How To Cook Costa Rican Christmas Tamales

COSTA RICA – Merry Christmas from Costa Rica! Today, we’re showing you how to make authentic Costa Rican Christmas Tamales. The recipe may look complicated, but don’t be afraid! Ligia will show you all of the techniques needed to perfect this delicious Costa Rican Christmas dish. These Christmas tamales are stuffed with pork, rice, and other delicious ingredients. Wrap them up in plantain leaves, and leave to boil for 3o minutes. If you can’t find plantain leaves, dampened corn husks work as well. Give these tasty Costa Rican Christmas Tamales a try and let us know what you think! And for more delicious holiday recipes from around the world, visit ob.org/holidayrecipes. Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

8 cups Tamal mix
2 cups cold water
Cooked rice
1 stick margarine
2-3 lbs. seasoned pork shoulder
1 ball of string
Plantain leaves
Carrots & bell peppers
1 cube chicken bouillon
4-6 cups chicken broth

Preparation

Base Mixture or Tamal Mixture

Add Tamal mix to large stockpot
Add water. Begin to mix
Add broth, margarine, and chicken bouillon
Mix together
Heat on stove until boiling
Chop up carrots and peppers
Cook pork fully
And prepare cooked rice with spice to taste
Now prepare Plantain leaves

Plantain Leaves

You can use store bought plantain leaves if you want. Corn husks can work as well.

Heat leaves to make them pliable
Cut into 8 inch squares
Place 2 leaves on top of each other
Now it is time to fill the tamales

Filling Tamales

Add ½ cup of the Tamal mixture base to the plantain squares
Add some pre-cooked pork
Add a few carrots and peppers
Add cooked rice
Fold plantain squares
Cut string into 14” pieces
Now wrap up tamales in both directions
Cover with water and boil for 30 minutes
Enjoy

Free DIY Holiday Craft Booklet

Free DIY holiday craft booklet with project ideas from all over the world. Explore International holiday decoration traditions with this free craft booklet.

Get Your Free Holiday Craft Booklet

How To Cook Kenyan Christmas Githeri

KENYA – Merry Christmas from Kenya! Follow along with Grace as she shows you how to cook this traditional Kenyan Christmas dish. Kenyan Christmas Githeri is a simple dish, but don’t let that fool you! This delicious Kenyan staple will be loved by adults and kids alike. Made with boiled corn, beans, and other vegetables, Githeri is a great healthy addition to any Christmas table. Clean up is a breeze, since everything is cooked in one pot. As the delicious smell of onion, garlic, and curry fills your kitchen, consider joining with Operation Blessing as we strive to put food into the hands of the hungry around the world. Visit ob.org/hunger to learn how you can get involved. And for more delicious holiday recipes from around the world, visit ob.org/holidayrecipes. Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

½ Can diced tomatoes
3 Chopped bell peppers
2 Diced potatoes
2 Cloves minced garlic
1 Chopped onion
1 Cup frozen corn
1 Can of kidney beans
½ Teaspoon curry powder
1 Teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon of oil
1 Cup of water

Preparation For Kenyan Christmas Githeri

Mix corn and beans in a large bowl
Rinse, drain, and set aside for later
Heat oil over medium heat
Add onions and cook until soft
Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds
Add tomatoes and cook until soft
Add potatoes and cook until done
Stir in corn and beans from earlier
Add paprika
Add curry powder
Stir well to prevent burning
Add 1 cup of water
Stir and let cook for 15 minutes
Add the bell peppers last
Cook for 2 more minutes
Enjoy

Food For A Single Mother In Need

Jen is a single mother in need. Her two sons have always been her number one priority in life. They enjoy spending time together as a family. Several years ago, Jen opened her own property management company. She instantly saw success, bringing in profit for her family. But years later, one of Jen’s major investors backed out. She was forced to close down her business.

Jen was devastated. She all of a sudden found herself unemployed, as she tried to manage her mounting pile of bills. She often had to choose between the electricity bill and feeding her family. Jen was feeling completely overwhelmed.

But, thanks to generous partners like you, Operation Blessing partner Warehouse of Hope in Georgia was able to provide Jen with help in her most desperate hour! Your kindness provided the food for this single mother in need, lining the shelves at Warehouse of Hope. Canned goods, boxed food, and fresh fruits and vegetables were a godsend to Jen. She was able to stock her pantry on a regular basis, providing healthy and nutritious meals for her sons. Jen’s family was so impacted that they eventually began serving at the ministry, blessing other families in need.

Thank you for your heart to see mothers like Jen cared for! She is now working a new job in finance, motivated by your kindness when she needed it the most. Your love makes all the difference as you work to break the cycle of suffering and provide help for those in need.

