Happenings Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing! Back to School in Boca del Rio Viejo Faithful friends built this village a space to learn and play A Hand Up in Kenya! Blessings keep flowing thanks to you 4 6 10 2
A Positive Result Cervical cancer screening brings hope to Haitian women Helping Ukrainians Find Their Way You are giving struggling refugees the tools to start again 20 18 Inside this issue ReapOklahomansBenefits of Your Compassion Rural “Sooners” are grateful for your gifts of love16 operationblessing.org | 977 Centerville Turnpike, Virginia Beach, VA 23463 | (800) 730-2537 3 You Are Creating a Brighter Tomorrow Surgeries are changing lives in Asia and beyond 12
OPERATION BLESSING HAPPENINGS 4 NIGERIA: In this likebecausehersurgerylife-changingChideberehospital,cheerfulyoungreceivedtoclosecleftpalatefriendsyoucared. UNITED STATES: Around the U.S., you make sure that hungry Americans get the groceries they urgently need during this challenging financial time. POLAND: Ukrainian refugees are getting the love and support they so desperately need, thanks to our church partners in Poland—and thanks to you!
PERU:
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GUATEMALA: You helped provide food, hygiene items, diapers, and milk for struggling parents and children during their difficult times.
PHILIPPINES: Months after a typhoon slammed into the Philippines, our disaster teams continued distributing food, mats, blankets, and Bibles to survivors in need. These talented ladies in Peru show off the skills they learned at a national competition for artisans, in large part thanks to you.
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RIO VIEJO Faithful friends built this village a space to learn and play I am very happy. We have new notebooks for learning. Everything is new, and at recess we go outside and have fun playing games. “ ”- Josselin, Age 5
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A good education can be hard to come by, especially in developing nations and in island villages like Boca del Rio Viejo. Good citizens in this community were doing their best to teach the local children outdoors, because funds for a school were out of reach. Students like 5-year-old Josselin had to endure long hours in the sweltering summer sun, trying to stay engaged while the heat pressed on their outdoor “classroom.” Add to that the remarkably short attention span of little ones and the lack of play spaces to break up the day, and you can imagine how difficult it was for the children to stay focused and remember what they’d learned. DEL RIO VIEJO
The new school also has plenty of room so that even more students can attend classes. And the playground outside has a slide, swings, and a lookout tower—with binoculars for the children to lookAlthoughthrough!many are excited about the new school, the village still faced other issues, especially in accessing clean water. But that won’t be a problem for long! Operation
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8 Thankfully, friends like you helped them with the finances needed to build a brandnew school—complete with a restroom and playground! Now, the kids can learn and play safely, and they couldn’t be Whenhappier.asked how she felt about her new school, Josselin said, “I am very happy. We have new notebooks for learning. Everything is new, and at recess we go outside and have fun playing games.” Her mother was so thankful, saying, “The people that donated are such a blessing! They gave us a new school for our children, and we will soon have water in ourThehomes.”school was built with every need of the community in mind. It’s elevated off the ground to protect it against flooding. It has designated spaces for various activities, including a teaching area and proper bathroom facilities.
Wishing a happy school year to all of the students in our lives. Thank you for supporting kids and families in need around the world.
Growng! Back Learningto and
Blessing—because of friends like you and hardworking community members—has begun developing a community water system. Complete with a powerful pump, miles of piping, and a chlorinated storage tank, this new system will provide clean water access to 117 homes, two schools, and one church. Soon, residents will no longer have to deal with the dangers of unsafe water. They’ll be free of waterborne illness and able to put into practice the hygiene and sanitation training they will receive from the Operation Blessing team. Thanks to caring partners like you, the people of Boca del Rio Viejo can look ahead toward a whole new future!
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BLESSINGS KEEP FLOWING THANKS TO YOU A HAND UP IN KENYA!
You are sending blessings to the bright, cheerful people of far-off Kenya in so many ways! Recently, we shared how you are bringing drought relief for nomadic villagers, but you are also giving a hand up to help hurting Kenyans create a better future. By supplying sack gardens, agriculture projects, beekeeping, farm animals, and small business opportunities, friends like you ensure that bellies stay full and the blessings keep flowing. Meanwhile, you are also providing medical care, lifesaving surgeries, Community Health Volunteers, education, and clean water to offer a brighter tomorrow for children, families, and entire communities in this stunning but often challenging land.
