January 2022 Blessings Magazine by Operation Blessing

blessings OPERATION BLESSING

JANUARY 2022

Stories of how YOU help the hurting around the world.

You Offer Hope to the Hopeless

UN-LOCKE-ING NEW HOPE PAG E 6

CLEAN WATER FOR STRUGGLING COMMUNITY PA G E 1 0

CONGRATULATIONS ON A FRESH START! PA G E 2 0

Happenings

Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!

Un-Locke-Ing New Hope

6 10 2

You gave new hope and a restored home to the elderly Locke family

Clean Water for Struggling Community

You blessed a povertystricken community in Mexico

Inside this issue

You Offer Hope to the Hopeless

Mothers in Kenya have fresh hope for healthy families

Overcoming Every Challenge to Help Those in Need Medical care for people in hard-to-reach areas

Welcome to the New Year

New ideas on how you can bless the poor in 2022

Congratulations on a Fresh Start!

You gave a single-parent family in Peru a new home and business

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

OPERATION BLESSING

HAPPENINGS PERU: Because of friends like you, poverty-stricken pregnant women in Peru are now able to receive ultrasounds to see their babies’ development and sex.

VIRGINIA: You are helping to put an end to hunger in Virginia and around the U.S. through our Hunger Strike Force.

NIGERIA: Operation Blessing supporters like you provided John with free surgery for his cleft lip. 4

HONDURAS: Operation Blessing gave mosquito-larvae-eating fish, turtles and copepods to provide innovative protection from dengue fever to a village that has suffered due to this disease.

PHILIPPINES: When a powerful typhoon struck the Philippines, our team on the ground worked with partner churches and the Philippine army to deliver relief supplies.

JORDAN: Friends like you showed incredible support to Christian refugee children in Jordan by offering them free schooling.

FLORIDA

Un-Locke-Ing

NEW HOPE

etired Vietnam veteran Billy Locke and his wife, Martha, never thought they would see their home in ruins. But when Hurricane Michael hit the Gulf

Coast of Florida, the unimaginable suddenly became a reality. As the hurricane made landfall, the elderly couple hunkered down across the street with their neighbors. Billy and Martha watched through the windows in horror as tree after tree fell all around their home. “Sometimes you couldn’t see across the street because of how hard the rain was,” Billy recalled. Continued on page 8

YOU GAVE NEW HOPE AND A RESTORED HOME TO THE ELDERLY LOCKE FAMILY AFTER HURRICANE

The Lockes explore their beautiful home with their granddaughter. Continued from page 7

Once the storm had finally passed, the picture was heartbreaking. Their home sat battered, missing windows and part of the roof. Waterlogged walls quickly began growing mold. When Billy and Martha took their first steps back into their home, a sense of desolation washed over them. The elderly couple suddenly realized the overwhelming amount of work it would take to recover the home they had cherished. All hope seemed lost. With help from friends, they managed to get their roof repaired, but the house beneath it slowly began to crumble from water damage. Mold spread and pests began to invade, creating an unhealthy and unsafe living environment for the devastated couple. Operation Blessing first met Billy and Martha shortly after the storm, when we rushed to answer their immediate needs. Like most residents in the area, Billy and Martha needed hot meals, clean water, cleaning supplies, and warm showers. But we also follow up on storm victims long after the disaster passes. When we discovered that Billy and Martha still desperately needed help with their home, your love reached out to them. And because of you, their wildest dream suddenly became a reality. Partnering with The Home Depot Foundation and other generous organizations that provided supplies, Operation Blessing supporters helped provide a miracle for Billy and 8

Martha. During the weeks that we worked on their house, the couple stayed in an Operation Blessing trailer often used as a mobile command center for our disaster relief team. Meanwhile, helpers gutted the Locke home—right down to the bare bones. And then your love began to rebuild this home from the ground up. The workers installed new ceilings, replaced drywall, and put in new appliances. They laid new floors to make way for brand-new furniture, replacing the pieces ruined by

the hurricane. The Locke family home was completely restored, thanks to friends like you! “I don’t have words to express it,” Billy said. “Thank you is not enough.” Thank you for your heart to see a family in ruins rise from the ashes. Your love and kindness quite literally surround Billy and Martha in their new home.

Should I be thinking about Estate Planning? THE SIMPLE

ANSWER IS

YES!

