TURKEY – A massive earthquake ripped through Turkey* overnight on February 6, 2023. This 7.8-magnitude quake and the many aftershocks that followed cost over 50,000 lives and decimated an area about 300 miles long. Following a heartbreaking natural disaster like this, our team rushes help to as many suffering men, women, and children as possible.
The Turkey earthquake survivors who have stayed in the affected areas have no homes, no food, and no jobs. All are dealing with trauma after losing loved ones and living through such a horrific event. Thankfully, YOU helped to put an Operation Blessing relief team on the ground immediately after the first quakes. Together, we are making a significant impact for the people of Turkey.
*Now officially spelled Türkiye
You Provided Heartbroken Turkey Earthquake Survivors With..
VITAL SUPPLIES
Thousands of earthquake survivors remain in places hard hit by the earthquakes, like the region of Hatay.
Some have no friends or family elsewhere, some don’t have the money to travel,
and others just can’t bear to leave their decimated homes.
They’re living in tent encampments and need just about everything—from food to clothing, medications, and even toys for their children.
With your support, we’ve given out thousands of food boxes, supply bags, and hot meals. We also offer comfort, encouragement, a warm hug, a helping hand, and a listening ear.
- Food Boxes
- Hot Meals
- Hot Drinks
- Bottled Water
- Hygiene Items
- Medications
- Blankets
- Tents
- Diapers
- Solar Lights
- Rechargeable Flashlights
Meet Salim
The earthquake story of Salim and his four children began like so many others. Shaking, terror, screams, being trapped in their house, and finally stumbling onto the streets filled with traumatized, homeless survivors. Salim said, “Operation Blessing provides us with three meals a day, clothes, sanitary conditions. … They are very kind and loving, and we are very grateful to them.” Meanwhile his 8-year-old son Ali is thankful for our workers who played with him, made balloon figures, and gave him a toy sword.
MOBILE MEDICAL CLINIC
One of the biggest needs in the destroyed region of Turkey is medical care. During the quake, hospitals were destroyed and many medical professionals died. Residents desperately needed help for injuries caused by the quakes. Often, those who escaped barefoot in the middle of the night had glass and debris embedded in their feet.
Beyond that, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and asthma desperately needed their regular medications but had no access to them. Thanks to you, our expert team quickly set up a mobile medical clinic to treat hundreds of patients and supply medications.
Meet Nazir
Nazir’s hand was cut badly during the quake. He went several days without proper care before he found the Operation Blessing mobile clinic. He said, “We are very thankful to them because they did their work with high precision, humanity, and great focus. Everything was great. Both the doctors and nurses did an excellent job.”
Meet Canan
Expectant mother Canan came to our clinic understandably anxious about the well-being of her unborn child after the quake. She said, “I heard that there were doctors here, so I came to have my child checked, and you were very kind to me. I was able to see my child, and it is doing well.”
CLEAN WATER
Since much of the infrastructure in a large region of Turkey was destroyed by the quake, water was hard to come by, and water properly treated for safety was nearly impossible to find. You enabled us to send our clean water experts to Turkey. They used their experience to set up systems and technologies that could provide clean water on an ongoing basis.
In addition to distributing filters throughout camps, we also set up large systems that could produce hundreds of gallons of clean water a day.
Meet Ayesha
Ayesha was sleeping near her grandchild when the earthquake struck. She said, “It felt like Judgment Day had arrived, and everything was falling to the ground.” Fortunately, most of her family survived. They now all live in tents—but they were drinking water from an unsafe pump.
She’s so thankful that you provided water filters for them and many of their neighbors, along with food and other supplies—and she adores our Operation Blessing team on the ground.
“Even though we don’t speak the same language, they communicate with us through body language, and we are fully aware of their positive thoughts and actions. We are very pleased with them and love them.”
Prayers For Turkey
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18
Times are hard, and the need is great. But one day at a time, people in Turkey are finding hope on the road to recovery because of you. Thank you so much for sending your love and compassion to them. You can see the difference you’ve made in each smiling face.
Because of your support, Operation Blessing plans to stay in the region for months to come, reaching out to assist those hurting souls still struggling to create a new sort of life.
Please keep Turkey Earthquake Survivors in your prayers:
- That God will grant them comfort, strength, hope, and encouragement.
- That their basic needs for food, water, shelter, and medical care will be met.
- That God will heal their hearts and emotional wounds.
- That those still suffering from physical injuries will recover.
- That they will begin to develop long-term plans to rebuild their lives.
- That God will provide them with homes, jobs, educations, and even churches once again.
- That God will give wisdom to charitable organizations and governments so they know the best ways to help and rebuild during this time.
- That the country will create safer homes and communities to protect their residents moving forward.
Times are hard, and the need is great. But one day at a time, people in Turkey are finding hope on the road to recovery because of you. Thank you so much for sending your love and compassion to them. You can see the difference you’ve made in each smiling face.
Because of your support, Operation Blessing plans to stay in the region for months to come, reaching out to Turkey earthquake survivors whose hurting souls still struggle to create a new sort of life.