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“I am very thankful to you for saving my daughter’s life.” Ruvina’s father
Surgeries are changing lives in Asia and beyond YOU ARE CREATING TOMORROWBRIGHTERA
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If this is not dealt with, it will cost her her life.” No parent ever wants to hear those words about their child. But it was a reality Ruvina’s family had to face as the hospital surgeon shared his concerns for their baby if they chose not to pursue corrective surgery. Ruvina was only 3 months old, but every day increased her chances of dying because of the growing bulge on her back caused by a spinal defect. Ruvina’s father, Kamal, was burdened with finding a way to help his daughter while providing for their family as a day “
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oday, someone is hurting. It might be a child in Peru struggling with a deformity or a working mother in India whose vision is slowly fading. They might be hesitant to face the day, afraid of the challenges it might bring. But their uncertainty can change in a moment. And for hundreds of people this year, it has! Through Operation Blessing’s LifeChanging Surgeries program, partners like you have given hurting people the hope of a brighter tomorrow. In 20 countries around the world, we are empowering generous people like you to offer life-changing surgeries to those in need. From June 2021 to June 2022, you made it possible for us to complete 2,426 surgeries. Now the lame can walk! The vision-impaired can see! Those who were mocked can now live without fear of ridicule. Together, we have been the hands and feet of Jesus to the least of these. Each one is precious, and these are their stories.
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Now Ruvina and her parents can rest, knowing her life is no longer in danger. Her father’s words say it all: “I am very thankful to you for saving my daughter’s life. The surgery has changed her life completely!”
Giving Rizka the Freedom to Play laborer. He and his wife feared they would have to deal with this problem alone—until faithful partners like you sent their love across the world through Operation Blessing! When our team discovered Ruvina’s dangerous situation, we knew it couldn’t wait. We rushed her to surgery, and—by God’s grace—it was a tremendous success!
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izka loves to play. But play wasn’t easy. Her club foot often caused her to stumble and fall, and many times she missed out on the fun entirely. It hurt her parents to see her cry, but what could they do? Their little shop barely brings enough income to meet their basic needs in the hut they call home. And Rizka wasn’t their only child with
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Helping Heng to Smile | CAMBODIA
medical struggles; her sister has mental health issues. With such huge challenges facing them as a family, Rizka’s parents needed help.
H e felt ashamed. Every time Heng went outside, his peers’ stares and whispers pierced his heart. And sometimes they weren’t whispers. To Heng, it seemed his cleft lip was ruining his life. Heng’s family tried to encourage him, but he felt helpless—until his pastor reached out to Operation Blessing. Because the family couldn’t afford corrective surgery, they needed friends like you to be their miracle, and you came through. The surgeon was frank about the prognosis: at 11 years of age, Heng had a much greater chance of scarring. But his surgery went surprisingly well and his lips were completely transformed. Family members were overjoyed, and Heng was over the moon. Full of confidence, he has overcome his fears and was able to face the world with a smile. Because of Operation Blessing supporters, Heng is no longer ashamed.
Thankfully, God answered their prayers through faithful friends like you. With your help, Operation Blessing helped Rizka get the surgery she needed and provided special shoes to make sure her foot continues to heal properly in the days ahead. She has already experienced significant improvement and can play with a full heart. She said, “Praise the Lord—now I can run just like my friends!”
Many residents here, like Sandra, receive government assistance in the form of disability checks or unemployment.Sadly,theresult is too little food for too many families— hundreds of them, in fact. But it’s also a part of the country where neighbors look out for neighbors. Here, if you have any extra, you share with others. And generous friends like you have also made a profound impact. Thanks to you, we’re able to keep an Operation Blessing partner ministry, On White Horses, stocked with food. Townspeople gratefully accept the gifts of cereal, canned veggies, pasta, snacks, and more to feed theirThisfamilies.helping hand has made such a difference to people like Sandra. She says the outreach has truly been a blessing to her and so many others. “When I need things, I can come out and get what I need. They give a lot that lasts a long time.” Sandra knows firsthand— Rural “Sooners” are grateful for your gifts of love
OKLAHOMA andra knows what it’s like to go without. She gets a modest fixed income that’s never quite enough to feed her family. Disabled and diabetic, she’s a longtime resident of Wetumka, Oklahoma, a small rural community that is one of the poorest in the “Sooner State.”
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and is grateful. “It helps me and my children, and my sister and her family,” Sandra says as volunteers fill her car full of food. “We’re thankful for what they’re doing for our community—and not just our community, but all over BlessingSinceOklahoma.”2019,Operationhasbeenproviding a whopping 150,000 pounds of food each year to this partner ministry. Travis Klingeman, co-founder of the distribution partner, shares his excitement about the amount of food you help provide through Operation Blessing: “It’s amazing!” He says, “What drives us is the ability to love on people through food.” So for the cash-strapped people of Wetumka, Oklahoma, Operation Blessing and faithful partners are definitely creating a brighterSandratomorrow.couldn’tagree more, saying, “I think they’re a blessing to everyone.”
