get the specialized attention he needed. You also made it possible for Deivis to receive a nebulizer and medicine to help clear his cough.
The boys are now thriving
and in good health. “I’m thankful that Operation Blessing is with us in our
community,” Silvia said. “I can go there anytime I need to because OB heals
people too!”
WORLDWIDE – Another year is wrapping up. And yet again, YOU have faithfully responded to disasters in 2020 all around the world.
Last winter you stepped up when floods hit Africa and tornadoes pummeled Tennessee. When the Philippines faced both an earthquake and a volcano, you sent much needed food, water, and dust masks.
Then came possibly the biggest natural disaster in a hundred years, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe. Because of your compassionate support, we were able to quickly switch directions as we responded to this new crisis, by far the most noteworthy of the disasters in 2020. You provided vital personal protective equipment, masks, and disinfectant products. These reached to the US and around the world, especially providing protection for medical workers and first responders who urgently needed them. Our capacity to create chlorine—thanks to our clean water initiatives—supplied vast quantities for stopping the spread of the virus.
Coronavirus Shutdowns And Hunger Relief
As soon as coronavirus shutdowns began, the biggest need suddenly became food. You quickly responded with emergency food and hygiene supplies throughout Asia, South America, and Africa. You also provided increased grocery distribution, brining hunger relief to families in the US. In addition, you gave invaluable handwashing stations to those in vulnerable areas. And in the meantime, you also sent help to flood victims in Michigan.
One Of The Worst Hurricane Seasons in History
By late summer, as the virus raged on, hurricane season was in full swing. The 2020 hurricane season proved to be one of the of worst in recorded history. When Hurricanes Laura, Sally, and Delta pummeled the Gulf Coast, you sent recovery assistance. This included water, food, and much-needed ice. Our volunteers reached out to tarp roofs and clean debris. When we discovered an entire hospital was struggling without water, thanks to you, we installed a reverse osmosis machine to provide clean water to keep them running during this critical time. You also sent help to fire victims in Ukraine, typhoon victims in the Philippines, and flood victims in Cambodia.
Natural disasters may be a constant in our
ever-changing world. But together with compassionate friends like you, we can
all be there for victims in need, shining a light in the darkness.
How often do we go through life on auto-pilot? Racing from one demand to the next? Christmastime can be the worst of all. As we add to our normal schedules, shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, visiting, perhaps parties and kids performances….whew! It’s tiring just to think about! But mindfulness is the important practice of stopping and really thinking consciously about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. And mindfulness at Christmastime is especially important.
Being Mindful about the Holidays
Is Christmas really about all the gifts, wrapping, and
outward trappings? Of course not. Is it about outspending your neighbor? I
certainly hope that isn’t the case.
Christmas is about Christ come to earth as a gift of love.
It’s about loving others as well. Those gifts…are to show appreciation and how
much we care about the people in our lives. And we can do that from the heart
without spending extensive time and resources.
Christmas is about the joy, hope, and peace that come through Christ. And if we let ourselves be robbed of these precious commodities, Christmas quickly loses its value and becomes nothing but a source of stress.
Take Time for Mindfulness
So take time to slow down and think this Christmas season. Enjoy an advent devotional to prepare your heart for the coming of Jesus. You can download our free version here. Meditate on the Christmas story. Imagine yourself in the place of a favorite character in that exquisite account of God coming to earth as a babe in a manger. Really listen to the words of those Christmas carols playing everywhere.
Put your focus on that love, joy, hope and peace. Give thought to blessing others, but don’t get overcome with the busyness. Enjoy your loved ones as much as you can.
Give Mindfully this Christmas
And as part of your mindfulness at Christmastime don’t
forget to bless others. Yes, it’s true. It’s more blessed to give than to
receive. But perhaps the biggest blessing comes from giving to the poor and
hurting, not just to your friends and family who have everything they need.
Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the
least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Enjoy Christmas by exploring Traditional Christmas Craft projects with this free guide. This guide offers International craft project instructions for multiple projects. Projects include everything from holiday beads to Christmas Origami.
