November 2023 Blessings by Operation Blessing

blessings OPERATION BLESSING

NOVEMBER 2023

Stories of how YOU help the hurting around the world.

Abundant

Blessings

because of YOU

A NEW BEGINNING FOR TURKEY PA G E 6

Celebrating 45 Years OF AN OPERATION TO BLESS THE WORLD! PA G E 1 0

RESCUED FROM BLINDNESS: SONIYA’S STORY PA G E 1 6

Happenings

4 6 10 2

Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!

Hopeful New Beginnings After Tragic Earthquakes

Rebuilding hope out of the rubble thanks to you

Celebrating 45 Years of an Operation to Bless the World! You have helped us reach millions

Inside this issue

You Gave Food in Abundance Showering blessings on a single mother in West Virginia

Rescued from Blindness: Soniya’s Story

How friends like you restored an 18-year-old’s sight

Abundant Blessings After Idalia

You sent vital help and supplies to Florida residents in the wake of a hurricane

The Taste of Freedom

You released a hardworking woman in Kenya from the burden of gathering dirty water

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

OPERATION BLESSING

HAPPENINGS GUAM: You empowered Operation Blessing to repair and renovate Maya’s house after Category 4 Typhoon Mawar destroyed it.

POLAND: After the devastating war in Ukraine displaced tens of thousands of families from their hometowns, your compassion provided people like Lyudmyla and her husband with food packages.

KENYA: Soon this adorable little guy will no longer have to make long treks for water thanks to a new water system in his village provided by friends like you!

PERU

PERU: Your support provided Kathy with a free ultrasound examination, where she learned about the health of her twin babies.

MEXICO: Your love and support provided Norma’s village with a community water system that gives each household access to clean drinking water.

HAWAII: Because of your generosity, fishing and diving gear was delivered to families in Maui after catastrophic wildfires blazed through this island. 5

MOROCCO AND TURKEY

Hopeful

NEWBeginnings

AFTER TRAGIC EARTHQUAKES

REBUILDING HOPE OUT OF THE RUBBLE THANKS TO YOU Recent Earthquake in Morocco

hen earthquakes strike, lives are left in the rubble. Recently, you’ve reached out to survivors in Morocco after deadly earthquakes took thousands of lives and left tens of thousands homeless. You provided vital supplies like food, water, blankets, and solar lights. You were both literally and figuratively a light in the darkness for them. One Moroccan named Zouhair said, “It was like a miracle when you came here.”

Long-Term Help After Turkey Earthquake But long after an earthquake strikes, the rebuilding goes on. As people in Turkey continued the struggle to rebuild their lives after the deadly earthquake shook their region earlier this year, you were also there giving them hope. You’re helping people like Hakan rewrite their stories. While most people slept in their beds, that peaceful night in February quickly turned chaotic as the earth shook and turned buildings into rubble. Tens of thousands died, and millions more were displaced. As survivors mourned the loss of their loved ones—family, friends, and

neighbors—so many struggled to find a way to move forward and support themselves once again. Hakan survived, but like many others he lost everything, including his coffee shop. Without it, he had no way to support himself. “It’s been traumatic for me to see my friends’ lives destroyed, and so many lives were lost,” said Hakan. “There’s so much sadness here, but I do not want to leave the city. I want to see the city rebuilt, but I don’t have much hope.” Then you gave him a lifeline when he needed it most! Faithful Operation Blessing friends like you stepped in and provided microenterprise grants to help business owners Continued on page 8

Continued on page 8

“IT HAS TOUCHED ME THAT SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE WORLD, WHO DOESN’T EVEN KNOW ME, COMES ALL THE WAY HERE TO HELP.” —HAKAN

Continued from page 7

like Hakan earn a living and restore their dignity. Together, we worked with Hakan to build a new coffee shop— complete with appliances and supplies—so he could restart his business without further delay. This business is also helping to restore a sense of community and hope for the future to people in his area. Hakan is so grateful for your love and support during this most difficult time. “It has touched me that someone

from another part of the world, who doesn’t even know me, comes all the way here to help.” Your generosity has blessed so many others in Turkey by supplying water filter systems, food, and tents for those still living in tent cities across the region. Thank you for bringing a ray of hope and comfort to these precious people who are hurting in Turkey. May God bless you!

