Blessings Asia: Making a Difference One Step at a time

ONE STEP AT A TIME Making a difference

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Partners,

Have you ever felt like you are not doing enough to make a difference in the world? It’s a common feeling, but the truth is that even the smallest actions can have a ripple effect.

“Making a difference, one STEP at a time” implies that even small, incremental actions can lead to significant positive change over time.

We are making a tangible difference in the lives of people who would otherwise be immobile by providing one wheelchair at a time. We are bringing out the best in children by supporting one scholar at a time. We are making families thrive by giving one livelihood assistance at a time.

These things are what make us incredibly proud of the work that we do, and you are part of it. We are all making a difference, one step at a time. And we believe that by sharing these stories, we can inspire others to get involved and make a difference in the lives of our kababayans as well.

God bless you and your loved ones!

Transforming lives with you,

Operation Blessing’s journey through the pandemic years

WOMAN FROM CAMIGUIN NOW ROLLING TOWARDS FREEDOM

When Michelle learned that Operation Blessing will give her and other disabled individuals in Bukidnon brand new wheelchairs, she was thrilled at the opportunity and kept thanking God for listening to her prayers.

THE FLOOD’S FURY: A FATHER’S RESILIENCE

On Christmas Eve, Rossel and his 7-year-old grandson, Luke, were not celebrating, but fighting for their lives—clinging to a solar light pole as chest-deep flood waters rushed toward them.

HOLIDAY OF HOPE AND CHEER

Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, a time when families and friends come together to share in the festive spirit. So, to bring some much-needed hope and cheer to children experiencing hardships, Operation Blessing hosted the Holiday of Hope and Cheer Project

FRUIT VENDOR GOES FROM STRUGGLING TO THRIVING

When Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the island of Leyte, Operation Blessing was among the first to organize relief efforts. But the assistance did not end there.

HEAVEN’S HEART BRINGS HOPE THROUGH SOLAR LAMP DONATIONS

Heaven’s Heart donated solar lamps to many families in Tabango, Leyte, who were forced to rely on kerosene lamps for light.

A TIME OF TRIAL AND TRIUMPH

The AFP has provided mobilization, security, accommodation, and other forms of invaluable assistance. In honor and recognition of the partnership, the AFP awarded Operation Blessing its Gawad sa Kapayapaan Award, the highest distinction given to individuals and institutions.

DISASTER RESPONSE

The flash flood in Misamis Occidental, which caused widespread damage and displacement, saw a heartwarming response from several organizations, providing immediate support to families affected by the disaster. But more than the need for food and water, Operation Blessing saw the need to provide kitchenware to families housed in evacuation centers.

The timely response was met with gratitude and appreciation from the affected families, who expressed their thanks for the muchneeded support during their most difficult time.

“Thank you for coming all the way here to bless us with what we really need. We appreciate your help!” Jigie Vivares, one of the beneficiaries said.

This effort was made possible through the Make Me A Blessing Foundation, Far East Broadcasting Company, Phils., Grace Reformed Church in the East, Kabalikat Civicom Ozamiz Chapter, PNP Maritime Police, and the City Social Welfare Development Office of Oroquieta

HEALTHCARE

Operation Blessing delivered various medical services to our countrymen in Bukidnon. There, dental services, free checkups, minor surgeries, and free circumcision for young people were provided.

During the mission, we met Perlita, 47, who was concerned about a growing lump on her head. The lump was diagnosed as a lipoma by our volunteer surgeon from the Philippine Army. Thankfully, it is not dangerous and can be removed with minor surgery.

The operating room was prepared by our volunteer doctor and nurse, and the tumor was successfully removed there. Perlita was also given free medicines to aid in the healing of her wound.

Together with the international leaders of the Christian Broadcasting Network and Operation Blessing, Ben Edwards and Drew Friedrich, our team also went to some patients’ homes to give out free wheelchairs and maintenance medicines. It was also an opportunity to pray for them and strengthen their hearts through the love of Jesus.

