2022 November Blessings Magazine

Crying for Food

A Reason to

HAPPENINGS

HAITI: Islene, her children, and many other precious Haitians received much-needed medical care for free because you care.

NIGERIA: A sweet boy named Divine can now use his hand properly, thanks to a life-changing surgery that you helped make possible.

POLAND:

With your support, we continue providing large quantities of food and supplies to Ukrainian refugees sheltering in Poland.

PERU: Partners like you provided not only a water system, but also bathrooms and hygiene training, to a remote village in the highlands.

KENTUCKY: You made it possible for a Vietnam veteran and his wife to receive vital aid and volunteer assistance following the deadly floods in eastern Kentucky.

PHILIPPINES: Following an earthquake centered in Abra in the Philippines, our team on the ground reached out with help for disaster victims thanks to friends like you.

CRYING for FOOD

You helped a weary mother feed her hungry children

After her husband abandoned her, Susana did her best to raise their three boys on her own. She began selling snacks on the street, but her income was only enough to feed her boys once each day.

Early every morning, she cooked what little food she had over an open fire on the floor before leaving for work. By the end of the day, her youngest son would lie awake crying for more food.

“I work hard, but it isn’t enough,” said Susana with tears in her eyes. “It hurts me to watch my children suffer.”

But things got worse. A storm tore panels off the shanty they were living in. Susana didn’t have the money to fix it, so she looked for scraps of wood and metal to cover the holes.

“Sometimes it rained hard,” said Ezequiel, her 7-year-old son. “When the wind blew and the rain came in, we got wet.”

Then compassionate friends like you offered to help. Operation Blessing built her a new home with a sturdy roof, a kitchen, and a sanitary bathroom. You provided beds, a table with chairs, and all of the tools Susana needed to stock her new kitchen.

“Thank God,” said Susana. “Not only do I have a new house, I also have a refrigerator, pots, spoons, plates, and other items to care for my children.”

Our staff trained Susana how to use her new supplies to start her own business—cooking and selling food for her community. Now, she earns three times what she used to make selling snacks on the street.

Susana is grateful. “You gave me supplies so I can work and support my sons,” she said.

“I’m going to work hard with everything you have given me to put food on the table.”

“Now we eat three times a day!” said Ezequiel. “My mom and my brothers aren’t going to suffer anymore. Thank you, friends.”

Happy Thanksgiving

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

How a family found mercy through the gift of clean water

PRAYERS ANSWERED IN KENYA M

ercy trudged along the path, exhausted. Water sloshed atop her head in a heavy container, but the sound caused her as much distress as relief. Her back hurt, her feet throbbed, and her neck had become as stiff as a board from the weight of the full water jug. She still had over an hour to walk, but her babies needed water. Mercy and her boys live in a remote village of Kenya where clean water access has only ever been

a dream. Every single day she had to make the exhausting, three-hour round-trip trek at least once to the only water source nearby, or her family would not survive long. They needed water for drinking, for cooking, for laundry, and for bathing—as did everyone else in her community.

The water she did gather was terribly contaminated. She watched, helpless and heartbroken, as her children suffered from rashes and from dangerous illnesses such as cholera and typhoid fever. The doctor had already explained that their water source was causing these illnesses, but there was nothing she could do to change that. So, Mercy prayed. She sought mercy from the God of mercy.

And her prayers were answered—through friends like you! Because compassionate partners cared about those in need around the world, Operation Blessing went to Mercy’s village to solve their water contamination problems. Teams installed a

deep, solar-powered well as part of a community water system that would sustain not only Mercy’s family but also the entire community for the long haul.

And the best part was, it was right near Mercy’s home. No more long treks just to get the most basic of necessities. Now, Mercy says, “I have more time to run my small business, and I even serve as a Community Health Volunteer.” Mercy shared how this changed her family’s life. “God answered my prayers. With the water so near my house, I can get as much as I need. I can drink and cook with it without any problems.” And she offered her heartfelt gratitude to generous supporters like you. “Thank you, Operation Blessing, for bringing us good, safe water, and may God bless you.”

A LIGHTHOUSE ON THE HORIZON

In the darkest hours, God can shine an unexpected light. And for one family in Florida, that life-sustaining beam was from, in fact, a lighthouse. When it looked as though their lives were falling apart, Matthew and Jennifer received help and hope from supporters like you—through the hands of our food distribution partner, Lighthouse Gospel Mission.