–JIMMIE

ha p p y

Thanksgiving thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Enter his gates with

For the Lord is good.

love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. His unfailing

Psalm 100:4-5

Celebrating

45 Years

O F A N O P E R AT I O N T O B L E S S T H E WO R L D !

his month Operation Blessing celebrates 45 years of blessing poor and suffering people—and that’s thanks to YOU. Ever since our founder, Pat Robertson, first felt God prompting him to follow the words of Isaiah 58, friends like you have been reaching out to bless the needy with God’s love all around the globe. You have been the hands and feet of Jesus, and TOGETHER we have reached millions!

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. Isaiah 58:10

You Gave Food in WEST VIRGINIA

Abundance RING BLE OWE SSI H S NG IN

ayla knows the cost of sacrifice all too well. After going through a divorce, she resolved to do anything necessary to support her children. And when she couldn’t, it was your sacrificial support that got her through the most difficult days. Quality time with her four children had always been important to Kayla. They loved to spend time together—roasting marshmallows,

W E ON A SINGLE M ST VIR GINI A

ER TH

skipping rocks across the creek, or just hanging out at home. She cherished every moment. But when she was suddenly on her own to pay the bills, Kayla had no choice but to give up being a stay-at-home mom in order to work. “I want them to know that Mommy’s there, I love them,

and I’m going to provide for them at all costs,” said Kayla. But the transition was more difficult than she anticipated. “It was overwhelming. I was scared. I know that there were people willing to help if I asked, but I wanted to do it myself. I didn’t want to be dependent on someone.” At first, Kayla got a job as a cook at a local daycare, where she could also get childcare for

“THERE WAS NO EXTRA. THERE WAS NO SAFETY NET IF SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC WERE TO HAPPEN.” –KAYLA

her youngest son. It was perfect. “I know that was a godsend moment,” she said. “It was a reminder that God is providing—because who else could give you exactly what you’re needing like that?” Continued on page 14

Continued from page 13

Even with a steady income, however, money was tight. Kayla continued struggling to pay the bills and didn’t have enough to cover all of her children’s needs. “There was no extra. There was no safety net if something catastrophic were to happen.” The constant pressure took a toll on Kayla. She was desperate and began to struggle spiritually. But God was faithful. He continued to provide for her through your generous compassion. One day the director of an Operation Blessing partner ministry visited the daycare where Kayla worked— ’ and offered extra assistance to families of the children. Kayla gratefully accepted this lifeline. She visited the ministry’s food pantry, and her heavy burden began to lighten. “People legitimately cared. It gave me confidence that God was providing through them, and it wasn’t something to be ashamed of,” Kayla said. “I felt relief when they were giving me the food, because that was just one less thing I would have to worry about for that month.” When her children saw all the food you provided, their faces lit up. Kayla’s heart filled with joy. “It’s like Christmas for them,” she said. “The food is more than enough. ...

The food has helped me not only to fill my belly, but the spiritual aspect is what I keep falling back on the most.” God’s faithfulness was evident. Soon, Kayla was able to find another job as a cook that helped her better provide for her family. But she did not forget the sacrifice you made to help her and her children when they needed it most. “Thank you to the people providing all this. I know the ones that are doing this—they’re sacrificing in some way, whether it’s time or money. They’re sacrificing something to try to take care of people like me.”

YOUR SACRIFICE IS CHANGING LIVES LIKE KAYLA’S ACROSS AMERICA. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR LOVE THROUGH THE GIFT OF FOOD.

INDIA

Rescued from Soniya’s Story HOW FRIENDS LIKE YOU RESTORED AN 18-YEAR-OLD’S SIGHT

ive years ago, Soniya lost her parents in an accident. Just like that, her life was turned upside down. She and her two siblings went to live with their uncle’s family, and that was a bright spot in an otherwise dark time—but sadly, the darkness kept growing in a different way. Soniya’s vision began to blur significantly in her left eye as she developed a cataract. As you might imagine, schoolwork soon became difficult for Soniya, and it wasn’t long before her vision became so bad in both eyes that she dropped out of school entirely. “Earlier, I used to be engaged in dancing and singing. I have also participated in school-level competitions. I like to entertain people around me with my talents,” she shared. “Two years ago, I realized that I was unable to see anything clearly, then gradually my vision faded away and I became

partially blind,” she continued. “There was no hope left in my life.” This 18-year-old who once had plans to become a doctor found herself without any career prospects or much hope for the future. Thankfully, friends like you intervened, and Soniya soon encountered God’s love through Operation Blessing. When our life-changing surgeries program formed a special partnership with healthcare facilities in India, your gifts opened the door to provide cataract repair surgeries to thousands. Through that partnership, Soniya received the life-changing surgery she so desperately needed. A simple act of kindness from compassionate people like you has rewritten her story with hope. Now that she can see again, Soniya can resume her studies and confidently pursue her dream of becoming a doctor.