“I’m thankful because it’s free; I didn’t have to pay anything,” she said.

HUNGER RELIEF CHILDREN

When Typhoon Yolanda hit Leyte, Operation Blessing was one of the first responders that organized relief efforts. But the help didn’t stop there. We build the Community of Hope, a community development project for the families most severely affected by Yolanda.

This time, help continues as we turn over new livelihood project assistance to families in the community.

Livelihood projects are small-scale businesses like rice retailing, meat and food vending, fruits and rice vending, retailing, frozen food business, and even support to farming with equipment and supplies given to the family.

“This is such a big blessing for us. Praise the Lord! I am so excited to start selling,” says Juna Glen, recipient of frozen food vending project.

With this, the families can stand on their own with sustainable income. They will worry less on whether or not they will have food on their tables the next day. They also have the opportunity expand their businesses.

We are on a mission to improve education for Mangyan students in Sinariri!

Access to education is a fundamental right for every child, and it is especially important for children living in remote and disadvantaged communities. In many indigenous communities, school infrastructure is often inadequate, and students are forced to sit on the floor during lessons. This can impact their learning experience and make it difficult for them to concentrate and engage in their studies.

To address this issue, Operation Blessing partnered with the AY Foundation to improve the learning environment for students in Sinariri Highschool by turning over a set of armchairs and other school supplies. This, indeed, is a significant step towards improving the learning experience for students in the indigenous school.

HEALTHCARE STORY:

ROLLING TOWARDS FREEDOM Woman from Camiguin now

Michelle Sangrano was born with polio, a debilitating disease that left her unable to walk. She had been struggling with mobility issues since she was a child. Despite her condition, Michelle never lost her spirit and remained optimistic. She was hardworking and help in house chores. However, getting around was a constant struggle as she frequently required assistance.

When Michelle learned that Operation Blessing will give her and other disabled individuals in Bukidnon brand new wheelchairs, she was thrilled at the opportunity and kept thanking God for listening to her prayers.

Michelle had never had a wheelchair before and could not wait to try it out. So, when the Operation Blessing team arrived at her house, she welcomed the staff and volunteers who assisted her in settling to her new wheelchair. It was a perfect fit, and she felt like a completely different person. She was finally able to move around freely and independently!

“Thank you very much for the gift of mobility, Operation Blessing. May God bless all the works you do!”

HEALTHCARE TESTIMONIES

“Thank you, Operation Blessing! My tooth extraction was successful, and I was amazed at how little discomfort I felt during and after the procedure.”

- John Rey Ramos, Mobile Clinic dental patient

“I have no words. Thank you for coming this far to bring this wheelchair to me. I did not expect this. You made me so happy!” -

Josefina dela Cerna, wheelchair beneficiary

“I am so happy that I can see clearly now! I used to be worried when driving at night because of my blurred vision caused by cataract. But now, after my surgery and after giving it some time to heal, I can drive more confidently.”

- Pastor Rolex Escal, LifeChanging Surgery cataract patient

The Flood’s Fury: A father’s resilience

OnChristmas Eve, Rossel and his 7-year-old grandson, Luke, were not celebrating, but fighting for their lives—clinging to a solar light pole as chestdeep flood waters rushed toward them.

“I was so scared, not just for myself but especially for my grandson’s life. Suddenly, God’s promise that he never abandons us came to mind, and I prayed, Lord, please save us!” Rossel narrates, teary-eyed.

After he had prayed, his neighbor noticed them and assisted in getting them to safety.

Rossel is a resident of Clarin, one of the towns in Misamis Occidental that was devastated by a flash flood on Christmas Day as a result of persistent rain brought on by shear line and wind convergence.

His house is ruined, and most of his belongings have been washed away, but he is thankful that God not only saved them from the flash flood, but He also remains faithful by using people

to provide for his recovery.

