blessings OPERATION BLESSING
JULY 2020
Stories of how YOU help the hurting around the world.
Offering Hope around the corner and Across the Globe During COVID-19
YOU BRING BAGS OF BLESSINGS PA G E 6
DANCING WITH JOY IN PERU
PA G E 1 6
GROWING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE PA G E 2 0
Happenings
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Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
You Bring Bags of Blessings
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Giving hope to a homebound widow in Virginia during coronavirus
A Hospital of Hope
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You sent help to those in need of medical care in Burundi
Inside this this issue issue
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Offering Hope Across the Globe During COVID-19
You’re sending food, medical supplies, and more during this crisis
Dancing with Joy in Peru
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You blessed elderly Peruvian ranchers with clean water
Growing Hope for the Future
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A farm in the Philippines offered opportunity to families in need
When It Rains, You Pour Out Blessings
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Floods washed away Adali’s livelihood, you gave it back
operationblessing.org | 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463 | (800) 730-2537 3
OPERATION BLESSING
HAPPENINGS NIGERIA: Recipients of a water well in remote Nigeria smile because friends like you sent the water they need.
LOUISIANA: Tornado victims
in Louisiana received buckets full of supplies, thanks in part to your support and a partnership with The Home Depot Foundation.
EL SALVADOR: Expectant
mothers in El Salvador had ultrasounds to check the health of their babies thanks to you.
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GUATEMALA: In addition to supplying chlorine and medical masks, OB workers in Guatemala prepare food for distribution during the pandemic.
VIRGINIA: You partnered
with Eagle Scouts in Virginia for a food drive to help those affected by the coronavirus shutdowns.
THAILAND: Because you donated supplies, families in Bangkok have handmade masks to protect them from coronavirus.
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VIRGINIA
Stacie smiles because you sent help during COVID-19. 6
YOU BRING
Bags of Blessings Giving hope to a homebound widow in Virginia during coronavirus
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tacie is no stranger to the feeling of isolation. While the nation navigates the uncharted waters of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has walked through this valley before in a devastating way. Ten years ago, Stacie lost her husband. And not even two years later, she unexpectedly lost her healthy 26-year-old son from complications with a prescription medication. Stacie had to endure the fresh pain of widowhood while burying her only child. Yet through it all, Stacie remained faithful to God. “You know, God heals the brokenhearted, and there’s joy in the morning,” she said. “He’s given me supernatural strength that only comes from Him.” When the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, Stacie sheltered in place with the rest of the country. And she believes the trials she has faced have prepared her for this time of uncertainty. Stacie avoided grocery stores as she falls in the at-risk age group category. Accessing food became an uphill battle. Continued on page 8
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“We have a lot of people who are shut in their homes due to quarantine or weakened immune systems.” – Director of Outreach for Christ
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But thanks to friends like you, Operation Blessing’s distribution partner, Outreach for Christ, has been working to serve those like Stacie who have fallen physically and financially vulnerable in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. The director saw a need to deliver food right to the homes of many of their at-risk recipients, and she responded to that need.
Delivering food to Stacie's front door
“We have a lot of people who are shut in their homes due to quarantine or weakened immune systems,” the director 8
explained. “A lot of them don’t have their children to take care of them or bring them things, so if it weren’t for us, I don’t think anybody else would be doing it. I know it means a lot to them.” Outreach for Christ delivered the groceries that YOU provided right to Stacie’s doorstep! As she walks through yet another troubling time, you are showing Stacie that she is not alone. And she is so grateful to our partners who make it all possible. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Stacie said, “not just for the food, but for coming alongside and letting people know, ‘You’re not alone, and you’re loved and valued.’ Anyone who donates to Operation Blessing is a part of that!”
The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave This month, we celebrate our wonderful nation. May God protect and provide for hardworking Americans both now and long into the future. Thank you for sending love to your neighbors in need during this crucial time.
You gave Natalia and her daughter the help they needed.
Offering Hope ACROSS THE GLOBE DURING COVID-19 You’re sending food, medical supplies, and more during this crisis
S
ince December of 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread from Wuhan, China, where it was first detected, to many countries around the world. The impact of this sweeping global outbreak has been disastrous.
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Millions have gotten sick, hundreds of thousands have died, and economies have ground to a halt. However, thanks to the faithful and generous friendship of people like YOU, hope has not been lost.
