FIG HO DIS HT W Y COV IN OU ER GC A OV RE ID -19
blessings OPERATION BLESSING
APRIL 2020
Stories of how YOU help the hurting around the world.
SPRINGS OF NEW LIFE HEAVENLIGHT FINDS HER HEALING PA G E 6
SERVANT LEADERS FIGHT HUNGER IN AMERICA PA G E 1 8
YOU ARE FIGHTING COVID-19
PA G E 2 4
Happenings
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Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
Heavenlight Finds Her Healing
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You made it possible for a little girl in Tanzania to get the surgery she needed
A Refreshing Change for Villagers in Honduras Juliana gets clean water thanks to friends like you
Inside this this issue issue
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Springs of New Life
You empower women to take control of their health
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Relief for Victims of Taal Volcano in the Philippines You sent help in their time of desperate need
Servant Leaders Fight Hunger in America A family of volunteers receives food in times of need
Tornado Ripped Through Nashville
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You offered blessings in their dark hours
operationblessing.org | 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463 | (800) 730-2537 3
OPERATION BLESSING
HAPPENINGS COLOMBIA: You continue to walk alongside Venezuelan refugees fleeing their country. You are providing healthcare, food, and water for their long journey.
VIRGINIA: Operation Blessing volunteers pack groceries for families who are blessed by receiving monthly food supplies at Not by Bread Alone.
HAITI: Because of you, residents affected by political upheaval are blessed with food packages to feed their families in this time of crisis. 4
PERU: Thanks to your generosity, Ernesto and Aurelia have a new water faucet outside of their home bringing clean water.
NICARAGUA: With your
support, children at the House of Hope are getting quality education thanks to scholarships covering tuition, books, and supplies.
INDIA: Operation
Blessing partners support the Bangalore Baptist Hospital, which provides basic care and medicine to rural communities through mobile clinics.
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HEAVENLIGHT FINDS HER HEALING You made it possible for a little girl in Tanzania to get the surgery she needed
H
eavenlight’s mother welcomed her into the world as a beautiful—and seemingly whole—child. Then, when Heavenlight was 2 months old, her mother found a bump on the baby’s head. She didn’t think much of it at first, but instead of healing, the bump grew larger over time. Her mother worried about her and tried to
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protect the bump as Heavenlight grew to the age that she wanted to play. And as Heavenlight began to speak, she would touch her head and say, “Mommy, get this off.” Her mother began to understand how truly dangerous it could be, and looked everywhere for help. As it turned out, the bones on Heavenlight’s
TANZANIA
Heavenlight suffered from a dangerous bump on her head.
skull had never fused properly, and brain fluid had built up there. Over time, her brain could actually begin growing through the hole, and she would likely develop mental disabilities if the condition wasn’t taken care of. Her mother grew desperate once she realized Heavenlight needed surgery, because she had
no way to afford it. She said, “I prayed God would make a way for us,” and she continued to search for a solution.
Heavenlight after surgery Continued on page 8
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Continued from page 7
Then she learned about an Operation Blessing supported hospital called Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. Thanks to your generosity, Heavenlight got the surgery she so badly needed free of charge! “She recovered completely,” her mother happily reported. “I am so
relieved and at peace now.” Heavenlight also noticed the difference right away. She smiled and said, “It’s gone now.” She’ll be able to safely play and attend school like all the other children. Heavenlight’s future is as bright as her name, all thanks to friends like you.
As Heavenlight began to speak, she would touch her head and say, “MOMMY, GET THIS OFF.”
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HAPPY
Resurrection Sunday Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. – Isaiah 43:19 Thank you for sending fresh starts and new life to those in need around the corner and across the globe!
HONDURAS
A REFRESHING CHANGE
FOR VILLAGERS IN HONDURAS Juliana and nearby villagers get clean water thanks to friends like you
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or young Juliana, going without clean water was simply a way of life. Once upon a time, residents from her village of Villanueva and nearby Santa Mira shared a functioning well that provided water for the two communities. But those refreshing days were long gone. Water had grown hard to come by for the nearly 400 members of the villages. Juliana’s family had to choose between gathering water from a distant river, purchasing barrels of water, or simply making do with the diminishing amounts they could find. As time went on, more and more residents began to trek to the river to bathe, wash clothes and clean dishes. Waterborne illnesses became a huge concern for the villagers. Then Operation Blessing heard about the difficult situation. Thanks to friends like you, OB helped build a 10,000-gallon storage tank that tapped into an unused well and created a community water system. Rallying the help of the villagers, OB built the tank, dug trenches, and laid a network of pipes to all the surrounding homes, including Juliana’s. The community was so grateful. One resident named Maryuri said, “We are getting closer and closer to the
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Juliana is happy and thankful to have clean water piped to her village.
reality of having our water project. We are going to take care of it and keep it in optimal condition.�
Community members pitch in.
