Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
Freedom from Worry
You gave families in Taiwan much-needed relief after an earthquake
A Listening Ear Protects a Life
Because of you, a woman in Peru received a vital health diagnosis
THAILAND:
Thanks to friends like you, Operation Blessing has partnered with a church to provide Prakaiwan’s community with clean water by funding the construction of a groundwater well and a water filtration system.
MEXICO: Your faithful support gave the people of Nuevo Montecristo a community garden, along with training about how gardening can help their well-being.
PERU:
Thanks to your love and support, after a strong storm devastated her property Lilian received a new home and a home-based beauty salon business to support her family.
TAIWAN: After a devastating earthquake hit Taiwan, your compassion allowed Operation Blessing to distribute 350 bags of food through local church partners.
UNITED STATES:
After a horrifying tornado tore through Nebraska, friends like you helped residents clean up their property at no cost.
UKRAINE: Because of your generosity, Operation Blessing has been providing food aid to families like Nina’s during the past two years of war.
FREEDOM FROM WORRY
You gave families in Taiwan much-needed relief after an earthquake
I didn’t know what to do. ”
When the ground started trembling, Grandma Mimi panicked. Earthquakes in Taiwan were not unusual, but this one was
different. “The ground kept shaking and the children were crying.” She had to act quickly—to keep her family safe. Mimi gathered them all and fled their home in Hualien County, near the Taroko National Park. Outdoors where nothing could fall on them, they would be safer.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake was the largest the nation had seen in 25 years. It damaged buildings and created landslides that trapped hikers in the national park. In an instant, the once-thriving community transformed from a tourist attraction into a ghost town. And local indigenous families—like Mimi’s— lost their only source of income.
When Mimi and her family returned home, they saw that water tanks they relied on for their water supply, including their own, had toppled across the community. Mimi’s was damaged beyond repair. How would she be able to care for her extended family—more than 20 loved ones—without access to water?
“So many children to feed, and life is hard right now,” said Mimi. Many of her adult children lost their jobs when
local hotels and restaurants closed for repair after the quake.
But Mimi’s family didn’t have to face this tragedy alone. Your compassion sent food and supplies to help them endure the difficult days ahead. After the earthquake, our team worked with local church partners to distribute more than 300 food bags to families in the Taroko community that were struggling to make ends meet. The extra supplies allowed locals to save their money for other needs, like repairs.
Even with the extra help, Mimi couldn’t afford to
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purchase a new water tank. Our team saw their need and began searching for new tanks, but they encountered a problem—local hardware stores didn’t have enough for the increased demand.
Thanks to your generous
support, we didn’t give up on Mimi and other families who had lost access to water. We kept searching and found the answer through another ministry partner in Taiwan. Together, we secured new tanks for these precious families.
The relief Mimi felt was evident on her face. The burden she had carried since that terrifying day lifted from her shoulders. Now she could take care of her loved ones— as she was always meant to do.
Thank you for caring for these dear families during their time of greatest need.
FREEDOM Celebrating
“
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
–Psalm 118:5 “
Thank you for giving freedom to so many who called out when they were hungry, thirsty, sick, and in need of hope and compassion. God used YOU to answer their prayers. We offer you our deepest gratitude.
A A Listening Ear Protects a Life
t first, it was hardly noticeable—just a suspicion that things weren’t quite right. Nothing that meant her symptoms were anything more than the subtle signs of aging, Juana assured herself.
And, in the absence of medical care in her remote community in Peru, Juana chose to ignore it. “Many times, due to the limited resources we have, we cannot go to the city to receive medical care,” she told us. So she never had a medical professional she could voice her concerns to.
Living in the close-knit but poverty-stricken community of San José, Juana and her husband are hardworking and stoic. Juana’s days are dedicated to caring for her household and supporting her husband, who works tirelessly to provide for their needs.
But her symptoms grew worse, which troubled the usually resilient woman. When she heard that an Operation Blessing medical brigade was coming to San José, she immediately planned to attend. Finally, Juana realized, she’d be able to tell a medical professional about her symptoms—and find out what was wrong.
