You Are Giving From the Heart — Blessings Magazine — December 2020 by Operation Blessing

blessings OPERATION BLESSING

DECEMBER 2020

Stories of how YOU help the hurting around the world.

YOU ARE GIVING FROM THE HEART

NO ROOM IN THE INN PA G E 6

HOPE OVER HUNGER PA G E 1 6

BACK-TO-BACK HURRICANES: CONTINUING RELIEF PA G E 2 2

Happenings

Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!

No Room in the Inn

Your giving heart provided a fresh start for a young mother in Guatemala

You’ve Been There in the Toughest Times

10 2

OB friends give disaster relief throughout the year

Inside this this issue issue

The Gift of Healing in the Highlands of Peru

You gave one family help when they needed it most

Hope Over Hunger

You are feeding hungry families during the coronavirus crisisÂ

The Secret Ingredient

20 22

Your kindness was exactly what Maria needed to turn her cooking business around

Back-to-Back Hurricanes: Continuing Relief You helped after Hurricane Delta struck on the heels of Laura

operationblessing.org | 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463 | (800) 730-2537 3

OPERATION BLESSING

HAPPENINGS KENYA: Leah, who cares

for her four grandchildren, can no longer find work due to COVID-19 shutdowns. But you sent food to her and to so many others during this difficult time.

UKRAINE: Nikita is one of the

many recipients of the life-changing surgeries you help provide. A leg fracture could have crippled him, but he’s back on his feet and ready to face the world.

PERU: A medical

center in rural Peru now has handwashing stations and disinfecting supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, thanks to you.

UGANDA: Struggling families get to stay together because you

sent nutritional support, medical care, and financial empowerment through our partner on the ground, Abide Family Center.

FLORIDA: When Hurricane Sally

left nearly 500,000 residents without power, you quickly sent ice, water, nonperishable food, and disaster kits to help victims in need.

MEXICO: Families who

face financial hardships during the pandemic are receiving gardens to help provide food and income. Thank you! 5

GUATEMALA

NO ROOM IN THE INN

riselda grew frantic. She’d been wandering the streets of Guatemala with her daughter in her arms all day, desperately seeking work. Having lost her job when COVID-19 hit her country, she had no income and no way to pay rent. That afternoon, she arrived home to a front door that simply wouldn’t open. Despite her struggle, Griselda’s attempts to get into her home proved futile—her landlord had changed the lock. Much as Mary and Joseph faced no room in the inn, Griselda and 2-year-old Sophia had nowhere to stay. To make matters worse, the landlord left Griselda and Sophia with nothing but their clothes. “He told me that he had to keep my furniture in order to collect the pending rent from there,” Griselda said. “That day I lost everything.” Griselda had no family to turn to, only a friend whom she pleaded with to house her and Sophia for the night. They slept on the floor, while Griselda wrestled with the reality of her situation. “I couldn’t stop thinking about what I would do the next day,” Griselda said. “We had no belongings, no work, money or food. I was really asking God for a miracle.” And God heard Griselda’s prayers. Desperate to feed her hungry child, Griselda spent hours the next day searching Continued on page 8

I was really asking God for a miracle. - GriseldaÂ

HELP 7

Continued from page 7

through plastic containers on the street for any food she could find. “I couldn't stop thinking of my daughter not eating,” she said. Then neighbors told Griselda they had heard of a restaurant giving free hot meals to over 1,000 visitors every day! Thanks to your support, OB donated large quantities of food for the restaurant to cook up and serve to those in need. There, Griselda and Sophia found hot and nutritious meals that they could rely on. Griselda was overjoyed to be able to give Sophia something to fill her belly. And your kindness revitalized Griselda in her search for a new job. She eventually found steady work and located a new place to live. But Griselda and little Sophia had nothing to fill their new home. That’s when Operation Blessing friends like you came to her aid with a table, cots, pillows, a water filter, and food and hygiene products! Your generosity made this all possible. “What Operation Blessing did was a true blessing for our lives, a light at the end of the tunnel,” Griselda said. “Thank you very much!”

THANK YOU 8

SMART IDEAS F O R Y O U R Y E A R - E N D B E N E F I T S

WITH THE END OF THE YEAR APPROACHING, HERE ARE SOME TAX-WISE YEAR-END CHARITABLE GIFT IDEAS AND POSSIBLE BENEFITS FOR YOU.