Matthew was no stranger to hard times. He described being homeless and without a car before meeting Jennifer. He had also struggled as an addict before finding freedom through Lighthouse’s

One family’s story of finding hope in their darkest hour

Faith Home, an 18-month residential Christian discipleship program. There, he discovered hope in Christ and began to move toward holistic health.

When he and Jennifer got married, they had such hope for the future. They both loved big families. Although they had older children from past relationships, they also dreamed of having children together. Matthew was doing his best with a full-time job that he was thankful to find after completing rehabilitation, and Jennifer worked at a home improvement store. Even so, it was a struggle to support their family.

long, however, Jennifer realized something wasn’t right. Upon visiting the doctor, she learned that her pregnancy was in jeopardy. Jennifer ended up losing her unborn child and needing emergency surgery. This also resulted in her missing a month of work.

- Matthew

Jennifer shared, “We needed every dollar and then some.”

Not long after getting married they got wonderful news—they were expecting a child! Before

What was supposed to be the honeymoon period of their marriage had become a nightmare. Jennifer struggled psychologically, and Matthew was burdened with being the man who was supposed to provide— yet couldn’t do enough to take care of those he loved.

They asked their pastor for help with the necessities they simply couldn’t afford, and the minister’s answer changed the whole picture: “Whatever you need.” He told them about Lighthouse’s partnership with Operation Blessing, through which the kindness of faithful donors like you helps provide close to 30,000 pounds of wholesome food and

We filled up our pantries and cabinets.

basic hygiene products in their area every month.

Matthew told us how they felt when they first received this assistance. “There was not a need or a want for anything,” he said. "We filled up our pantries and cabinets.” The whole experience was such a blessing for Matthew’s

that tough time God has blessed them with two beautiful daughters: Aubrey and Eleanor!

Today the family is in a better place, thanks to friends like you. Thinking back on their lives during that period, Matthew positively gushed with gratitude. “It was amazing to know other people are there for you through Operation Blessing and the boatloads of food,” he said, “and hygienic stuff we really did need. And we didn’t have to ask.”

Thank you for blessing families in need in the U.S. and around

Afew years ago, Durga began experiencing severe pain in her jaw.

Thinking it was a toothache, her parents took her to a local dentist in India who pulled a few of her teeth. But the pain did not subside. Instead of a bad tooth, Durga had a tumor growing rapidly in her jawbone.

Her parents took her to a government hospital in a nearby city, but the doctors

A reason to SmileFriends Like You Gave Durga

A young woman gets a second chance through life-changing surgery from friends like you

were unable to help. She needed surgery—surgery her parents simply could not afford. As day laborers, they often were unable to find work. When they did, they barely earned enough to meet their most basic needs, like putting food on the table.

Without surgery, she could die. Then friends like you came to Durga’s rescue and provided the support she needed to become whole again! Over the next year, she underwent a series of lifechanging surgeries to remove the tumor and rebuild her jawbone.

Today, Durga smiles. She no longer hides her face in shame. She has been given a new life thanks to supporters like you!

The swelling in Durga’s jaw worsened every day until her entire jawbone became deformed. She could no longer talk or even eat properly, but she continued to help her mother prepare the meals for their family.

Durga kept her face covered with a cloth. “I’ve lost all my hope. My life has become more and more troublesome,” she said. “People look at me with scared eyes. Many times, I cannot ignore them.”

Within a few months, the tumor more than doubled in size. The prognosis was grim.

“Despite all the sad times I have been through, I am alive,” said Durga, as she reflected on all the challenges she had to overcome. “I work. I drive. I travel. I help in doing all the household work.”

She’s so grateful. Her beautiful

Durga no longer hides her face in shame!

YOU REACH OUT AFTER DEVASTATING HURRICANES

In the aftermath of catastrophic hurricanes like Ian and Fiona, it’s an incredible comfort to know that when desperate times strike, you will be there— reaching out with a helping hand to assist victims in need. Whether it’s a hurricane in America, a war in Ukraine, an earthquake in the Philippines, or a drought in Kenya love arrives quickly to heal broken hearts and lift downtrodden spirits!