Thanks to friends like you, our frontline health promoters journey to remote villages where medical care is hard to reach—bringing vital help and information to those in need. In so many poor, rural communities, these volunteers provide lifesaving basic care to local families for injuries, illness, pregnancy, and more.
And that’s exactly what happened with Juana because of your love and care. After medical tests were performed, she was surprised to learn the cause of her symptoms: diabetes. The condition could have been life-threatening if it had gone undetected. Thankful for the support you helped provide, Juana embarked on a journey to wellness—armed with medication, advice, and a newfound awareness of her health.
BECAUSE OF YOU, A WOMAN IN PERU RECEIVED A VITAL HEALTH
DIAGNOSIS
Juana was so grateful to finally have answers. “Fortunately, I was able to come today to participate in the medical brigade because I was already feeling some discomfort,” she told us. “Thank God this medical brigade was carried out in my community!”
And thank you for providing vital medical care to people in need.
Bound by Water Scarcity -Let Freedom Reign!
You are setting
Today, young Kavnen in Nigeria has abundant clean water in his community because of Operation Blessing friends like you.
Not long ago, the residents of his primarily Christian village called Ashibi would wake up as early as 4 a.m. to trek for water during the dry season. That really cut into their time for work, education, and family. And that trek took them to a stream where they would wait in line for water that might not even be safe to drink.
But Kavnen is not alone. All around the world, people suffer due to lack of clean water. This steals their time, their vitality, their health, and sometimes even their lives!
Approximately 800,000 people—including nearly 300,000 children—die each year due to water and sanitation related illnesses.
That’s why we’re so grateful to you. Because of our faithful supporters, last year alone Operation Blessing installed 155 water systems around the globe, providing clean water to approximately 36,000 beneficiaries. That’s a lot of people! Our water programs reach out to hurting villagers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In each case, we design the best system for that specific community. Our water experts take into consideration factors like geology, climate, available resources, and even culture in order to provide sustainable water solutions that will last long into the future.
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In the case of Kavnen’s village, a well was the best course of action for this community. But we also utilize technologies like rainwater catchment, networks of pipes, solar power, filtration, chlorination, and even desalination to ensure that each community has the ideal system for its circumstances. Water might be made available in a nearby central location or piped straight to homes. In many cases, we are also able to offer handwashing stations, showers, and toilets for the residents.
As we dedicated the well in Kavnen’s village, a local pastor read from Matthew 11:28—
The joyous villagers celebrated their new water system.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Their new water system brought that promise alive for this village of Christians, as it freed them from the burden of water scarcity. It offered them a much more abundant life, thanks in part to your love and support!
You also help to provide water in disaster scenarios. Recently you gave clean water to survivors of Hurricane Otis in Mexico. And in Chile we worked with a beverage company that stopped all other production to help us provide clean water to wildfire survivors.
Kavnen’s community sent their sincere thanks.
A bird’s eye view of Ashibi Village.
Kavnen’s community sent their sincere thanks to you. “We are happy receiving this project because we have suffered from lack of access to clean drinking water,” said a villager named Iorakosa. “God has sent Operation Blessing to our rescue.
We are grateful.”
We also offer you our sincerest gratitude for breaking the bondage that people suffer without proper access to clean water. You are ringing the bell of freedom throughout the world for those in need. God bless you.
WAYS YOU CHANGE THE WORLD WITH CLEAN WATER! 10
• Preventing Waterborne Illness
• Improving Hygiene and Sanitation
• Increasing Health and Vitality
• Saving Time and Energy
• Cultivating Nutritious Food
• Caring for Livestock
• Supporting Education and Learning
• Boosting Earning Opportunities
• Uplifting Communities
• Offering Dignity
Ohio Tornado Survivors Find Hope
Your compassion empowered Robert to break free of disaster’s grip
After the storm, the air hung heavy with an uneasy stillness. The tornado had come and gone through Wapakoneta, Ohio, leaving behind shattered homes, twisted metal, and broken lives. But there, amid the despair that threatened to overwhelm
I’ve been wondering for years what my purpose is. I believe God has a purpose for me, and that’s why I’m still here. –Robert
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hurting residents, a flicker of hope came to life. For survivors like Robert, a veteran and widower, that hope came in the form of caring strangers—Operation Blessing friends like you.