With the help of our faithful supporters, OB also made sure a chlorine system was installed to keep the water free of bacteria and prevent the illnesses they’d suffered in the past. Finally, we trained
a water committee from the community on how to maintain the system, so that it can last long into the future. Juliana and the other residents of Villanueva and Santa Mira are so grateful to friends like you for making this possible. Now they can enjoy abundant clean, refreshing water piped right to their homes. They look forward to better health and more time to spend pursuing education, employment, and with their families! 11
Emiliana loves her sheep and her family.
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PERU
SPRINGS OF NEW LIFE You empower women to take control of their health
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ingle mother Emiliana lives a quiet life in Peru with her sons, Esteban and Christian. She takes long walks through the rugged mountainside each day to tend the sheep she loves, giving special care to her newborn lambs. Her life mirrors many women around the world: selfless, humble, hardworking, and passionate about her family. Emiliana also shares one alarming similarity with other women in her region, a high risk of cervical cancer—too often leading to death. Like many of these women, Emiliana didn’t know much about the condition and had no suspicion that she could be a victim to the widespread disease. “I was not feeling anything wrong!” she said. Then, thanks to you, Operation Blessing held a workshop on the topic at a school near Emiliana. Though skeptical, she attended. There she learned about this disease that could be alive in her body without her knowledge. The workshop teaches about the symptoms of cervical cancer and preventative measures to avoid the disease. Additionally, women are offered a screening free of charge. Especially those from 40 to 60 years of age have a high risk in Emiliana’s region of Puno and all around the country. Continued on page 14
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Emiliana is in good health and able to tend her sheep thanks to you. Continued from page 13
But Emiliana’s fear of women’s health exams caused extreme reservations. When she was young, a close relative was sterilized by a mandatory government program, emotionally damaging the young women. Emiliana has since been afraid to be examined by a gynecologist. Yet the training and comforting demeanor of the Operation Blessing medical staff reassured her. Emiliana armed herself with 14
the courage to be checked. EMILIANA SHARES AN ALARMING SIMILARITY WITH OTHER WOMEN IN HER REGION, A HIGH RISK OF CERVICAL CANCER—TOO OFTEN LEADING TO DEATH.
Emiliana was flagged for abnormalities that required further testing to assess the presence of cervical cancer. The staff diagnosed her with
acute cervicitis, a condition that sometimes leads to cancer. Then, because you cared enough to make a difference, they provided treatment for Emiliana free of charge. Thankfully, Emiliana's infection has now healed, and there's no cancer lurking in her body. You helped a mother break free from fear that kept her from discovering a condition that could have taken away her life. “PAP tests are very important, and I’m
thankful for you guys that helped me with my results and treatment!” Emiliana said. She’s also grateful that she can keep enjoying her lambs and her family for many years to come. Thanks to the kindness of our Operation Blessing partners, women like Emiliana can feel confident in their feminine health. You are helping young women, sisters, wives, mothers, and grandmothers all over the world take control of their lives!
MAKING AN IMPACT WITH BENEFITS
Rolling over your IRA’s “Required Minimum Distribution” can reduce your tax bill while supporting a cause you care about. Compare taking your RMD versus making an IRA Charitable gift to OB.
Regular RMD
• You pay income tax on your distribution • May push you into a higher tax bracket • Your tax dollars go to Uncle Sam
IRA Charitable Gift
• You will pay no income tax on your gift • Qualified Charitable Distribution counts toward RMD • You can designate your gift the way you want
For more information contact us by email at PlannedGiving@OB.org
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You provided masks to protect victims from dust-filled air.
RELIEF FOR VICTIMS OF TAAL VOLCANO IN THE PHILIPPINES YOU SENT HELP IN THEIR TIME OF DESPERATE NEED
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he Taal Volcano in the Philippines erupted with a massive plume of ash that reached nine miles into the air. For over a week the area remained on high alert as lava,
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mud and ash continued to spew from the volcano and cover surrounding villages. People within a 14-kilometer radius of the volcano were evacuated. An elderly victim named
PHILIPPINES
Soledad said that when the strong tremors hit, “It felt like our house would collapse! We did not want to leave our house and animals, but the police came and forced us to evacuate.” The volcano spawned hundreds of earthquakes in the area as well. Tens of thousands of people poured into evacuation centers, and you were there to help! Because of your faithful support, as soon as Operation Blessing Philippines heard the early reports, they rushed to the scene with disaster relief. They visited evacuation centers with dust masks, water, food, hygiene supplies, sleeping mats, and blankets—while also providing emotional support and encouragement to the victims. Another evacuee named Emilinda said, “We only eat if there are donations. If
there are no donated relief goods, we don’t eat. We can’t buy anything because we have no money. We were caught by surprise.” As the tragedy stretched on, OB Philippines continued to distribute supplies, provided fun activities to occupy the children, and even offered medical care to evacuees.
Emilinda and family
Operation Blessing friends like you sent help to over 9,000 people. Thank you so much for being there for the victims of the Taal Volcano. Please keep them in your prayers as they rebuild their lives.