How to Make Mexican Christmas Apple Salad

MEXICO – Merry Christmas from Mexico! Follow along with Albina to learn how to make this delicious Mexican Christmas Apple Salad. A combination of apples, raisins, celery, and nuts goes into making this healthy Mexican Christmas dish. But what makes it especially tasty is the cream that goes in at the end! Kids and adults alike will love this festive side dish. All of the ingredients are listed at the beginning of the video. And if you want to learn about even more traditional Christmas recipes, you are in luck! Operation Blessing has gathered delicious holiday recipes from all over the world. Go to ob.org/holidayrecipes to get your copy of Christmas Around the World!

Mexican Christmas Apple Salad Ingredients

7 Apples
2 Cups Of Cream
1 Can Of Pineapple
2/3 Cup Of Pecans
1 Celery Stalk
2/3 Cup Of Raisins
1 Can Condensed Milk

Steps For Preparing Ingredients To Christmas Apple Salad

Cut Up Apples
Chop Pecans
Thinly Slice Celery
Add To A Large Bowl
Add Pineapple
Add 1/2 Cup Of Juice
Add The Raisins
Pour In The Condensed Milk
Pour In The Cream
Mix The Ingredients Together
ENJOY!

Free Holiday Decoration Ideas

Why buy decorations when you can create your own from cultures all over the world. In this free booklet you will get DIY holiday craft project ideas to take your Christmas to the next level.

Get Your Free Holiday Craft Guide

Full Bellies & Grateful Hearts for Struggling Americans

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, you have continued to be there for struggling Americans who have been hit hard by the economic crisis it’s caused. Many of our nationwide network of food distribution partners have reported a huge increase in demand for groceries.

In Elizabeth City, North Carolina New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church has partnered with Operation Blessing for four years. Together, we help struggling Americans in their local area who face hunger and food insecurity. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the church has been distributing groceries from Operation Blessing to their community every week. Dr. Caision, the church’s pastor, said, “People are out of work. They have children [to feed]. The first day that we started doing this because of the virus, someone came and was in tears because she didn’t know what she was going to do.”

Grateful for Help in North Carolina

Valerie’s is just one of the many families who have been blessed by your support of Operation Blessing and New Calvary. Valerie used to volunteer with one of OB’s hunger relief ministries. However, since the beginning of the pandemic, she and her husband have struggled to put food on the table for their own two children, Nivayah (6) and Dakota (5). After getting groceries from New Calvary, Valerie said, “I feel grateful. It’s been really great to know that I don’t have to stress about my kids eating right now.”

To make sure that struggling Americans receiving food are kept safe from the virus, New Calvary has implemented “drive-through” distributions. In addition, volunteers use gloves and masks to minimize the chances of spreading the coronavirus.

Food for Those Struggling in America

In times like these, your light shines especially bright. Families in need are blessed and fed through Operation Blessing and our partner ministries like New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church across the country. “Don’t stop giving,” Dr. Caision implores. “Please don’t stop giving, because it’s definitely needed!”

Feeding A Single Mother’s Family in Texas

BURLESON, TX – Chastity is a single mother living with her two children in Burleson, Texas. The little family loves spending time together, especially outdoors. Before the pandemic, the daunting task of feeding this single mother’s family in Texas was not something she had to worry about on a daily basis. But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Chastity’s life turned upside down. Unfortunately the economic struggles of the pandemic would quickly impact this single mother’s family in Texas. “I lost half of my pay,” Chastity told OB staff. “Half of my income for a couple of months! It was very hard trying to make my car payment and trying to keep everything paid by myself.” Bills were piling up, and Chastity began to struggle to feed her kids. As a single mother, she didn’t know where to turn.

But you gave Chastity the help she needed! When Chastity heard about Operation Blessing partner Open Door Church, she knew she had found support. Through your generosity, Open Door Church provided Chastity with a trunk full of groceries. Chastity was overcome when she saw the gift you gave her. “They loaded my car up completely full!” She exclaimed through tears. “I want to thank everyone who gave to Operation Blessing.”

Because of you, Chastity and her children went home knowing they were supported by generous friends all across the country. You can help more families in need by clicking here and coming alongside Operation Blessing. Thank you for supporting us as we bring hunger relief to families at home and around the world!

Fires in Ukraine – Hope for the Hopeless

UKRAINE – After months without rain, the people of Eastern Ukraine weren’t surprised when forest fires broke out. However, these fires in Ukraine proved particularly dangerous due to strong winds that pushed the blaze into residential areas, destroying homes, killing pets, and sadly, killing several people as well.

Thanks to you, our Operation Blessing team responded, bringing disaster relief, hope, and encouragement. However, what we saw on our recent trip there, several weeks after the initial fire, shocked us to the core.

A Picture of Hopelessness after Fire in Ukraine

In the midst of chilly rain, the owners of destroyed homes continued searching through the rubble with hands covered in ash and tears in their eyes. At this point, they’d lost hope of receiving help from their government. We were frightened to realize that a cold winter is on its way, and these people still have nowhere to live.