Experts estimate that only about one-third of adults have a will, and many people don’t realize a will is only part of an estate plan. The good news is, we have free resources to help guide you. Visit the “Learn About Wills” section of our special Gift Planning website for a Will Planner, Estate Planning Guide, and more!

ob.org/plannedgiving or call us at 800-333-2373 9

MEXICO

Clean Water FOR STRUGGLING COMMUNITY

very day, 14-year-old Maria made a treacherous trek to find water with her mother and sisters. They live in San José el Paraíso, a small community of just 13 families in southern Mexico. The nearest source of water was over half a mile away, which meant a difficult journey by foot for young Maria and her family. Each day they traveled down the dangerous path for water and grew weary returning with the heavy, water-filled containers. Making matters worse, the water available was vulnerable to contamination, often making it unfit to drink. Without clean water, residents couldn’t safely drink, cook, or even bathe. But then Operation Blessing in Mexico heard about the needs of this poverty-stricken community and, thanks to friends like you, they began work to offer a sustainable source of clean water. We started by implementing a water committee and conducting WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) workshops to teach families how to take care of their water and their health. Work then began on the production of rainwater harvesting systems, including proper filtration, for each family. With

these practical resources providing sustainable clean water, Maria, her family, and the entire community are now free from the task of carrying water daily. They can also rest assured that the water they drink is safe for everyone. “Ever since we’ve had the system, we haven’t had to carry water because

we have enough,” Maria said. “Now I have more time to help my mom with other chores." Thank you for your heart to bless remote villages and communities around the world with the precious gift of clean water. The thoughtful solutions you provide through Operation Blessing bring hope to those that need it most. May God bless you for your kindness!

Blessing a poverty-stricken community in Mexico

Kenya Loitokitok

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KENYA

Mothers in Kenya have

fresh hope healthy families for

or residents of this sub-Saharan African nation, access to healthcare is often a luxury. Mothers here know this all too well. While pouring all of their resources and care into their children, many women still see their children fall victim to preventable illnesses common in the region. For expectant mothers, the opportunity to receive prenatal care would require miles-long journeys, often too costly for families in rural communities to undertake. Jackline was expecting her fourth baby soon. Women like her often live with the constant risk of losing their children to an avoidable illness or curable disease, or even losing their babies during childbirth.

Continued on page 14

“

Thank you, Operation Blessing,” Leah said, “for making these services available without us having to even break a sweat. God bless you!”

Continued from page 13

It’s the same for 28-year-old Leah, who just delivered her fifth child. Born and raised in Kenya, she’s no stranger to the risk of pregnancy. But thanks to Operation Blessing partners, these precious ladies have had their fears alleviated. Operation Blessing saw the need for additional healthcare options in the Loitokitok community of rural Kenya. With the help of supporters like you, we offered a Community Health Volunteer (CHV) program to the area. Rallying care and support from local residents, Operation Blessing’s CHV program is a 14

grassroots effort. You make it possible for our staff to partner with community leaders and the local government, training volunteers in basic healthcare information and practices. These healthcare volunteers travel all around the community, visiting residents at their own homes and meeting many of the health needs of these families. This is why Jackline was able to carry her fourth child with joy. She doesn’t have to fear unknown health risks as she prepares for childbirth. “I have been receiving important lessons from my

Community Health Volunteer, and I make sure I follow them to the letter,” Jackline said. These lessons included how to eat a balanced diet and to exercise. The volunteer also regularly checked her blood pressure to ensure good health. But more than just an adviser, CHVs also serve as advocates, especially to pregnant women. To decrease risks to both mother and baby, these volunteers strongly encourage mothers to deliver their babies in health facilities with a qualified birth assistant instead of at home. Leah’s successful birth of a healthy baby boy was in large part

thanks to the care and support of Community Health Volunteers. Through their kindness, our partners advocated for Leah, providing a CHV to prepare her for childbirth and routinely check on her baby for the first months as a newborn. “Thank you, Operation Blessing,” Leah said, “for making these services available without us having to even break a sweat. God bless you!” For Jackline, Leah, and dozens of families throughout Loitokitok, the compassionate love of friends like you goes the distance. Thank you for your heart to see people in these remote villages provided with quality healthcare every day!

