Reaches
Inside this issue
Your Love Reaches Around the World
A 12-Year-Old’s Miracle in Mexico
Happenings
Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
A family’s journey to financial freedom thanks to you 4 6 9
Ukraine on the Anniversary of War
You’re reaching around the world to keep war victims fed and housed
Cooking Their Way Out of Debt
INDONESIA:
Because of your generosity, Operation Blessing’s WASH Project in Eklesia Village provided residents with a new well, allowing those in the community to access clean water for their daily needs.
PERU: Your compassion provided 27-year-old Martha with a prenatal counseling program that allowed her to receive essential support, prenatal ultrasounds, and emotional guidance.
PHILIPPINES:
Through Operation Blessing’s LifeChanging Surgery program—in partnership with Tebow Cure Hospital—your love provided Gliesa with several surgeries and treatments to fix her club feet.
COSTA RICA: Your gracious giving has equipped indigenous women of Bajo Chirripo with training to create handicrafts with materials unique to their culture, along with training to run a business.
MEXICO: Thanks to Operation Blessing’s Community Garden Project, Fidelia’s family and others in her community received training in agriculture techniques that will help improve access to fresh produce.
ASHEVILLE,
NC: After Hurricane Helene devastated Lynda Davis’s property, Operation Blessing volunteers showed up and helped clear debris and restore faith by providing food, water, and other disaster relief necessities.
UKRAINE on the Anniversary of War
On February 24, 2022, Russian forces brutally invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine. As we approach the third anniversary of the start of that war, we remember the nightmare its citizens have been forced to endure—and the love you have sent to combat that darkness.
Galina remembers what it was like: the initial disbelief. The futile hope that the terror would pass them by. Finally, the realization that the war was there to stay—and that her family needed to flee.
“Before the war, we worked hard and everything was fine,” she told us. “We had our own business making rubber-technical products, and there, I served as the chief engineer.”
In Ukraine the sunflower is a symbol of peace, resilience, and strength.
The destruction in Ukraine has been devastating.
Galina summed up her painful feelings: “I am tormented by longing for a home that no longer exists.”
According to UNICEF, the Ukrainian refugee crisis caused by Russia’s invasion is the largest migration crisis in the world this century. More than 16 million residents were forced to flee, and about 8 million more have become internally displaced. The people are enduring relentless hostilities, prolonged displacement, and severe shortages of basic necessities such as clean water and power.
Since the beginning of the war, Operation Blessing has been on
compassion of partners like you, tens of thousands of families inside Ukraine have received food. And every day, Operation Blessing visits the temporary shelters of displaced people who have opted to stay.
Currently, we are also distributing around 1,000 loaves of bread per month in the warstricken settlements of the Donetsk
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In addition to food, you gave Galina's family thick blankets to make the harsh winters a bit warmer.
region in eastern Ukraine. There, the brave few suffer through rocket attacks—and must bear with lack of heating, electricity, and even food. They are incredibly thankful for your help.
Meanwhile, Galina now lives in a small apartment in a safer part of the country with her husband, daughter, grandson, and 90-year-old father, after initially being separated from her father when the war broke out. Mercifully, part of her family is again under one roof, but they struggle to get by as the war rages on. Thanks to your care, we were able to bring this brave family nourishing food— and thick blankets to make the harsh winters a bit warmer.
“We are very grateful to the people of Operation Blessing for helping us,” Galina acknowledged. “It is thanks to you that we have food. We will remember until the end of our days
With your help we're delivering 1,000 loaves of bread a month! Continued from page 7
Thank you for making a difference in Ukraine.
Cooking Their Way Out of Debt
A family’s journey to financial freedom thanks to you
Mhoo and her husband, Ampon, once struggled to get by in Thailand, until you sent a lifeline through their church and Operation Blessing.
Ampon previously worked as a contractor but was having trouble finding enough work. “Our family was not in good shape because we were in significant debt from our previous job. We felt trapped and didn’t know what to do,” said Mhoo.
Desperate to provide for himself and his family, Ampon turned to his pastor for assistance. “I asked the church for temporary support,” he told us.
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Thanks to caring supporters like you, Operation Blessing had partnered with the couple’s church, creating a microenterprise program designed to help those in financial straits find job security through entrepreneurship. Pastor Pai welcomed this opportunity to help support families like Ampon’s and he happily referred Ampon and Mhoo for the program. It was a perfect fit for them! “I was really glad to join such a supportive program, especially receiving the funding to help us start this business and generate income for our family,” Mhoo said.
“I’m a cook at the church, and I know a thing or two about frying dishes, so I thought I would give it a try,” said Ampon. “We were able to pay off some of our debt by selling fried pork, which is now our main business,” he also told us. “We can take care of and support our family. I can honestly say that this job fully supports our living.”
It’s about restoring dignity, strengthening families, and sharing God’s blessings.
