You blessed a family with much-needed surgery AND a new business
Happenings
Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
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Helping a Caring Mother Feed Her Family
You kept the shelves at a food pantry well stocked
Celebrating World Food Day!
Loving people like you generously give to provide food around the world
The Cost of Water
A cancer survivor has access to clean water, thanks to friends like you
A Harvest of Hope
How your support grew into 10,000 pounds of possibility
Bringing hope to Brazil long after floodwaters recede
UNITED STATES:
After a devastating hurricane barreled through Brazoria, Texas, generous supporters like you provided this family with disaster relief cleanup and support.
MEXICO: Thanks to friends like you and Operation Blessing, Isaac was able to receive a hernioplasty surgery at the end of 2023, allowing him to resume a life without pain.
PHILIPPINES:
After Typhoon Ewiniar unexpectedly caused massive flooding in the southern part of Luzon, caring friends like you helped provide food packs for more than 300 families including Myrna's.
PERU: Because of your generosity, Linda and other expectant mothers received essential healthcare services and guidance, increasing the chance of a healthy pregnancy and helping them to welcome their babies with love and care.
KENYA: Your love and support allowed Operation Blessing to help a single father, Sammy, and his children, two of whom suffer from brittle bone disease, by building them a new two-bedroom home.
CHINA: Thanks to your support, Operation Blessing provided baby Yi Cheng with a life-changing surgery, repairing his tracheoesophageal fistula so he can now eat food.
Helping A CARING MOTHER
Feed Her Family
You Kept The Shelves At A Food Well Stocked
iffany has long been a child protective services investigator for a city in Virginia. She’s also the mother of a 15-year-old son, and it’s clear that children are very important to her. That’s even more the case now, with a new baby on the way.
But rising food prices—and a whopping increase in her monthly rent—have forced her to look for new ways to make her salary go further. This concern has become even more critical as she prepares to live on a reduced income while she goes on maternity leave.
“I started my own garden this year … because food is so expensive,” Tiffany told us. And she said getting groceries from food pantries will be a lifeline for the near future. “Knowing where these pantries are is going to be very beneficial.”
It’s important to Tiffany that her family eats nutritious foods, even as she acknowledges the challenge posed by the cost. “Fruits and vegetables—and just healthy stuff— are expensive.” She knows how that can add up, especially for families who have lots of children. “I can’t imagine feeding six kids and having to prepare a meal for six people.”
And that’s where caring partners like you come in, cheerfully giving so people like Tiffany can get the help they need.
To make this generosity a reality, Operation Blessing partners with many food pantries around the country, including Faith World Ministries. The director, Courtnay, does everything she can to make sure members of her community—many of whom are seniors on limited incomes—never go to bed hungry. “I’ve always been just that one to give more than enough,” she said.
The food provided by Operation Blessing makes a huge impact for this group of people. “They always express
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“Some families express how the food that we gave was the only food that they had.”
–Courtnay
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how they are very grateful,” Courtnay told us. “People have picked up food and didn't expect to receive as much as we gave. ... Some families express how the food that we gave was the only food they had.” She has only the highest praise for Operation Blessing and the amazing donors who make it all come together.
Moms like Tiffany enjoy the bounty of the food ministry and your kindness in making it possible. The food she receives will help keep nourishing meals on the table and make ends meet “so that me and my kid can have the fresh fruits and vegetables and canned goods that we need.” She’s thankful that it will also let her take the money she’d spend on food to pay other bills.
Most of all, the nutritious food she’s receiving today will keep Tiffany healthy during her final months before the baby arrives. “Eating healthy is very important, especially since I’m having to check my blood sugar right now with the pregnancy,” she said gratefully, “just to make sure that everything’s okay in my final trimester.”
She added, “I know it’s a blessing to so many people.”
Thank you for your cheerful giving and for being a blessing.
WORLD FOOD DAY Celebrating
This month we celebrate loving people like you who generously give provide food, better nutrition, and earning opportunities to families in need around the globe.
Thank you so much for your heart of compassion and for reaching out to make a true difference in your world.
THE COST OF Water
A cancer survivor has access to clean water, thanks to friends like you!
At the age of 52, Prakaiwan thought she had survived the worst life could throw at her—breast cancer. But the journey since her surgery four years ago has been just as challenging. Thankfully, you were there when she needed you most!
Prakaiwan did what she could to support her son. She farmed rice and relied on rainwater to meet their daily needs, but she didn’t feel it was safe to drink. She had to
purchase bottled water—often three or four buckets each week. With expenses piling up, sometimes she couldn’t afford to pay for clean water. “Mothers have no income. There is no work to do. There is no way to buy food to eat,” she said. They certainly couldn’t afford the pricey water.