We’re thankful for what they’re doing for community—andournot just our community, but all over Oklahoma. “ “ - Sandra
positive test result on a cervical cancer screening could drive anyone into bouts of anxiety. But because YOU helped, Sinfanie’s brush with cervical cancer actually turned out to have a positive optionslookingfees.whichtesthavethat’shaveavailableThisscreenedHaiti.ofSinfanieForty-year-oldending.livesinonethepoorestareasinShehadneverbeenforcervicalcancer.typeofserviceisjustnotwhereshelives.Womentogotothecity—atriptoofarandtoocostly—tothisimportantdiagnosticdoneatprivatefacilities,oftenincludesexpensiveForyears,Sinfaniehasbeenformoreaffordablebutfoundnone.
Cervical cancer screening brings hope to Haitian women
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So when she learned that Operation Blessing was in town to provide this test for free, she got really excited. She woke up early that morning and was one of the first in line at the center. We had trained a specialized team of three nurses and a gynecologist, and they came prepared for any test result. Hand in hand with kind donors like you, Operation Blessing brought all the supplies needed for cancer screening and treatment, as well as to conduct cervical cancer prevention training and treat lesions before they could turn into cancer. The team welcomed Sinfanie and the other women with open arms. She was happy to have the screening done, and then she waited for the result.
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Her test turned out positive for a precancerous condition. In fact, of the 94 tests done that day, 16 women were positive for a cancerous or a precancerous condition. But Operation Blessing knew how to properly deliver this news to Sinfanie and how to provide proper care. A trained gynecologist gently explained to Sinfanie that they had found evidence of an infection on her cervix. If left untreated, cancer could develop—and spread. Without this lifesaving test, Sinfanie wouldn’t have known that a silent killer might be growing inside of her.
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Thanks to support from friends like you, Sinfanie and the others underwent treatment for their conditions. This included thermocoagulation, painkillers and antibiotics. Sinfanie also has an appointment for reevaluation in her area. She is so relieved. “Without this opportunity, the disease could develop inside my body and this infection could even develop into full-fledged cancer,” she said. “You saved my life!” Together with you, we are conquering this hidden killer for women living in the poorest of nations. Thank you for caring enough to give. detection is the best prevention! of these from their cancer. Fact Sheet, 2021
In Haiti ... every year, approximately 588 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer while about 75%
20 UKRAINE UKRAINIANSHELPINGFINDTHEIRWAY YOU ARE GIVING STRUGGLING REFUGEES THE TOOLS TO START AGAIN
21 n wartime, life can turn upside down overnight. For Svitlana and her family, it did. And for many families like hers, the rebuilding will take years. She recalls, “When the bombs hit our city, we spent the night in the basement. In the morning, our apartment was destroyed! It was completely gone.” It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to walk up the basement stairs after a sleepless night only to discover your home is missing—and memories are all that remain. Before Russia invaded, Ukrainian citizens lived in peace. They were able to go to work without fearing for their lives or wondering if their children had a future. Svitlana gave people manicures; she helped women feel beautiful, providing for her children in the process—until that fateful day. Her family had no choice but to flee the area and find safe haven. At last, they did, at a shelter in Lviv where you helped to meet them I Continued on page 22
with love, support and supplies for their daily needs. One of the primary struggles for families on the move is maintaining a sense of normalcy. Without routines, the smallest things can make people—especially children—feel insecure. That’s why Operation Blessing brought washers and dryers to the shelter to make simple, necessary tasks like washing clothes less of a burden. Another way you showed your compassion was by bringing joy to the most vulnerable among Ukrainian refugees: the little ones. One of the most normal—and wonderful— things in the world is having a birthday party, but children like Svitlana’s 8-year-old daughter skipped their birthdays when they fled for their lives. So Operation Blessing helped them celebrate right where they were—with food, festivities, and special You also made it possible to provide Svitlana with the tools she needed to earn a living while trying to start again. Now, with a complete manicure set in hand, she’s already taking steps to build a new future one client at a time. Her words say it all: “I’m very grateful to Operation Blessing for getting me all the things I need to continue doing what I love. I’m very grateful to you.” Thank you for giving Svitlana the tools to start her business again.
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We’d love to TALK TO YOU! Did you know there are ways to help even more hurting people without affecting your monthly budget? We’d love to talk to you about some creative ways that you can give a meaningful gift without impacting your finances. Gift Annuities | IRA Rollovers | Legacy Giving | Stocks Call 800-333-2373 | email PlannedGiving@ob.org | website ob.org/plannedgiving 800-333-2373 23
Copyright © 2022 by Operation Blessing operationblessing.org (800) 730-2537977 Centerville Turnpike Virginia Beach, VA 23463 Will you reach out to bless even more people in need? Together we can change the world for kids in crisis. ob.org/give FOR YOUR HELP! CHILDREN IN CRISIS ARE CRYING OUT