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VIRGINIA
SERVANT LEADERS FIGHT HUNGER IN AMERICA A family of volunteers receives food in times of need
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osie and Danny both grew up in the church as pastor’s children. Not surprisingly, they entered parenthood with a passion to raise their own kids as servant leaders. But they didn’t realize the challenges they’d face along the way. “It’s been a journey,” as they put it. Early in their marriage the couple chose to follow in their parents’ footsteps by pastoring a church in Connecticut. Then in 2008, following a housing crisis, they could no longer find adequate work to support their growing family. They moved to Virginia soon after and, before long, 18
they got involved in a local ministry that fights hunger in America. The outreach hosts a food pantry, serves hot meals, takes food to the streets of a nearby inner-city area, and also holds church services. In addition to the volunteer opportunities, during the lean times the food support helped Josie and Danny’s family a lot. Thanks to you, Operation Blessing provides huge pallets of non-perishable foods to the ministry. We’re also able to send them meat, milk, and produce. The director of the ministry said, “For us, having Operation Blessing as a partner gives us stability. It’s something we can count on
Josie and Danny's kids reach out to hungry Americans in need.
where we know we’re going to be able to have something for the families.� Josie and Danny are thrilled to be raising their children in this environment of serving and giving. The whole family volunteers to fight hunger in America. Because of their ministry experience, Danny and Josie have been able to come alongside the directors to help co-pastor and lead the congregation for services as well. They hope that
the skills their children are learning from this experience will serve them well as adults.
Danny's youngest joins in.
Over the next years, the couple took various jobs to support their family as it continued to grow. Today Continued on page 20 19
Continued from page 19
in addition to his faithful ministry work, Danny does graphic design and voice over jobs. This results in a somewhat sporadic income. However, the family is happy to know that they’ll always have enough food thanks to generous friends like you. Danny said, “It has provided a lot.” The couple is so grateful to you, not only for food when they need it, but also for the
opportunity to teach their children to be servant leaders. “We are blessed by Operation Blessing,” Josie said. “It’s been a blessing to our home, our children, and to us."
Josie is thankful for Operation Blessing.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK!
April 19 – 25 2020 is National Volunteer Week. Get yourself and your family involved in volunteering and see how it can change your life. To learn more about volunteer opportunities with Operation Blessing, please visit ob.org/volunteer or call 1-800-730-2537
ALL THANKS TO FRIENDS LIKE YOU! We’re celebrating with the village of Gidan Burus Rafintabo in Nigeria on the completion of their brand-new water well! And we’re celebrating amazing friends like you who make these projects possible in Africa and around the world. Many of the villagers previously suffered, and some even died, from waterborne illness, but look at them smiling now beside their new source of clean, refreshing water! For more information on how you can help, visit ob.org/water.
TENNESSEE
OB staff assess the damage.
TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH NASHVILLE
YOU SENT HELP
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deadly EF-4 tornado ripped through eastern Tennessee in early March with 175-mph winds, leaving behind total devastation. At least 24 people lost their lives in the storm. High winds destroyed dozens of buildings and homes, including large structures in the downtown section of Nashville. Thanks to you, Operation Blessing rushed to the scene to provide disaster relief. Tornado victims received aid in the form of food, water, and recovery assistance. With your support, we offered supplies and volunteer mobilization to bring hope, encouragement, and vital help in the aftermath of the powerful storm.
Reaching out to tornado vic tims OB staff is excited to help
the community.
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YOU ARE FIGHTING COVID-19
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he COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow, causing thousands of deaths, millions of infections, and economic catastrophe around the world. Thanks to you, Operation Blessing is responding to the coronavirus in the following ways: • YOU are providing food and other relief items to many struggling American families who have lost income, businesses, and jobs. • OB is providing thousands of N-95 masks, and other critical items to hospitals, police departments, municipalities, and other front line workers and first responders in the United States • In Peru, Haiti, Mexico, Honduras, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Puerto Rico, OB offices are manufacturing chlorine to make disinfectant for local hospitals and government agencies. • Your support has provided masks, foot coverings, soap, gloves, gowns, and other medical supplies to 20 hospitals in the Philippines • Thanks to your generosity, food is being supplied to those in need in Guatemala, South Africa, the Philippines, Thailand, Germany, and Ukraine. • OB delivered critical supplies like masks to Wuhan, China, in the early days of the outbreak • Supporters like YOU have enabled door to door deliveries of food to at-risk people in the U.S. 25
YOU CAN RESCUE CHILDREN IN DESPERATE NEED! Please help us raise $100,000 this month for our Annual Fund Drive to support the urgent needs of desperate children and families. Together we can make a huge impact! ob.org/annual-drive
operationblessing.org
977 Centerville Turnpike Virginia Beach, VA 23463 Copyright Š 2020 by Operation Blessing
(800) 730-2537