Pastor Pai witnessed firsthand how the program is changing lives. “It’s not just about jobs,” he explained. “It’s about restoring dignity, strengthening families, and sharing God’s blessings.”
Ampon and Mhoo aren’t only enjoying their newfound financial freedom, but also their ability to balance life outside of work now that he doesn’t need to work long hours. Mhoo said, “I am grateful for the support of Operation Blessing.
I am thankful that you are helping our family through this program. I’ve seen your help, sincerity, and care for families in need, enabling
them to generate income and live normally. Thank you so much, Operation Blessing!”
Through Operation Blessing, you continue to empower families like theirs. Thank you for being a part of this ripple effect of hope and change. Together, we are turning hardships into blessings.
Your Love Reaches Around the World
A 12-Year-Old’s Miracle in Mexico
threatened not only her health, but also her dreams of becoming a veterinarian.
The diagnosis was clear: severe gallstones that required immediate surgery. But with costs exceeding $15,000, the procedure seemed impossibly out of reach. For six long months, Mili endured the pain, unable to enjoy simple pleasures like milk, cheese, or beans. Her education hung in the balance as the condition threatened to force her to drop out of her first year of secondary school.
“I had to leave my job at the restaurant to find work closer to home,” her mother Blanca recalls. As a single mother, she struggled to care for Mili while watching medical bills pile up. “The medications alone cost 400 to 600 pesos each month.”
And that’s when your love reached across borders to change everything. Through your compassion, Operation Blessing’s Life-Changing team stepped in to provide the miracle Mili and her mother had been praying for.
Through an Operation Blessing surgery marathon made possible by caring friends like you, Mili became one of 15 precious children— along with Isaac and Jose—to receive lifechanging operations. These surgical marathons put love into action, bringing critical care to those who need it most. From heart surgeries in El cataract procedures in South Africa and India, your generosity ensures that healing reaches every corner of the globe. Each marathon is carefully orchestrated to help as many children and adults as possible in the way they
Isaac and Jose above also received life-changing surgeries for free.
Your love reached across borders to change everything for Mili.
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The impact of your kindness reaches far beyond the operating room. Just two months after her surgery, Mili was back to playing with her beloved pets and enjoying her favorite foods again. Just look at that smile! She’s ready to chase her dreams once more.
“After receiving the surgery, both Mili and I are very grateful to Operation Blessing and the people who supported her,” Blanca shared. For her and countless other families whose lives have been transformed through the gift of surgery, having a friend like you means everything.
Your compassion doesn’t just provide medical procedures—it restores dignity, enables independence, and strengthens families. For many, these surgeries mean the difference between a life of limitation and one full of possibility. Thank you for being the miracle that families like Mili’s have been
Thank you for being
Mili's miracle!
Lots of Love is Coming Your Way!
These adorable kids in China all received life-changing heart surgeries thanks to the loving support of friends like you. So, they’re sending lots of love and thanks back to you this month. from all of us at Operation Blessing. Happy Valentine’s Day all received surgeries
From Devastation to Hope, Thanks to Your Love
A mother’s journey through crisis
When an electrical fire destroyed Lakeshia and Michael’s home in November 2023, the couple and their children lost everything. The devastating event forced them into temporary hotel accommodations, stretching their already tight finances to the breaking point.
The situation took a severe toll on Lakeshia’s mental health. “It made me feel worthless as a mom,” she shared. “It was affecting me mentally. It was to the point where I was like, ‘Is it okay for me to live?’ Your kids sometimes are the only reason that you’re living. … It was the lowest I’ve ever been in my life.”
But thanks to friends like you, hope arrived through an organization called Road Show Alliance, which reached out to Lakeshia after seeing a GoFundMe post about her situation. Through their partnership with Operation Blessing, they began providing regular food assistance to her family at the hotel. The impact was immediate and significant.
“It helped me a lot. It helped me be able to feed my kids and it took a lot of stress off me,” Lakeshia
explained. “Getting food made a tremendous difference in my life because I was able to afford the bills and able to get my kids school clothes. That’s money that I could put somewhere else.”
Because of friends like you, Lakeshia received quality food that helped her family find some measure of peace during the storm. “We get chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables, canned vegetables. We get rice and macaroni and cheese, cranberry juices. My kids fight over those cranberry juices,” she said with a smile. “The food is good quality food. Especially the meats. ... With Operation Blessing food, everything is ready to be prepared. It’s never been outdated.”
Today Lakeshia, Michael, and their family have found a new home. Lakeshia serves as a caregiver for her two autistic children while occasionally working as a house cleaner and private chef. Though
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Lakeshia and her extended family are so grateful for the food you helped give to them!
challenges remain, she has found a new sense of purpose through her experience. She now volunteers with the organization that helped her family through their darkest time, hoping to inspire others who might be hesitant to seek assistance.