“Luke has already returned safely to his parents, while my neighbors and I were evacuated in our barangay hall for four days,” Rossel says.

Rossel has put up a makeshift structure in an attempt to rebuild what they have lost. But he admitted that the trauma remains, and that every time it rains, he flees to his aunt’s house.

Our Disaster Response team, along with our church partner, Grace Reformed Church in the East, ministered to the families to help him and his community process the trauma and to encourage them. And to aid their recovery, our team, in partnership with Make Me a Blessing Foundation, also distributed kitchenware sets.

“Thank you very much, this is a huge help to start over,” Rossel says.

“I was so scared, not just for myself but especially for my grandson’s life. Suddenly, God’s promise that he never abandons us came to mind, and I prayed, Lord, please save us!”

and cheer A HOLIDAY OF HOPE

Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, a time when families and friends come together to share in the festive spirit. So, to bring some much-needed hope and cheer to children experiencing hardships, Operation Blessing hosted the Holiday of Hope and Cheer Project, providing gifts, food, and entertainment to children in need.

We went to bless the military dependents, orphans, and vulnerable children in different areas in the Philippines. And all these are through individual and corporate sponsorships!

Special thanks to Ms. Coney Reyes, Civil Military Operation Regiment, the Aeon Fantasy Group, Destiny’s Promise Home for Children Foundation, and Ninety Nine One Care Ministry Inc.

FRUIT VENDOR GOES FROM STRUGGLING TO THRIVING

When Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the island of Leyte, Operation Blessing was among the first to organize relief efforts. But the assistance did not end there. We constructed the Community of Hope (COH), a community development project for Yolanda’s most severely affected families.

This time, we are continuing to assist families in the community by distributing new livelihood project assistance.

Bryan Quirante and his wife, Aines, were COH beneficiaries who used to sell fruits in downtown Tacloban. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bryan’s business suffered greatly as demand for his products fell and he was unable to make ends meet.

When Operation Blessing launched its project to provide livelihood assistance to COH families, the couple decided to revive their fruit vending business in the city proper and start a rice retailing business within the COH.

Last September 2022, the couple received two sacks of rice, one box of apples, two boxes of ponkan, two boxes of grapes, and fifty pieces of cellophane worth ₱10,000 ($179.75) from Operation Blessing.

In just three months, Bryan was able to save money from his weekly sales to buy a sidecar worth ₱18,000 ($323.56) for his motorcycle. So on rainy days when he cannot sell fruits, he earns money by riding his tricycle.

Thanks to the livelihood assistance program, Bryan was able to overcome the challenges brought about by the pandemic and turn his business around. He was grateful for the support and continued to work hard to grow his business even further.

“Before I received livelihood assistance, I was struggling to make ends meet and support my family. My fruit business was small, and I was not making enough money to cover all of our expenses. Thanks to this assistance, I am now able to provide for my family and give them a better life,” Bryan said.

HEAVEN’S HEART BRINGS HOPE THROUGH SOLAR LAMP DONATIONS

Gina Ramos was a successful business owner who believed in the power of giving back to the community.

Starting out, she didn’t have a lot of money or connections. In fact, she had a period in her life when she was also struggling and in need of assistance.

“I personally experienced asking for help from other people when my child was hospitalized when he was only three months old,” Gina said.

But that didn’t take long because there were people willing to assist her in getting through that difficult situation. “I saw how much love and support other people gave us, and that truly inspired me.”

When their family business, Heaven’s Heart, started to grow, Gina did not forget the kindness that had been shown to her and wanted to give back to the community. She looked and prayed for a charity to help and found Operation Blessing, where she decided to give a portion of their product sales to its beneficiaries.

“We really want to be an inspirational brand. We want to help people in any possible way we can and give back something to them.”

indeed, the funds they contributed to Operation Blessing had blessed several families through OB’s Disaster Response and Children’s Programs. But aside from monetary donation, they also sent giftsin-kind to aid families in need.