SONIYA’S SMILE SAYS IT ALL, BUT SO DO HER WORDS: “Today I can read, go to school, play with everyone, dance, and sing. My life is colorful again! I never thought I would get my eyesight back. Thank you!” 17

FLORIDA

ABUNDANT BLESSINGS AFTER

Idalia You sent vital help and supplies to Florida residents in the wake of a hurricane

lthough Hurricane Idalia passed through with surprising speed, those affected by its destructive force faced a long road to recovery after this devastating storm. Thanks to friends like you, our Operation Blessing team arrived on the scene quickly and reached out to help people like Linda, a resident of a community near hard-hit Homosassa, Florida. She told us, “It was such a good community. It’s quiet. It’s beautiful. I’m on the water. I live in paradise, and I love it. But the hurricane came, and paradise is not as pretty as it used to be.” Linda described her experience after the storm. “I came home after evacuating. I opened the door—I had two feet of water in the house.” Our Operation Blessing crew of staff and volunteers got right to work helping Linda recover her home. They removed damaged furniture, waterlogged belongings, and ruined drywall and flooring. Linda was so grateful for the help friends like you sent. She said, “Operation Blessing knocked on my door and immediately got a crew in here to get all the heavy things out of the house. That’s something I cannot do on my own. Without them, I just really don’t know what I would have done. They were just so wonderful.” Continued on page 20

Shannon and her 12-year-old son Logan were truly blessed by the love and comfort you sent after their home was destroyed by Idalia.

Continued from page 19

Shannon said, “My stuff is gone, but my God isn’t gone.” And Logan said, “Having Operation Blessing and the church here, it really boosted my faith. It really made me think that, yes, there is a God that’s here to help us.” Because you care, we were able to coordinate dozens of volunteers, providing them with the needed tools and oversight to help residents. You also sent truckloads of relief items to hurricane victims including vital food, water, and cleanup supplies. With your help, our mobile kitchen served over a thousand hot meals to both volunteers and residents. Thank you so much! God bless you as you have abundantly blessed the people of Florida.

SMART IDEAS FOR YOUR YEAR-END BENEFIT 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

MAKE A QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD) • If you are 70 ½ or older, give “tax-free” directly from your IRA • A QCD will satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution,

if applicable

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

KENYA

Freedom THE TASTE OF

eressa loved her job as a hairdresser in Kenya. Fixing hair for her friends and neighbors put a smile on her face. But one thing got in the way and often cost her business valuable clients: water. “It brings me joy to do people’s hair but fetching water took most of my time,” said Meressa. “After I went once or twice, customers would be waiting. Others left because they didn’t want their hair washed with dirty water.” Meressa and other women in her community had to walk one hour to retrieve water from a dirty stream

that cows often drank from. Because of her work, she often had to make the same trip five times each day. According to Meressa, to make matters worse, the water made her family sick—even after she boiled it. “In my family, all of us have been sick many times,” she told us. “I prayed all the time for God to give us clean water.” And He answered her prayers through friends like you! Your love enabled us to provide a solar-powered well in Meressa’s community and relieved her burden. Today, she can easily get fresh, clean water just steps away from her home.

“I thank God for the blessing He brought us through you. The fresh water tastes much better than the water from the stream,” said Meressa. “I have time to run my household and my business. My income has more than doubled.” And best of all, Meressa and her family no longer get sick from dirty water. She is more than grateful to you! She continued, “Now I can use clean water to wash, bathe, cook, and drink. I appreciate you and hope you will help others who are in need like I was.”

WHEN YOU GIVE THE GIFT OF CLEAN WATER, YOU ARE GIVING LIFE AND HOPE TO FAMILIES AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART TO BLESS THOSE IN NEED.

YOU CAN GIVE

HOPE TO THE HUNGRY

Together we can fill empty shelves with groceries, empty stomachs with food, and empty hearts with hope. Visit ob.org/give today.

operationblessing.org

977 Centerville Turnpike Virginia Beach, VA 23463

(800) 730-2537

Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.