2023 June Blessings Magazine

Happenings

Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!

A Fresh Start for a Weary Father

You gave Riquelme’s children full bellies and a safe home in Peru

Love and Support after Deadly Tornadoes

Thank you for reaching out to disaster victims in the U.S.

HAPPENINGS

THAILAND: A widow is finding sustainable income after you provided the equipment and supplies she needed to grow vegetables on her own farm.

MEXICO: Thanks to your support, displaced families in Mexican shelters are learning safe hygiene habits through our WASH program.

INDIA: Nirma smiles today because her jaw issue was repaired through our Life-Changing Surgeries program—and friends like you.

COSTA RICA: Because of you, children in Palmera, Costa Rica, will soon have access to water through a rainwater harvesting system installed at their school.

VIRGINIA: Thanks to your help, Operation Blessing is providing food for hungry Americans through Kingdom Investing Outreach Center in Virginia.

UGANDA: You help give mothers training on how to start their own businesses so they can support their children.

Riquelme’s son proudly displays this symbolic key to his new home.

Riquelme used to wake up with no idea how he’d provide for his six young kids that day. He would do anything— work anywhere—to put food on the table, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough. He desperately needed support from caring people like you.

“One day I left at 6:00 a.m. to look for any job to bring food for my kids, and I came back at 6:00 p.m. with nothing.” Despair was a constant companion for this single father, but he didn’t quit. He couldn’t. No one would provide for his children if he wasn’t there, because their mother had abandoned them.

Unfortunately, getting food was only one of this family’s problems. Riquelme

A Fresh Start for a Weary Father

YOU GAVE RIQUELME’S CHILDREN FULL BELLIES AND A SAFE HOME

couldn’t afford school fees for his children, and their home was little more than a rotting storage shed riddled with holes. In the region where they live, storms would often come two or three times every week, frightening the children and threatening to destroy their poor shelter. The family also had no sanitation facilities. Riquelme shared, “Sometimes my son asks me if

we are ever going to have a bathroom. I can’t afford to build one; I can barely earn enough for their food.”

Living in such difficult conditions, Riquelme and his family struggled to find hope for tomorrow. “Seeing my children like this makes me very sad. My kids don’t go to school, they don’t have beds, my house is falling apart; the small amount of money I get isn’t enough to buy materials to fix my house. I don’t like seeing them like this.”

You have changed my life and my children’s lives as well. Thank you for this blessing.”

- Riquelme

Then Operation Blessing found them—and you changed everything. Riquelme’s family received a new threebedroom house complete with a living and dining area, a kitchen, and—of course—a bathroom! Each bedroom has bunk beds and desks for the children, the dining area has a table and chairs, and the kitchen was outfitted with items they need to cook meals.

“Thank you for the house! I did not expect this at all,” said Riquelme with tears of joy. “All I ever wanted was for my children to be happy and safe in their house. Now they have rooms and beds. All of this is incredible! This is a blessing for my six kids and me—I am grateful.”

And that wasn’t the end of the story. Your generosity always goes above and beyond for those in need. Now that the family had a home, Riquelme still needed a way to feed his children

Riquelme uses his new grinding machine for his budding tamale business.

without wondering where the next meal would come from. He loves making tamales, so with your help, our team matched his passion and skill with a real opportunity to make his dreams come true.

You equipped him with everything he needed to start a successful food business including a grinding machine, knives, small freezer, pots, pans, and even a cart on wheels to sell tamales outdoors—along with a good supply of key ingredients. Now, this hardworking father can provide for his young family without worrying about the future.

“Thank you to everyone who gave from their heart for my family,”

Riquelme said. “You have changed my life and my children’s lives as well. Thank you for this blessing.”

With full bellies and a new home, Riquelme’s kids were also ready to pursue an education. Your compassion took care of that need, too! Now, all the children are enrolled in school and have uniforms and supplies. One of our staff members even volunteered to tutor the kids to get them on track following the time they’d missed. It’s amazing what we can do for a family when we work together!

Our Peru team was excited to help out with the tamales!

Minnie, who compared her recent frightening experience to past events. “We went through storms, but nothing like this. It’s a lot to take in. All of a sudden it just went quiet—I mean pin-drop quiet,” she said as she fought back tears. “We didn’t even have time to get down. It was just like—boom! And we all hit the floor right there in the hallway.” She was quick to acknowledge the hand of God in their miraculous escape. “He spared us!”

Yet, although her family members survived the storm, they struggled from the trauma afterward. “Right now, we need help,” Minnie said. “You know, we need people to help us. First of all, we need prayers. We need each others’ prayers.”

You made it possible for Operation Blessing to send relief items to the affected areas, including water, emergency meal kits, and cleaning supplies. With your help, we deployed teams to both Mississippi and Arkansas. Between the two hard-hit areas, Operation Blessing was able to organize volunteer teams and offer hot

meals, supplies, debris cleanup, chainsaw work, and roof tarping.