Can you imagine how it must have felt to know clean water was nearby and available, but not be able to buy it?
Her situation seemed impossible to overcome. But you made a way. Thanks to your generous support, Operation Blessing was able to partner with a church near Prakaiwan to supply clean water to her entire village. Once a well and water filtration system were in place, Prakaiwan could access as much clean water as she needed—
Thanks to your generous support, Operation Blessing was able to partner with a church near Prakaiwan to supply clean water to her entire village.
without the financial burden.
“It was delicious,” Prakaiwan said when she tasted the water. Now, she can save her money for continued healthcare and other expenses for her family. “Thank you very much.”
You are providing clean water to many remote communities like Prakaiwan’s throughout Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Your love is saving these families valuable time and money that can be spent focusing on other needs. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.
PRAKAIWAN
Cheerful Your
Giving
turned their lives around
You blessed a family with much-needed surgery AND a new business
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
Psalm 90:17
We ’d like to tell you a story of how loaves of bread, the love of family, and your cheerful giving changed a Honduran family’s lives.
Ten years ago, Brenda gave birth to a beautiful baby boy she named Marvin. As precious as this moment was, it quickly took a negative turn. Marvin was born with clubfoot, a condition that causes the foot to turn inward and, if left untreated, can have lasting effects on a child’s ability to walk.
As though this wasn’t already enough for Brenda to process, shortly after Marvin’s birth his father abandoned the family, leaving Brenda to navigate the difficult path of single parenthood. Eventually, Brenda remarried and continued to grow her family, welcoming a baby girl. While Brenda had found
happiness, she still desperately wanted to find healing for her son. Her husband, Juan, works hard at a local hardware store, but his income wasn’t enough to cover household expenses and help Marvin.
The financial strain was immense, so Brenda decided to turn her passion for baking into a business. She used the few utensils she had at home and began making bread. Her new business provided some income but was limited, as she could only produce 10 bags of bread daily.
With their finances strained, the couple resorted to buying less food so that they could save money. Still actively seeking answers for their son, Brenda and Marvin traveled to the capital, Tegucigalpa, which depleted their savings and left barely enough money to provide food for their children.
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To add insult to injury, the trip confirmed what the couple already knew the surgery young Marvin needed was out of reach because the cost was too high.
Thankfully, Operation Blessing heard of their struggles and stepped in to bring hope and healing to this family. Due to the generosity of
friends like YOU, Marvin’s life took a dramatic turn. His surgery and medical care were fully funded, giving him the chance to walk and run like any other child.
But your support didn’t end there. Recognizing Brenda’s entrepreneurial spirit and her potential to uplift her family, Operation Blessing provided her with the equipment and financial training needed to expand her baking business. This was only possible because of your compassionate support.
With these newfound resources and knowledge, Brenda’s baking business flourished. She reported that her sales increased to eight times what they had been before. The transformation in Brenda’ s family has been profound. They no longer worry about where their
Thanks to the generosity of friends like YOU, Marvin’s life took a dramatic turn.
next meal will come from, and Marvin’s bright smile and active lifestyle stand as a testament to the life-changing impact of your loving support.
Brenda’s gratitude knows no bounds. “We thank the donors of Operation Blessing for blessing us,” she said with a heart full of emotion. “Thank you for getting us out of the hole we were in. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart. May God continue to bless you.”
Brenda’s story is a powerful reminder that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, hope and resilience coupled with the kindness of strangers can pave the way for a brighter future. Her journey from despair to hope is not just a personal triumph but a beacon of inspiration for all who hear it.
Her journey from despair to hope is not just a personal triumph but a beacon of inspiration for all who hear it.
Hope OF A HARVEST
How your support grew into 10,000 pounds of possibility
Imagine losing your spouse and being left alone, with few resources, to provide for your family. That was the harsh reality for Rose and 32 other women in Uke, Nigeria. But thanks to your compassionate support, a life-changing opportunity was waiting to replace their uncertainty and fear with confident hope.
Rose was one of these widows struggling to make ends meet. She said, “I have a small farm where I plant during farming season, and I sell cooked food as well. That is what I’m doing to feed my children.” Her story echoes that of Ruth in the Bible, gleaning in the fields to provide for her family. And, like Ruth, Rose’s fortunes were about to change.
Because of caring supporters like you, Rose and the other widows were equipped with the tools and knowledge to start their own bean farming businesses. Rose embraced this new opportunity, and the results were nothing short of transformative. “There is a lot of difference in me,” Rose shared, her eyes bright with newfound hope. “I see changes. The money I earned
from bean farming, I saved and used for my business. I used it to make other bean by-products and to cook for my children.”