DONATE SHARES OF STOCK OR OTHER SECURITIES

• Charitable deduction for the fair market value • Eliminate capital gains tax on the appreciation

FUND A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY

• Receive income stream for the rest of your life • Potential for a portion of income to be tax-free • Immediate (partial) tax deduction

SET UP A DONOR-ADVISED FUND

• Receive an immediate income tax deduction • No capital gains tax on gifts of appreciated assets,

i.e., securities, real estate, other illiquid assets

To learn more about year-end giving strategies, please contact us at 1-800-333-2373 or email PlannedGiving@ob.org

WORLDWIDE

You’ve Been There in the

TOUGHEST TIMES

Then came possibly the OB FRIENDS GIVE biggest natural disaster in a hundred years, as the DISASTER RELIEF COVID-19 pandemic swept THROUGHOUT the globe. Because of your THE YEAR compassionate support, we were able to quickly switch nother year is wrapping directions as we responded to this new crisis. You provided up. And yet again, vital personal protective YOU have faithfully equipment, masks, and responded to disasters all disinfectant products both in around the world. the U.S. and around the world, Last winter you were there especially for medical workers when floods hit Africa and tornadoes pummeled Tennessee. and first responders who urgently needed them. Our When the Philippines faced capacity to create chlorine— both an earthquake and a volcano, you sent much-needed thanks to our clean water initiatives—supplied vast food, water, and dust masks.

A 10

quantities for stopping the spread of the virus. As soon as the coronavirus shutdowns began, the biggest need suddenly became food. You quickly responded with emergency food and hygiene supplies throughout Asia, South America, and Africa, as well as increasing grocery distribution for hungry families in the U.S. In addition, you gave invaluable handwashing stations to those in vulnerable areas. In El Salvador, people would literally line the streets with white flags to signal a desperate plea for food, which you answered. At the same time, you also sent help to flood victims in Michigan. By late summer, as the virus raged on, hurricane season began. You sent aid to El Salvador following Tropical Storm Amanda. When Hurricanes Laura, Sally, and Delta pummeled the Gulf Coast, you sent recovery assistance, along with 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 that provides clean water to keep them running. You also sent help to fire victims in Ukraine 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.

PERU

The Gift of Healing IN THE HIGHLANDS OF PERU

ilvia 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 of San Jerónimo de Ullagachi lies an hour’s drive from the nearest city of Puno. 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 and Roger have a difficult time meeting even the most basic needs of their family. 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 Continued on page 14

YOU GAVE ONE FAMILY HELP WHEN THEY NEEDED IT MOST. 13

Continued from page 13

facility. Thankfully, your support made it possible for Operation Blessing to help establish a health center in San Jerónimo de Ullagachi that 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 health 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 center you provided proved an immense blessing for the family. “My children got sick at the same

THIS HEALTH CENTER BLESSES RESIDENTS IN NEED.

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 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 again. “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!”

IT IS SUCH A BLESSING TO HAVE OB’S HEALTH CENTER IN THE COMMUNITY. - Sylvia

UNITED STATES

HOPE OVER HUNGER

YOU ARE FEEDING HUNGRY FAMILIES DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

arilyn has worked hard to provide a nice life for herself. This widow living in Byron Center, Michigan, enjoyed 22 wonderful years with her husband. Unfortunately, she lost him to cancer while she still had children at home. “My daughter was a senior in high school at the time,” Marilyn said. “I worked the whole time and kept things going on my own.” Marilyn survived the challenges of being a single parent and now supports herself on her retirement. Still, there is nothing she wouldn’t do for her children, even if it means going without for herself. So, when COVID-19 hit the United States and her son lost his job, Marilyn knew just what she had to do. He had been laid off from a restaurant when mass lockdown restrictions spread through the nation, and Marilyn happily invited him and her 4-year-old

grandson to stay with her while he got back on his feet. While she was excited to host her son and grandson for a while, her expenses grew with two more family members in the home. “I’ve got my hands full!” Marilyn said. Just when Marilyn was feeling stretched too thin, she found somewhere to turn. Thanks to your generous support, Operation Blessing’s partner, Buist Community Assistance Center, opens its doors to any struggling man or woman in desperate need of food. Not surprisingly, when COVID-19 hit they saw a surge in the need for food in the community. “We had a lot of families in emergency situations,” ministry director Jenelle Jonkman said. “A lot of other food distribution areas closed down, so we opened our services to anybody, and we saw mass influxes of people with great Continued on page 18