Elderly widow Kateryna turned away from us in tears when we brought help to her burnt house. Her documents, her phone, and every single thing she owned had been destroyed, except for the clothes she was wearing on the day of fire. She truly appreciated the disaster relief supplies you sent to her. “I never knew that there is so much kindness in our world!” she said. “Thanks for this delicious and fresh meal.”

Tatiana is a young mother of two whose house burned down to the ground. Her family is staying in a shelter and struggling to survive. “Any grocery help is a great support for us,” she said. “We thank Operation Blessings for their concern and help!”

Another victim you sent help to was 40-year-old Ruslan, a father of two children. “This fire took away everything that we had saved,” he said. “Now we have nothing, we have to start everything from scratch. But we are not giving up. After all, we are alive and we are surrounded by such caring people like you. We need to believe that we will cope with this disaster. Thank you for your kind words and support.”

And those are just a few stories of how you’ve sent hope and encouragement to weary victims of fires in Ukraine. Thank you so much for your continued support as we seek to help them rebuild their lives.

Reaching Out to Hurricane Eta Victims in Latin America

LATIN AMERICA – Just when we hoped hurricane season was finally wrapping up, category 4 storm Hurricane Eta smashed into Central America, causing severe damage. Currently, it continues to circle the Gulf of Mexico and remains a threat to the region.

Hurricane Damage

Although it first made landfall in Nicaragua, the storm continued to ravage a number of other nations. In addition to powerful winds, Eta brought with it massive rainfall, triggering floods and landslides. For example, in Costa Rica, some areas suffered this rain for 72 hours. Those living along waterways, in particular, have faced dangerous flooding, and at least 2 people have died. Over 1,400 Costa Ricans needed to evacuate their homes. Likewise, many have evacuated in Honduras and Guatemala, as well.

Relief on the Way

Thankfully, Operation Blessing has active teams on the ground in Honduras, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.

Because of your ongoing support, we were able to quickly begin reaching out to Hurricane Eta victims. Our teams are working alongside local governments and organizations to bring relief. We’re collecting and distributing desperately needed supplies like sleeping mats, bedding, hygiene kits, diapers, food, and clean water.

The people of these countries have a long way to go in rebuilding. But because of you, Operation Blessing is able to reach out to them with emergency relief, long term aid, and most importantly, hope.

Your Love Sent Supplies to Victims of Hurricane Zeta

Delivering disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Zeta.

LOUISIANA – First came Hurricane Laura, then Hurricane Delta, and now Hurricane Zeta has struck Louisiana in a record year. Thankfully, Zeta took a different track and moved quickly through the state. However, the category 2 storm still caused major power outages and wind damage.

The embattled residents of Louisiana need help! And you are responding to their most urgent needs. OB’s disaster relief team has already delivered truckloads of tarps, disaster relief kits, clean water, and nonperishable food to several churches for distribution in the most affected area. We are also closely monitoring the situation to see what other help might be needed for victims of Hurricane Zeta.

Disaster relief supplies at church in Louisiana.

Meanwhile, with your support, we continue providing hands on disaster relief to homeowners devastated by Hurricanes Laura and Delta earlier this fall. Our staff and volunteers are helping homeowners recover their lives through debris removal, sorting through remnants of personal belongings, and mucking and gutting homes filled with mud and mold so that they can be repaired. And around the globe, we’re also responding to floods in Cambodia and fires in Ukraine.

You have not forgotten about the people of the Gulf Coast, and neither have we. Thank you for your continued support of disaster victims in need. Please keep these precious people in your prayers. We also urge you to volunteer your help or to send a special gift for disaster victims at this time.

Aid for Victims of Forest Fires in Ukraine

LUHANSK, UKRAINE – For over 6 years now, millions of people have been suffering the consequences of the active armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine. On September 13th of this year, the situation was aggravated by multiple forest fires in Ukraine which swept across the Luhansk region. As a result of these 146+ fires, multiple villages were completely wiped out. The forest fires in Ukraine raged for over 24 hours. Local agencies reported that the fires destroyed over 500 homes, and took 11 lives.

Operation Blessing staff in Ukraine visited the affected village of Sirotino. Because the fires were so strong, and weather conditions so poor, nothing remains of this village. OB staff interviewed several now homeless residents to hear their stories. One resident told us how she felt helpless staring at the flames threatening to consume her home. “I just stood there hugging my husband, and he told me, ‘Look! Our house is on fire! And the roof is falling!’ The whole street was devoured by fire, and I told him, ‘Look, Sasha, we are in hell.'”

But thanks to you, these homeless fire victims received a glimmer of hope. Your generosity provided over 250 food packs to the victims of the forest fires in Ukraine. In addition to the food, the residents also received emotional and spiritual support from Operation Blessing staff members. None of this would be possible without your help.

Thank you for your heart for victims of disasters like the fires in Ukraine.