“I feel like it was a miracle. Because, had I been there, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now,” Robert said of his narrow escape. “I was lying on my bed, taking a nap, and something woke me up—made me feel like I should get out of my camper.”
Upon returning to the decimated campground he once called home, Robert encountered a surreal scene.
“Campers thrown everywhere, debris everywhere, people’s personal belongings everywhere,” he recalled. But even in the face of such loss, Robert felt that there was purpose waiting for him on the other side of his painful circumstances. “I’ve been wondering for years what my purpose is. I believe God has a purpose for me, and that’s why I’m still here. I just believe He has a purpose for all of us.” And it was your generosity that helped make it possible for Robert and other tornado survivors to find freedom from hopelessness. Operation Blessing’s disaster relief team swiftly deployed to
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Ohio, working tirelessly to help tornado victims start again. Your gifts enabled the team to provide essentials like hot meals and also hotel rooms for those who lost homes. This freed survivors from worrying over their basic needs so they could start piecing their lives back together.
For Robert, the assistance was a godsend. “I’m very grateful to Operation Blessing for giving me a place to stay and bringing me hot meals every day, offering me any care that I need, including spiritual and mental support. It’s just been a wonderful blessing,” he shared.
“I could be sleeping in my car— instead I’m staying in a hotel room.”
He was beyond grateful. “I can’t be thankful enough for everything you guys have done, really, and I really appreciate it. Thank you. And I thank God for you.”
Your compassion empowered tornado survivors to rise above their troubles, paving the way for healing and restoration.
Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing hope and freedom to hurting Ohioans when they needed it most. Your impact will be felt for years to come.
Give the gift of your time!
Volunteers like you are vital to Operation Blessing’s mission. When you give your time, you bring joy and hope to others during vulnerable moments in their lives.
Whether helping clean up after a disaster, distributing food to a community, or packing emergency kits, your time makes all the difference. Will you volunteer with us today?
ob.org/volunteer
Breaking Poverty’s Chains
In the busy streets of Cavite, John Paulo’s childhood was overcast by the shadow of poverty. Without a father to help provide for them, both John Paulo and his brother endured the harsh realities of life
John Paulo’s journey from the street to financial security
in a daily struggle to survive. They even lived as street children for a time. Surrounded by drugs and crime, they got involved in fights and were dubbed juvenile delinquents. These boys needed compassionate intervention from friends like you.
In time, John Paulo’s eyes were opened to the possibility of a better life—a life where love and hope
one who will find a way for us to escape from sin.”
Though his heart had shifted, John Paulo’s journey to gain freedom from the grip of poverty was not without its challenges. He was living in a single cramped room with his mother and brother. It gave them a place to sleep and protection from the rain, but little else. Together, they would scavenge through garbage for items that could be sold to the
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junk shop to help provide for their daily needs.
Reflecting on his family’s dire situation, John Paulo said, “When I see them without food and relying on the junk shop, it’s like we’re slowly reverting back to what we were on the streets before. Struggling and depending on other people’s charity. Just hoping someone will lend money. I don’t want to see them like that.”
Then your kindness stepped in and paved the way toward freedom. With the support of Operation Blessing’s microenterprise project, John Paulo—now a young adult— finally gained the freedom he had been searching for.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, John Paulo was
provided with everything he would need to start his own food cart business. Through training sessions and the guidance of dedicated mentors, he and his family were equipped with the tools they needed to break free from the cycle of poverty.
“I thank everyone who made this possible,” John Paulo expressed with gratitude. “Without this, we would not be able to provide for our daily needs. Thank you so much!”
John Paulo’s days of scavenging are over. His family has been able to move into a better home. Their story has become a living reminder of the Gospel’s hope and the freedom that is possible when caring donors like you help break the chains of poverty for families in need!
Tax
HERE ARE SOME TAX-WISE 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 giving strategies, please contact us at 800-333-2373 or email PlannedGiving@ob.org