PHILIPPINES

OVERCOMING

EVERY CHALLENGE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED

Medical care for people in hard-to-reach areas

round the world, our Operation Blessing staff on the ground faces and overcomes many challenges to get help to the people who need it most. In the Philippines, our medical team recently went to great lengths to bring aid to the tribal community of Sitio Malasya in the Sierra Madre mountains after they had been battered by weeks of heavy rains. The village lies hours from the nearest medical facility. So a group of our dedicated staff, doctors, nurses, and volunteers overcame many

obstacles to reach residents in need of supplies, medical care, and support that partners like you helped make possible! According to our program director, Dr. Aranas, “The terrain was difficult because of knee-deep mud and raging rivers ... but the Lord made a way for us to cross this deep river by literally making it shallower before our eyes even while still raining. God sent three tribal men to help us cross and push forward just when we had almost given up and canceled the mission for safety of the team.” Continued on page 18

The team delivered much-needed disaster relief supplies like food and medicines, as well as gifts for the children. 17

Continued from page 17

She reported that the team made it to the community after a six-hour trek. But the Lord brought them to this village with a purpose: “God wanted us to treat the children and adults alike suffering from diarrhea because they have been drinking cloudy rainwater with no source for potable water,” she said. Dr. Aranas expressed her gratitude for the horses that carried food relief bags, medicines, and special gifts for the children. Thanks to the

support of friends like you, the team delivered the muchneeded supplies, treated nearly 100 patients, conducted COVID-19 training on hygiene and nutrition, and shared the love of Jesus with the villagers. She said, “It was indeed a fulfilling mission,” and the team hopes to return soon with more aid for this deserving community. Thank you so much for your compassionate gifts that help make outreaches like this possible around the world!

Friends like you enabled our medical team to treat nearly 100 patients.

W E L C O M E

T O

T H E

NEW YEAR 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 ESV

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN HELPING THE HURTING THOUGH OPERATION BLESSING IN 2022?

Here are a few ideas:

Blessing Builder Monthly Partnership | Legacy Giving Life-Changing Surgeries Catalog | Online Giving Catalog Become a Fundraiser | Volunteer

ob.org/get-involved 19

CONGRATULATIONS ON A FRESH START! YOU GAVE A SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY IN PERU A NEW HOME AND BUSINESS

s a young girl in Peru, Gisella felt inspired by her grandmother’s handmade, indigenous handicrafts fashioned from the natural resources that surrounded their village. She decided to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and continue making colorful handicrafts in her family’s tradition. Today, Gisella is a mother and grandmother herself. Sadly, the meager income she was earning from her handicrafts often left her family hungry and hurting.

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PERU

While Gisella worked hard, attempting to sell her wares in busy tourist areas, her eldest daughter, Helen, stayed home to care for her 6-year-old brother, José, and her own 2-year-old daughter, Lilia. But that home was little more than a ramshackle hut and didn’t provide much protection for them. Some days, despite her best efforts, Gisella would return defeated. She recalled a day when she came home empty-handed, unable to give her children any food. “My little son was hungry,” she said. “He doesn’t understand. He’s just a little boy. The baby also wanted to eat, but that day, we slept without food.” Continued on page 22

Continued from page 21

Then one night, their situation got even worse. “During a rainstorm there was a lot of noise,” Gisella said. “And suddenly my roof went flying off. All my things started to get wet. In that moment I only thought about getting my children out of there.” But when the storm cleared, they had nowhere else to go. They cleaned up as best as they could and returned to the house. Now, in addition to their precarious financial situation, they had a dangerous living environment—until you

came along with fresh hope and a fresh start for Gisella and her family! Operation Blessing first met Gisella at an artisan workshop. There, along with many others, she received specialized instruction and new materials and tools to improve her crafts and her business. Gisella found renewed hope, feeling confident that with the training and supplies she could increase her future earnings. But it was clear this family needed immediate help, as well. So, friends like you also

reached out to build Gisella and her kids a brand-new, sturdy home! The cheerful blue house is safe and secure. Her precious children and grandchild will no longer live with the constant threat of danger. And because of you, it’s filled with appliances and furnishings to turn it into a cozy home for this hardworking family. Gisella said, “Thanks to all of you for blessing my home. Our lives have changed with this house.” Congratulations to Gisella and her kids on this wonderful little home, and congratulations to you for giving a fresh start to hurting families around the world.

NEW FOR A NEW YEAR You can provide new hope to hurting and poverty-stricken people around the world this year! Together, we can make a huge difference.

ob.org/give operationblessing.org

(800) 730-2537