WORLDWIDE
Food for a family in Cambodia during lockdown
Because of your support, Operation Blessing has been able to fight the spread of the pandemic around the world and respond with powerful relief for those hit hard by the coronavirus. Natalia is a single mother who lives in one of the poorest boroughs in Mexico. She shares a small, concrete home with her daughters and several other family members. Both Natalia and her mother, Octavia, lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Unable to work because of the coronavirus restrictions in their area, they had no way to provide for themselves or their family. Then, thanks to you, staff from OB Mexico provided food and other
essentials to make sure Natalia and her family won’t go hungry. “You don’t know how much this will help us,” Natalia exclaimed. “You’ve brought us a miracle; it will get us through these tough times.” In the U.S. and over 20 other countries around the world, your faithfulness is bringing hope and help in the midst of COVID-19. From distributions of chlorine and other hygiene and disinfecting supplies, to providing masks and protective equipment for medical staff and first responders, to giving food and relief to those who have lost their livelihoods, your kindness is shining God’s love in the midst of these trying times. 11
a world of coronavirus relief Thank you for making a huge difference all around the globe!
peru
Disinfectants and Hygiene Products
USA
Multiple Types Of Aid 12
WORLDWIDE
china
Medical Supplies
india Food
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Solar panels ensured baby Lathi got oxygen to survive.
A Hospital of Hope You sent help to those in need of medical care in Burundi
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n the East African nation of Burundi, quality medical care could be hard to come by. But you
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made a big difference through your support of Operation Blessing partner, Kibuye Hope Hospital.
BURUNDI
SOLAR PANELS In the past, frequent power outages resulted in tragic outcomes, despite the best efforts of the staff. Incubators, oxygen machines and other lifesaving equipment would simply shut down. Surgeries would become much more dangerous without proper lighting and anesthesia. And precious blood supplies would spoil. Then you sent a state-ofthe-art solar energy system to keep a steady stream of electricity flowing to those in need. You’ve offered life and hope to so many children and other patients since then, like baby Lathi who had a heart condition and required constant oxygen to survive until she could recover. FEEDING PROGRAM You also supported a feeding program through Kibuye Hope Hospital. Too many children in their area suffered from malnutrition.
But over 200 kids began receiving a high-protein bowl of hot cereal twice a week, and the parents got extra to take home. When Ndikumana first brought her baby to the program, the child was sick and underweight. Soon after, her baby began to thrive, and she’s so grateful for your help! LIFE-CHANGING SURGERIES Finally, through this hospital you provided life-changing surgeries for those in desperate need. When young Willy fell off a bike and broke his leg, you offered him the surgery he needed for a speedy recovery. Whether cataracts, cleft lips, or other treatable issues, you made it possible for vulnerable individuals to get the surgeries they needed. Thank you again for being a source of hope to the precious people of Burundi by helping this hospital live up to its name. 15
PERU
Dancing with Joy IN PERU
You Blessed Elderly Peruvian Ranchers with Clean Water Mariano and his wife, Simona, are ranchers by trade. They spend their days herding cattle in the Peruvian highlands, raising them to be sold for profit, and mining salt on the side. But neither income comes easily for Mariano and Simona. The one thing they need the most after a long day of work is one thing they often lack: clean water. Mariano and Simona live in the remote Sales Grande community in Peru. They can only access water from a pond or rain runoff during the rainy season, but this water is not clean. Making matters worse, Mariano must walk far to seek this water that only risks harm to their health. Continued on page 18
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Mariano and Simona are excited about water.
Continued from page 17
“Whenever I found a well or spring,” Mariano said, “it wouldn’t matter if it was a small pond or spring, they always had toads, and frogs swimming or jumping out of it.” But that’s when YOU stepped in! Thanks to our generous friends, Operation Blessing learned of the plight of Mariano’s community and was able to build 18
a water project in their village. OB designed a gravity-fed system from a spring source with natural filters and chlorinators that allowed Mariano, Simona, and their neighbors to access filtered clean water near their homes. Because you give, the families no longer have to spend hours every day desperately searching for dirty water. Mariano and Simona
“It wouldn’t matter if it was a small pond or spring, they always had toads, and frogs swimming or jumping out of it.” – Mariano
now live transformed lives, with better health, hygiene practices, and healthier livestock. The Sales Grande community celebrated the opening of the water taps with a festive ceremony, where Mariano, Simona, and all their neighbors danced with joy! And we could not have done it without you! Thank you for your heart to see every man, woman, and child have access to clean water all over the world. “We are so very grateful for everything you have done for us, for this clean water!” Simona said. “Thank you so much!”