Our team helped Minnie’s family to clear up a tree and debris from the storm and coordinated re-tarping her roof. She’s so grateful to you for your love and assistance. “I just thank God for you, because you didn’t have to do it. You could have been doing something else. But He sent you our way, and we thank you—we thank you so very much for that.”

Generous friends like you are offering hope to Minnie and others who have suffered so much. We offer you our sincerest gratitude for being there for them during this difficult time.

The family of 8-year-old Fabiola in Mexico suffered from a lack of healthy food. She and her siblings went too often without adequate nutrition. Then friends like you supplied their village with a community garden to provide nutrient-rich foods. And the kids find joy in being a part of growing their own produce!

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

Too many children lack the nutrients they need to grow and thrive, such as iron and protein. Through our nutritional feeding programs, you give schoolchildren in places like Kenya, Peru, and Haiti the extra support they need. Not only do you offer supplements and regular nutritious school meals, but in parts of Latin America, you also make possible cooking classes to teach parents how to cook healthier meals—a valuable skill that will last a lifetime.

DISASTER AND CRISIS RELIEF

AGRICULTURAL AND FARMING PROGRAMS

In parts of Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Operation Blessing supporters supply villages and schools with irrigation systems, greenhouses, agricultural training, chicken coops, and farm animals. As seen on the previous page, in Mexico community gardens are making a huge difference for villagers in need. Through these opportunities, struggling people can grow food for their families for many years to come, and they can sell the surplus to better meet other important needs like utilities, education, and medical care.

Anytime crisis and natural disasters strike, meeting people’s basic needs like food, hygiene supplies, and clean water is the first important step. You send support to disaster victims in dire need. In the U.S., our volunteer teams regularly pack boxes of emergency food supplies to prepare for upcoming disasters. With your help, we’ve recently distributed hunger relief after hurricanes in Florida, earthquakes in Turkey, and typhoons in the Philippines. Meanwhile, you continue sending massive quantities of food to refugees in Poland as well as directly into war-torn Ukraine.

BUSINESS AND LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT

One of the best ways to provide hunger relief long into the future is by empowering people to earn a better living. Through skills training and small business support, you are fighting hunger long term and changing lives both today and for generations to come. Whether it’s through a small store in India, a start-up bakery in Nigeria, or supplies for artisans in Peru, you are helping families to increase their incomes and better provide for the needs of their children and households.

U.S. HUNGER STRIKE FORCE

In the U.S., even many working families have a difficult time making ends meet during these days of high prices. Meanwhile, seniors, single parents, the unemployed, and those who are ill particularly struggle to put food on the table. You bless them by making possible the distribution of millions of pounds worth of free food to local food pantries and other partner organizations. Large corporations donate the food, and with your help, we send out our fleet of Hunger Strike Force semi-trucks to get that food into the hands of those who need it most. In that way, your donations are leveraged for maximum impact!

FAMINE RELIEF

When famine and drought strike vulnerable countries like Kenya and South Sudan, many are robbed not only of food for their tables but also of their income opportunities. Thanks to you, Operation Blessing rushes to the scene in places like Kurungu to provide immediate relief to suffering and malnourished people.

Thank you again for feeding the hungry around the world.

God bless you for your giving heart!

for a Lonely

HealingFather Ukraine in

Because of you, Yuri was not left alone

Nomatter how much time has passed, Ukraine is still on our minds and in our hearts as the war rages on. Your compassion has been there changing lives—lives like Yuri’s. If you hadn’t stepped in, he might not be alive today.

Last fall, Yuri was at home during another evening of air raid

sirens and wondering whether his front-line community would still be there in the morning. Suddenly the house shook, rocked by a blast that sounded far too close. Yuri tried to escape—but he didn’t get far. In the dark, he tripped over his apartment threshold, and his body lit up with pain. Thankfully, he made it through the night. However, Yuri quickly realized he had lost most of his mobility. And he lived alone. He couldn’t cook food, collect water, or even easily get to the bathroom. Because of the war, for months he hasn’t been able to reach his only daughter who lives in a different

part of Ukraine. The few neighbors who hadn’t evacuated counseled Yuri to go to the hospital. Weeks after the injury, he gave in. Physicians said Yuri had damaged his femur and could be permanently disabled without surgery. Living as he did in such a dangerous part of Ukraine, that could prove fatal. The problem was, Yuri couldn’t afford an operation. He’s a hardworking tailor by trade, but jobs have been scarce during the war. Thankfully, you and Operation Blessing came together to stand with Yuri, and he got the chance of a lifetime—free surgery.

By the time he was discharged from the hospital, he could walk on his own! Still, the rehabilitation process he faced was a long one. Our volunteers recognized that Yuri wouldn’t be able to climb the stairs to his fifth-floor apartment or escape a bombing. They took him to a partner rehabilitation center where he could spend time with a community of caring Christians. Best of all, he now has the chance to be reunited with his daughter someday.