What’s more, the fruits of your generosity extended beyond immediate needs. With her newfound income, Rose achieved a milestone that once seemed impossible: easily paying for her twin sons’ senior exams. “As a result of the profit I made, I was able to pay for my children’ s examination without any problem,” Rose shared with pride. This educational opportunity is a stepping stone, paving the way for her family to rise out of poverty and build a brighter future.
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“There is a lot of difference in me,” Rose shared, her eyes bright with newfound hope. “I see changes.”
The lives of these women and their families have been transformed by your compassion.
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And thanks to friends like you, Rose’s success story is just one of many. Collectively, these 33 widows harvested nearly 10,000 pounds of beans, providing source of nutrition and income for their families. The lives of these women and their families were transformed by your compassion. “Indeed, I am grateful. Thank you, Operation Blessing,” one participant expressed. “Only our almighty God will bless you, reward you, and replenish your pockets.”
SMART IDEAS
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 1/2 or order, give "tax-free" directly from your IRA
• A QCD will satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution, if applicable
Your Love Reaches Beyond the Headlines
Bringing hope to Brazil long after floodwaters recede
Many weeks after the rush of floodwaters in Brazil no longer dominated the news, families were still suffering. But thanks to your generosity, Operation Blessing continues offering hope and help long after the headlines fade.
“We were very, very surprised,
because it happened so quickly,”
shared Rosangela, a flood survivor.
“We never thought the water would get as high as it did. There was no time to do anything.” The devastation was overwhelming, with hundreds of thousands displaced, homes destroyed, and livelihoods lost.
Andre, a local baker, remembers
the moment he realized danger was imminent. “I was at home, and we were following the news of what was happening, and we kind of freaked out when the dam started to overflow close to our house. Then we had to get out.”
For Andre, the floods washed away more than just his
possessions—they threatened his family’s entire livelihood. “Some things I lost during the flood are impossible to recover. I lost boxes for organizing our groceries. I lost fryer baskets, spoons, and utensils that we use frequently for the churro business, as well as perishable
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For Andre, the floods washed away more than just his possessions–they threatened his family’s livelihood.
Floodwater in Brazil
Thanks to your compassion, we were able to step in with brand-new tools and materials and help Andre restart his business and provide for his family.
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The loss of his churro cart hit particularly hard. “I felt so helpless that we couldn’t deal with such destruction by this force of nature. I felt so sad when I saw the cart submerged in water. It’ s my livelihood. It’s the only thing I have to support my family.”
But even as the news cycle moved on, Operation Blessing remained in the hard-hit city of Novo Hamburgo, offering crucial support to those in need. Thanks to your compassion, we were able to step in with brand-new tools and materials and help Andre restart his
business. “After such loss, we got back to doing things and working. It makes us feel like we can go on. Operation Blessing helped me to start my work again,” Andre said gratefully.
Your generosity allowed Operation Blessing to address a range of needs across affected areas. From providing food and safe water to distributing solar lamps, hygiene kits, and cleaning supplies, your support made a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Many families found hope through the disaster relief team’ s ongoing efforts. Patrini, a mother of three, returned home after weeks in a shelter to face the daunting task
of cleaning up. “Mentally, my children and I have had a very difficult time with this. Everything is difficult. We lost everything. It’s hard to see our house in this state,” she explained.
Patrini’s husband, Jeremias, added, “It’s overwhelming. We never imagined this could happen to us. It was a shock to see our things not be rescued in time to salvage them, and only be able to take what little we could.”
glad they arrived.”
She added gratefully, “To those who give, I say thank you very much! May God help more and more. And may God touch more hearts to help people in need.”
Andre also expressed his gratitude. “I want to thank the people who help us. It’s not just for me and my business, but also the others you’ve helped by helping me. I want to thank Operation Blessing for all their help. God always sends the right people at the right time.”
Thanks to friends like you, we were able to provide essential cleaning kits to Patrini’s family and others to help sanitize their homes. “This cleaning is so important to me, because I was alone with three children,” Patrini said. “There was no one to help me, and then help practically fell from the sky! It would have been hard for me to clean alone. I’ m so “There was no one to help me, and then help practically fell from the sky!”
Your faithful support enables Operation Blessing to keep showing the world God’s love far beyond the initial shock of disaster, helping communities rebuild and restore their lives. In Brazil—and wherever disaster strikes next—you are making a lasting difference in the lives of those who need it most.