RESTORING SHATTERED LIVES IN FLORIDA

The devastation following Hurricane Ian has been nothing short of horrific, especially in Florida. Coastal areas described as war zones, houses floating away, sharks in the streets, thousands of rescues and dozens of casualties marked this storm as truly historic. But compassionate Operation Blessing friends like you offered hope in this dark time.

“The power’s out and you can’t see anything,” said Pastor Matt of Crosspoint Christian Church, who lived through the tragedy. He sat in the dark with his wife, his 1-year-old, his 3-year-old, and their Golden Retriever—just waiting throughout the terrifying storm in Cape Coral, Florida.

When he emerged from his home, the scene was almost unimaginable. Snapped power lines were everywhere. And his yard was covered in debris that looked like it had been through a paper shredder. He said, “The devastation here right now is significantly beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.”

Matt told us about 40 downed trees on his church property and how the landscape of his town had completely changed. We also met Alexandria, who had two feet of sea water ruin much

of her home, and Michael, whose roof had been smashed.

Even before the storm, because of your support our teams were nearby and ready to launch the moment roads became passable. Our first relief load reached victims the very next day. With your help, we sent truckload after truckload of vital supplies like food, water, generators, and tarps into hard-hit areas of Florida, including to Matt’s church.

Then, thanks to you, just a few days after the hurricane we were able to start From our base at Calvary Assembly of God in Port Charlotte, we organized teams of volunteers who would bless

heartbroken homeowners with practical assistance like removing downed trees from yards, hauling off debris, cleaning out flooded homes, and covering broken roofs. Matt said, “Thank you! Thank you for being willing to sacrifice of your resources to resource people who are in need—who are

BLESSING VICTIMS OF HURRICANE FIONA

Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico as a Category 1 storm but still caused massive destruction. Widespread power outages meant that over a million people were plunged into darkness.

Tragically, Hurricane Fiona struck on the fifth anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Maria, damaging some of the same communities in Puerto Rico. The battered citizens again face a long road to recovery. Even when the power and water began running again, they were left to overcome ruined infrastructure and flooded homes. Giovanni, a local pastor, said, “We have experienced a national catastrophe.”

Because of your love we already had disaster supplies prepared and staged in Puerto Rico—so while torrential rains continued to cause severe floods and landslides, you provided solar lights to brighten the dark nights, water purifiers for those without access to clean drinking

Responding to the crisis, Operation Blessing also quickly began connecting with local partners who set up an emergency feeding program to provide hot meals, especially to children and the elderly. Our strategic partner, Centro de Ayuda Social at Puerto Nuevo, is a community kitchen that is capable of supplying at least 300 meals a day. Through your kindness,

It is only because of your love that we are able to bring hope to these disaster victims. Pastor Giovanni said, “We feel blessed that we have Operation Blessing coming in

THE GIFT OF HEALTH

EYou gave one community the ability to take care of themselves na loves taking care of people—especially her neighbors— and meeting their healthcare needs. But the lone medical clinic in the small community of Xpanhatoro, Mexico, remained empty.

For 13 years, Ena had proudly served as a health assistant. But then a few years ago, she needed to step down, and soon afterward the program closed completely.

“There are no healthcare assistants in any community now,” Ena explained. “And there are no medics in our clinic because there is no money to pay them.”

Healthcare was no longer available for farmers who had accidents or for Ena’s neighbors with high blood pressure or diabetes. The community was simply too remote to access outside help in an emergency. Ena wanted to do something to assist her neighbors. “I had been considering saving money to buy the devices we need in the community.” When Operation Blessing began a food security program there last summer, Ena learned of a potential solution. “When I heard about OB’s Community Health Volunteers, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get

back to my passion.”

Thanks to generous friends like you, Ena and others in Xpanhatoro were able to get the training they needed to serve their community through a series of first-aid workshops. You also supplied the community with a health kit that’s complete with a blood pressure monitor, a blood glucose monitor, and basic first-aid supplies.

Ena completed her training in March and couldn’t contain her smile. “We’re very thankful that OB gave us the tools to take care of ourselves,” she said. “Health is so important to me. Without it, we can’t do what we love: enjoying life and family.”

Thank you for partnering with Operation Blessing to bring medical care to those who need it most around the world.