WE ALL HOPE TO LEAVE A BETTER WORLD FOR OUR CHILDREN You can leave a legacy that will touch lives long into the future! Become an elite member of Operation Blessing’s Lasting Legacy Society by adding a gift in your will or trust using the details below. Or contact us for more information through the resources included. And please be sure to let us know so we can officially add you to the society! OB BENEFICIARY INFORMATION: Legal Name: Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation Tax ID: 54-1382657 Contact: Operation Blessing Planned Giving, 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463 Phone: 800-333-2373 Email: PlannedGiving@ob.org Website: ob.org/legacy
PHILIPPINES
Corryn and Elsa happily display their newly grown crops.
GROWING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE A farm in the Philippines offered opportunity to families in need
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ll around the world, you have changed lives through small business opportunities, skills training and agriculture projects. These sorts of programs offer hardworking people the hand up they need to better care for their families long into the future. In the Philippines, one of the ways you helped was by supporting Community of Hope, an organization offering livelihood opportunities to families in need. Corryn and Elsa both consider themselves simple housewives. They work hard to care for their children and homes while their husbands have jobs outside of the home. But both families had difficulty making ends meet for food and other basic needs. Then, because of you, Community of Hope came into their lives. Neither woman knew much about farming, but they decided to give it a chance. And
you helped offer the agricultural education they needed to succeed! “I really enjoyed farming because we were able to build good relationships with each other, especially among the mothers in our community,” Corryn said. “It’s like hitting two birds with one stone—aside from farming, we were also helping to build each other up and our faith in God.” And Elsa added, “I am glad that we are now reaping the plants we have sown. Indeed, if we sow a seed, we will reap it in due time. This is the answer to my prayer.” Now both families have more resources, and the ladies have a new sense of pride in their accomplishments. Thanks to you, they have big dreams for the future, and hope to grow their project into a well-known farm one day. 21
MEXICO
Adali is thankful for the new stove you sent.
When It Rains, You Pour Out Blessings Floodwaters washed away Adali’s livelihood, but your kindness gave it back
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hen the sound of a storm wakes Adali in the night, she usually doesn’t think twice about it. Heavy rains are common in Sinaloa, Mexico. But last November, the sound of thunder startled Adali from her sleep. She stepped out of her bed, only to feel her feet sitting in water that had seeped into her home. Despite her best efforts to divert the path of the rain runoff, she was standing in floodwaters up to her knees just hours later. 22
Enduring a devastating flood even once is too many times. But Adali has been there before. Just over a year earlier, a flood swept through her town, destroying the majority of the fields used for crops. As an agricultural worker, Adali had lost her job.
Handing out cleaning supplies
To make ends meet as a single mother of her 10-year old daughter, Adali began to make and sell traditional Mexican candy from her home. But this recent flood destroyed her kitchen, once again robbing Adali of a steady income. Yet her spirit was not crushed. She travelled from house to house, asking her neighbors how they needed help. Adali reached out and contacted Operation Blessing, sharing the story
of her town’s struggle and ideas on how we could assist. Thanks to generous partners like you and Adali’s vibrant sense of community, hundreds of men, women, and children in Sinaloa were blessed with clean water, food, hygiene items, and supplies to clean their flooded homes. Operation Blessing was so inspired by Adali’s servant heart that we provided her with a new stove, along with cookware and supplies for her candy business. And we could not have done it without you!
Reaching out to flood victims
Thank you for your heart to help disaster victims! When your kindness fills the cups of so many suffering families, generosity overflows to bless entire communities. 23
THERE WHEN THEY NEED YOU MOST! When a disabled vet needed help during the COVID-19 crisis, you were there with hunger relief. Let’s work together and stay ready to offer hope whenever and wherever we’re needed throughout any crisis. ob.org/donate
operationblessing.org
977 Centerville Turnpike Virginia Beach, VA 23463 Copyright © 2020 by Operation Blessing
(800) 730-2537