“I hope my story inspires people to receive help because they’re embarrassed or they feel like they’re going to be talked about,” she says. “You’ve got to let your pride down and accept help from people. Sometimes God sends people or different organizations in your life to help you.”
For Lakeshia, your faithful support provided more than just food—it restored her dignity and hope. “I feel love when I’m there. I feel love when I’m picking out food,” she said. “It’s giving me hope that eventually I won’t
The generous Beazley Foundation of southeastern Virginia recently provided a special $20,000 grant to help us fund our student food assistance program in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Since late 2023, Operation Blessing has partnered with local schools to provide food for students who face hunger over school breaks including weekends, winter break, and spring break. We hope to deliver more than 35,500 meals for students in need during the 2025–2026 school year.
Beazley Foundation! Thank You ,
THAT WILL LAST LONG INTO THEFUTURE!
Have you ever thought about creating a legacy that will continue to spread the message of love and hope to future generations?
It's easier than you might think. One simple way to make a lasting impact is to name Operation Blessing as the beneficiary of an asset you own—and can continue to use during your lifetime.
Several types of assets allow you to designate beneficiaries just by completing a Beneficiary Designation form.
To learn more about Beneficiary Designations, please contact us. ob.org/plannedgiving | plannedgiving@ob.org | 800-333-2373
A Gift that Keeps Giving
You are sharing the love of God through clean water in Peru
Searching for water in the dusty highlands of Llinquipata, Peru, involved a one-hour round trip on uneven terrain to collect contaminated water from the river or from shallow handdug wells. The absence of proper sanitation left residents dependent on makeshift latrines more than a half mile away from their homes. For many, like 70-year-old Paulino, life hasn’t been easy, and the lack of clean water and proper sanitation only added to their daily struggle.
Paulino’s beloved wife passed away years ago, and his children have all grown and moved away. He continues working hard to provide for himself and take care of his household duties, including collecting water, but it has become more difficult as he ages.
Paulino shared with us, “We cannot live without water, and as I grow older, the fatigue sets in more, making the journey to the river or searching for water in the old hand-dug wells exhausting. It is hard to live in such conditions. We struggle a lot.”
But amid Paulino’s struggles, generous friends like you brought the love of God in a tangible way: life-changing access to clean water and hygiene stations.
Operation Blessing drilled a well and equipped it with a solar-powered water pump and a 2,500-gallon elevated storage tank. From there, the water is cleaned and filtered, then flows directly to each household. A hygiene station, including a biodigester toilet, shower, and sink for handwashing, was provided for every family, and the community learned proper handwashing and hygiene.
Your kindness brought hope to a struggling community and made a lasting impression on people like Paulino for the kingdom of God. Your support has lightened the burden for him and many
is a gift that Llinquipata will never forget, and it’s all
Paulino smiled warmly and expressed thought something like this would happen here. Before, getting water was painful, but now we no longer need to walk to the river or hand-dug wells for water. Clean water now comes to our houses! Thank you very
For the Love of Sammy’s Daughters
Friends like you provided a home for a struggling family
Love from around the world is keeping Sammy’s three daughters in Kenya warm and dry this Valentine’s Day. In their new home, the girls can easily move from room to room, fix food for themselves, and even use the bathroom comfortably without assistance. Every inch was designed to meet their special needs—thanks to the love they received from friends like you.
But last year, Valentine’s Day was very different.
The family’s one-room mud hut offered so little shelter from the wind and rain, Sammy worried that it might blow away.
Sammy and his girls are so grateful for their sturdy new home.
Then his wife passed away, and matters grew even worse.
“I could no longer go to work, as I had to stay home and take care of my children,” Sammy told us. You see, two of Sammy’s three precious daughters—Ruth (15) and Salome (14)—had brittle bone disease and needed constant care. “When my wife passed away, it really affected us,” he remembered. “It increased the burden on me as I had to play both roles in the home.”
Ruth and Salome needed Sammy to carry them from place to place. The hut was so small, they shared meals and family time outside and only went inside to sleep.
Sammy began farming, so he could feed his family one meal each day, and he never lost his faith. “I often prayed to God for grace to get the resources to build a home and school my children.” Then God answered that prayer through a generous friend like you and the overall support of our faithful Operation Blessing partners
“When the construction began, I was very happy,” Sammy told us.
“I knew indeed God’s promises had come true over my life.”
Their new home was more than Sammy could ever have imagined. The concrete house protected them from the cold rain and wind. It was warm, spacious and, most importantly, safe for his girls.
Our team installed a rainwater harvesting system right outside their home, so Sammy would no longer have to walk long distances just to gather water, and they built a wheelchair-accessible bathroom that the girls could reach and use without assistance.
Caring people just like you heard the cry of Sammy’s heart to provide for his daughters and gave this hardworking single father the gift of a lifetime. “Thank you so, so much, and may God bless you!”
KENYA