“When I learned about Operation Blessing’s continued efforts to help communities with no access to electricity, I knew I had to take action,” Gina said.

Heaven’s Heart donated solar lamps to many families in Tabango, Leyte, who were forced to rely on kerosene lamps for light.

Joy Lapore, 14, is one of the beneficiaries who has firsthand experience with the numerous challenges that lack of access to light brings. Living with her grandmother and siblings in the mountainous terrain of Sitio Maranglog in Tabango, Joy has been using solar or gas lamps to be able to do her household chores and schoolwork.

“Thank you so much, Operation Blessing and Heaven’s Heart. Without your help, I will not be able to see clearly at night and do my modules,” Joy expressed heartily.

STEPPING UP IN CRISIS

Operation Blessing’s journey through the pandemic years

Protecting the frontliners

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers and other frontliners have been working tirelessly to care for those affected by the virus. However, these individuals have often been placed at risk due to the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) available to them. In response to this urgent need, Operation Blessing stepped up to provide PPE and hygiene kits to those on the front lines, including hospital and military personnel.

More medical assistance

With the onset of the pandemic, Operation Blessing faced numerous challenges, including restrictions on travel and limitations on inperson medical missions. As a result, Operation Blessing pivoted its efforts to focus on providing medical assistance to as many individuals as possible. This is done by covering a patient’s medical expenses or giving mobile assistive device to persons with disability.

As the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and communities were forced to confront a wide range of challenges and hardships. And this has also placed a significant strain on non-profits like Operation Blessing.

Support for low-income families

Operation Blessing has distributed more than hundreds of thousands of food bags to families across the Philippines since the start of the pandemic. In addition, the organization has also partnered with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Mobile Kitchen to deliver hot meals to vulnerable communities in the metro

Urban gardening

Food security became an issue for many lowincome families and communities during the pandemic, particularly in urban areas where fresh produce can be difficult to find. So to provide resources and support for people to grow their own food, Operation Blessing partnered with the Bureau of Plant Industry to conduct a seminar on crop farming technologies and the production of quality seeds and planting materials.

A TIME OF TRIAL AND TRIUMPH

In season and out of season, Operation Blessing continues to make a difference in the lives of many through God’s empowering help and partnerships with various like-minded organizations. This is again proved by its receipt of the AFP’s Gawad sa Kapayapaan Award (Award of Peace) during the pandemic (2020), and even after the pandemic (2022).

During the pandemic, Operation Blessing was one of the organizations that did not hesitate to rise to the occasion by supplying COVID assistance to patients and PPE to healthcare workers in hospitals. While most offices have shut down because of health risks, our operations continue in different parts of the Philippines. The COVID pandemic came on top of the typhoons and calamities that often hit the country.

Post pandemic, as establishments, families, and organizations rise from the ruins, Operation Blessing continues aiding in the form of food bags and hygiene kits.

All these would not have been possible without partnerships with individual volunteers and organizations like the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The AFP has provided mobilization, security, accommodation, and other forms of invaluable assistance. In honor and recognition of the partnership, the AFP awarded Operation Blessing its Gawad sa Kapayapaan Award, the highest distinction given to individuals and institutions. We share this award with all our generous donors, trusted partners, and kindhearted volunteers who stand with us even in the most challenging times. We will continue to strive to firmly install the pillars of shared peace in our response and efforts.

PARTNER WITH US AND Be a Blessing

TO OTHERS

You may send your donations through 7-Eleven CLiQQ, PayMaya and GCash.

For cash donations, you can give through the following bank accounts with Account Name: Operation Blessing Foundation Phils, Inc.

BDO: 0030000-55279

BPI: 3001-0040-33

METROBANK: 270-3-27050273-4

UNIONBANK: 00-216-072163-9

We’d LOVE if you would LIKE

Check out the official pages of Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Inc. at:

For more information, you may also contact these numbers: 0918-906-7753| 0939-921-5543 or visit www.operationblessing.ph