WITH EXTRA MOUTHS TO FEED, IT’S TAKEN A LOT OF BURDEN OFF OF ME. - Marilyn

Continued from page 17

needs and a lot of heavy burdens.” Operation Blessing friends like you were there to help provide food and other life-sustaining products to families in need. Your kindness helped make it possible for Marilyn to receive food and hygiene products twice a month! Not only that, she goes home with renewed hope. “With extra mouths to feed, it’s taken a lot of burden off of me,” Marilyn said. “Everybody prays for you and they have a box where you can put prayer requests. You can feel this place full of the Holy Spirit.” Thank you for your heart to see Marilyn and her family cared for in these trying times!

M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S

From your extended family at Operation Blessing. May you enjoy a holy season full of laughter, light, and love. God bless you for blessing those in need. 19

Continued from page 19

THE

Secret Ingredient

Your kindness was exactly what Maria needed to turn her cooking business around. 20

aria, a devoted single mother of two and businesswoman in Honduras, faced an uphill battle in supporting her family. Maria pours her heart into her work making and selling tortillas. She’s talented in the kitchen and devoted to great customer service. Her daughter, Angie, helps run the business. But despite Maria’s tenacity,

HONDURAS

she struggles to make ends meet because her cooking environment leaves much to be desired. A simple, old stove fashioned from blocks sits under a ceiling riddled with holes. When it rains, water leaks into her kitchen. “In times of rain, I could not work,” Maria explained. “In the morning, the stove was full of water and it was impossible to light the fire to make tortillas. Therefore, we did not sell any, and the money was tight.” It hurt Angie to watch her mother fight so often against the weather. Frustration, sadness and fear plagued

their family. “Our situation was difficult,” Angie said. But when Operation Blessing met Maria, everything changed! Your generosity provided materials for a new roof, a brand-new stove, cooking utensils, and supplies such as flour. You also helped Maria and Angie through business administration training. Now they have all the tools needed to thrive at their family business. Your kindness will be multiplied every time they make tortillas, earning the income they need to care for their family.

Maria and her kids show off their new sign for the business.

This new stove will greatly improve Maria's profits and income.

BACK-TO-BACK HURRICANES:

Continuing Relief You Helped After Hurricane Delta Struck on the Heels of Laura

ike so many hurricane victims in Louisiana, single mom Chelsea and her son Jaziah have faced far too many tragedies this year. First COVID-19, then Hurricane Laura, and now, just weeks later, they're dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Delta! Plus, an injury several years ago forced Chelsea to switch direction with her career. She originally worked an ambulance job, until she got hurt lifting a patient. Now, Chelsea works hard as

a janitor to support 3-yearold Jaziah. Even that work came to a screeching halt when Category 4 Hurricane Laura barreled through their area. Chelsea’s home was severely damaged. It has black mold and needs a new roof. On top of that, Chelsea couldn’t work for two weeks due to the severe destruction to the entire area. Thankfully, friends like you have been sending food, water, disaster relief kits, and recovery assistance to hurricane victims in Louisiana. Chelsea said, “It helped me out a lot. I couldn’t go to work … so we relied on the stuff from here.” Then, before Chelsea could even get her home fixed, a Category 2 hurricane, Delta, slammed into the area as well! But your love and assistance

LOUISIANA

prevailed again. The Operation Blessing disaster relief team sheltered from the storm nearby in Texas and Alabama. After the storm they were back on the scene right away. Thanks to you, trucks full of relief supplies pulled into Chelsea’s childhood church, Green Oak Baptist, when they were needed most. The support you’ve sent means a lot to Chelsea and so many like her. She and Jaziah loaded up on food and other much-needed items at

the distribution that Sunday. She said, “Everyone who donated is a true blessing. We’re a small community so we go unnoticed. We deeply appreciate all of it.” When disaster strikes—even twice in a row—you’re there to help! Thanks to your support, Operation Blessing will stay in the area, assisting beleaguered homeowners, for as long as they need our help.

YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED! We’ve received so many desperate cries for help. Poor and hurting families need you now more than ever before. Give your gift before the December 31 tax deadline this year at

o b . o r g / u r g e n t operationblessing.org

(800) 730-2537