Your generosity provides abundant blessings for families in need
Catch up with the goings-on at Operation Blessing!
Happy Thanksgiving! From your Operation Blessing Family 4
From Devastation to Restoration in Brazoria
You helped residents recover after Hurricane Beryl
Your
You
Friends
Because of your kindness, Operation Blessing provided a sustainable solution for Palmera School, providing a constant supply of clean water to children and ensuring they have access to continuous education.
PERU: Because of your generosity, Elita was able to improve her craftsmanship skills and create crosses of chambira fiber through Operation Blessing’s artisan program so she could make a living.
Thanks to friends like you, Operation Blessing helped Mrs. Phatcharin and her family increase their income by setting up a shop in front of their house and selling food to the surrounding community.
KENYA: Your love and support enabled Mateine and her community to have access to clean water through Operation Blessing’s WASH program.
UNITED STATES: After Hurricane Helene pummeled the Southeast, causing death and destruction and leaving areas of Asheville under water, you reached out with a huge outpouring of love, care, and tangible relief for victims in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
NIGERIA: Caring friends like you helped Operation Blessing provide access to healthcare for over 1,000 vulnerable people in Nigeria, including medical and dental consultations, preventative counseling, and treatments.
The wind howled and trees groaned as Hurricane Beryl unleashed its fury on eastern Texas. For Kymberly and her family, the storm’s impact was beyond anything they could have imagined.
“We hadn’t really had a hurricane hit us the way it did,” Kymberly recalled. “We heard some trees cracking and some noises outside.”
The morning after the storm,
You helped residents recover after Hurricane Beryl
Kymberly surveyed the damage to her property. “It took my breath away … it was devastating,” she said. “The first thing I noticed was my chicken coop. It was leaning. It looked completely destroyed. Then I noticed the big tree in the back that
completely covered the backyard and all the debris. There were tree limbs down everywhere.”
Faced with the daunting task of cleanup, Kymberly felt lost. With her husband working long hours and her time consumed
by her children, she wasn’t sure how to begin the recovery ordeal. “I knew it was going to be a process to get everything back to normal, knowing that this was going to take so long to clean up,” she shared.
That’s when compassionate friends like you stepped in through Operation Blessing. Our disaster relief team had deployed even before Hurricane Beryl made landfall. So they were already on the ground nearby and ready to help when it was discovered that Brazoria was one of the hardest-hit areas. Half the city had lost electricity, and there were downed trees on
Continued from page 7
almost every street.
Operation Blessing partnered with First Baptist Church of Brazoria to distribute crucial supplies and coordinate volunteer efforts throughout the region. Thanks to your generosity, we were ready to help families like Kymberly’s in their time of need.
“I actually met with a gentleman who was telling me that they were offering help to people whose yards were a disaster,” Kymberly explained. Soon, Operation Blessing volunteers were hard at work on her property. “All the
guys in blue that you see, they are in my yard helping me and cleaning my yard up.”
Your support enabled our team to remove large trees and limbs, making Kymberly’s property safe for her family again—especially the kids. “I don’t have to worry about them getting in any of the trees and the limbs and all of that,” she said gratefully.
Kymberly’s heart overflows with gratitude for friends like you. “I’m very thankful for anyone who chooses to donate with Operation
Blessing. They are doing the work out of the kindness of their hearts.”
Your compassion has brought hope and healing to hurting families across eastern Texas and, more recently, to residents in Louisiana after Hurricane Francine.
Thank you for being there in their time of need!
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. HAPPY
Colossians 3:17
FROM YOUR OPERATION BLESSING FAMILY!
Peng and Rao often spoiled their younger sister—because they didn’t know how much longer she’d be around. You see, little Miao had a hole in her heart.
“Doctors said if it got bigger, she could die of heart failure,” her mother shared.
“My mom kept her at home, so I bought her a little toy frog,” Miao’s brother said. “When she saw it jumping, she smiled.”
Miao’s sister added, “I always gave her stuffed animals and said, ‘See, sister, you have friends!’”
But Miao became still weaker, and before long she had pneumonia. Miao’s sister said, “Her heart beat really hard, like someone hit it with a hammer.”
Their father explained that the hole in Miao’s heart had grown from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a bean, and her life was in danger. When her brother asked their
father if his sister was going to die, he said an operation was just too expensive.
Miao’s mother recalled, “It was the most painful thing to watch. I wished it was me with heart trouble, not her.”
“I didn’t want to see my daughter die like this,” Miao’s father added. “So, I looked around for a charity to help.”
Thankfully, a friend told the family about Operation Blessing—and your kind heart helped make heart surgery possible for Miao.
The operation went beautifully. “My sister is a different person now,” exclaimed Miao’s brother joyfully.
Her dad declared, “She put on a lot of weight and is full of energy every day.”
And her mother beamed. “Whenever I see her smile, I am the happiest person in the world,” she said. “And during the surgery, Operation Blessing volunteers shared God with us. I will try to pray to this God in the future. Thank you to all the Operation Blessing donors. You brought my family out of the dark. Thank you for your love.”
We were able to show this family in China God’s abundant blessings—all because you care. Thank you!
helped make heart surgery possible for Miao.
Your generosity provides abundant blessings for families in need
Elijah
and his family received groceries, thanks to your support.
A warm meal can make a big difference.