Yuri shared his gratitude. “I don’t have any relatives near me, so I was left alone with my problems ... but God did not leave me alone with my problems. I am very grateful to Operation Blessing volunteers and doctors for their help.”

Yuri is no longer alone. Neither are the many other Ukrainians you’ve blessed. Over the last year your generosity has been hard at work in Ukraine and Poland—providing food, fuel, encouragement, and critical supplies like hygiene items, clothing, and blankets to Ukrainians in need. Thank you!

By the time he was discharged from the hospital, Yuri could walk on his own!

LIFE to the BODY

Friends like you gave the gift of health through clean water

weight of the water made my neck hurt so bad I just poured the water out and went home with an empty container.”

WhenI was a young girl, I often went to the stream to play,” Rhona said. But as she grew older, the long trek to the same stream became a struggle—because she had to carry heavy containers of water home to her mother. “One time, the

Later, as an adult, Rhona made the same long trek from her house to the stream to fetch water for her own family—four times a day! “Carrying the water home is so tiring,” she said. “I get home exhausted. And even though my body needs rest, I have to keep going, because there are always chores waiting.”

Even worse, the water she brings home is contaminated. “It smells and tastes really bad,” said Rhona. “I feel terrible drinking that water and giving it to my family, but I have no choice because it’s

all we have.” Her children would often get horrible stomachaches. When Rhona’s son was 3, he got very sick. “I thought he was going to die. I prayed all the time for God to send us help,” she said. “I’m thankful he survived.”

When friends like you heard about their plight, your love reached out to help. Our expert water team evaluated their situation and found that in their case a well would be the most effective solution. They drilled the well near

team taught a committee of villagers how to care for it and ensure that the community would have access to safe water for years to come.

Rhona could not contain her delight. “When you came, we were all so grateful. We could not hold back our joy.” She beamed in gratitude. “I’ve never had this kind of water before. It feels like life to my body. Every time I drink it, I feel good and healthy.”

Thanks to the compassion of friends like you, her children are no longer sick from drinking contaminated water. Her daughter can easily fetch clean water from the new well, giving Rhona more time to focus on her other chores. In addition, she says, “I have time to give my body rest and to hang out with my friends, something I couldn’t do before.”

You have helped give Rhona and her children a new life. “Life is good,” Rhona said. “We are healthy, and we are happy. Thank you!”

Making an Impact with

Benefits

Gifting all, or a portion, of your IRA’s Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) can reduce your tax bill while supporting a cause you care about.

Taking Your RMD

• You pay income tax on your distribution

• Might push you into a higher tax bracket

• Your tax dollars go to Uncle Sam

Gifting Your RMD

• You pay no income tax on your gift

• Qualified Charitable Distribution counts toward RMD

• You can designate your gift any way you want

For more information on how you can take advantage of gifting your RMD and blessing those in desperate need. Please contact us at:

Call: 800-333-2373

Email: PlannedGiving@OB.org

Visit: ob.org/plannedgiving

From the kids at our school in Kenya—and all of us at Operation Blessing—

Happy Father’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you so much for blessing children around the world. You have become an extended family for them, loving them like your own in so many ways.

ESCAPE RUBBLE

YOU

Turkey, when her house started shaking. They clung to each other, afraid

WRAPPED YOUR ARMS AROUND A FAMILY IN TURKEY

of destruction in its wake, and the aftershocks just kept coming. “Many people were trapped under the rubble,” she said. Among them was her brother-in-law, who perished in the quakes. Now homeless, Ayesha and her husband, children, and fatherin-law moved into a tent the government provided.

But Operation Blessing family members like you immediately took action and sent critical aid their way! When our team arrived at Ayesha’s tent village, we found the residents struggling with difficult circumstances. Ayesha and her neighbors only had access to water through an old pump. After the earthquake, they were afraid to drink the water from it.

Our water engineer confirmed the water wasn’t safe, and with your help he gave each family, including Ayesha, a water filter. He showed them how it worked and assured them that it would make the water safe for them to drink and use for cooking. Ayesha and her family were grateful. She accepted your love and passed it along to others

in need. “I even give clean water to people who don’t have it.”

You also blessed the community through food and compassion. Ayesha could feel your arms wrap around her from the other side of the world through the actions of our team on the ground. “Even though we don’t speak the same language, they communicate with us through body language,” she said. “We are fully aware of their positive thoughts and actions.”

Ayesha continued, “I didn’t see anyone else from foreign countries other than Operation Blessing come to help us. They provided us with food and water, brought toys for our children, and they helped us a lot. We love them very much.”

The road to recovery and healing will be a long one for the people of Turkey, but they have felt your love in so many ways— through food, water, hygiene supplies, medical care, and most importantly, compassion. Thank you for sending your compassion around the world to meet them in their darkest hours.