MMy husband is on Social Security, and so am I,” an older American named Barbara began, her friendly voice tinged with worry. “Everything’s so expensive. Eggs are out of sight, gasoline’s out of sight, utilities. Everything.”
With her husband s diabetes medication adding to their financial strain, Barbara found they were standing at a crossroads, unsure how to make ends meet in a world that seemed to grow more expensive by the day.
Retired, ill, unemployed or underemployed, increasing numbers of families are struggling to put food on the table. People like Barbara and her husband, along with millions of other Americans, are grappling with the rising prices of groceries, causing untold harm to their health and happiness. But thanks to your compassionate aid, a helping hand continues to reach out to those in need.
For Barbara and her husband, your abiding kindness has been a game-changer. “They have a very generous food pantry,” Barbara said, speaking of Faith World Ministries, a distribution partner of Operation Blessing. “It just helps stretch.
Your support helps put food on the shelves for caring partners like Faith World Ministries. Through these partnerships, friends like you are creating a network of support up struggling families. From urban
Continued on page 14
–Barbara Even the least amount, if you can, give it.
Continued from page 13
centers to rural communities, your kindness is felt in food pantries, meal programs, and emergency relief efforts—all working to ensure that food is available where it’s needed most.
But it’s more than just food— it’s about dignity, community, and hope. “They share prayers, ask how we’re doing,” Barbara added. Because your generosity doesn’t just fill stomachs; it eases minds and hearts. As Barbara said, “We don’t have to stress out over where the next bill is going to get paid from.”
This peace of mind is a precious gift! It’s the difference between a sleepless night worrying about tomorrow’s meals and the security of knowing food will be on the table. The impact of your kindness
ripples far beyond the immediate relief. By ensuring families have access to nutritious food, you are contributing to better health outcomes, improved school performance for children, and increased productivity for working adults. You are helping to break the cycle of poverty, giving individuals and families the strength they need to build a better and more bountiful future.
Like many others, Barbara and her husband are more than just recipients of aid—they are part of the mission to bless the hungry and hurting. “We’re partners already,” Barbara says proudly, speaking of her support for Operation Blessing. “The outreach they’ve got with the different countries and helping out in disasters and everything, it makes a big difference.”
Your compassion is making
Along with food, you help offer encouragement and hope.
a real, tangible impact for Barbara and countless others who were once weighed down with fear of an empty table. Again and again, your faithful and persistent kindness has been the difference between a child going to bed hungry and having a nutritious dinner, or an elderly couple choosing between food and medicine.
Barbara’s message resonates with the heart of our shared mission: “Even the least amount, if you can, give it.” Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Because you’re not just providing food—you’re nourishing hope, one meal at a time.
Thank you for filling tables with food and hearts with joy.
You are giving students at the Nyiro School a better future
Thanks to generous friends like you, the 452 students at Nyiro Girls Secondary School in Kenya no longer have to share only four toilets. Your kindness has provided a new 14-stall latrine system and a water tank that sends clean water to enough handwashing stations so the girls can wash their hands and prevent the spread of infections. You even blessed the girls with sanitary products so they wouldn’t have to miss classes. Principal Roseline is grateful for your care. “The girls’ concentration is now on their classwork, and I believe the performance is going to improve.”
We no longer have to crowd around the tanks as they are at designated points, and we can freely access these tanks for drinking water and handwashing. … Thank you so much to Operation Blessing! –Rehema,
student
FOR YOUR YEAR-END BENEFITS WITH THE END OF THE YEAR APPROACHING, HERE ARE SOME TAX-WISE YEAR-END 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 year-end giving strategies, please contact us at 800-333-2373 or email PlannedGiving@ob.org
Don’t forget to request your
Over the past years we’ve shared Christmas recipes, craft ideas, inspirational devotions, and songs from around the world. This year we’ve combined our favorites—along with a few new ones—all together into one collection.
Our complete Christmas Around the World anthology book is now available to you for your gift of any dollar amount!
We hope you will love these creative ideas and that they’ll bring an international flavor to your holidays, reminding you of the great work you do all around the world in partnership with Operation Blessing.
FRIENDS LIKE YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR A COMMUNITY TO OVERCOME
ecause most of us have such easy access to basic necessities, it’s hard to imagine that other people living in our same world simply do not.
The women of San Mateo, a small community of around 250 residents
surrounded by rugged terrain, know all too well the difficulties they face when attempting to access one of Earth’s basic resources: water.
Water is scarce in this community. There are no domestic supply systems, which means residents either have to purchase water at a
high cost, collect rainwater, or go on a strenuous journey to fetch water. Water retrieval is a timeconsuming daily chore for women in this community.
Juana, a mother of five, relocated to San Mateo approximately 20 years ago, not knowing the hardship that lay ahead. She and her small children travel for one hour daily just to collect water. As though the danger of the landscape and wildlife weren’t enough of a problem to face, the water that is collected is often the cause of sickness for
Continued on page 22
My feet won’t hurt anymore, and now I have more time to take care of my newborn daughter, said Candelaria.
Continued from page 21
“My youngest boy has been sick with diarrhea for 15 days,” said Candelaria. “I’m giving him medicine but it’s not going away.”
Candelaria and her eldest daughter make four to five trips daily on a rocky path to a water well. It isn’t uncommon for them to fall—each time fearful of breaking a jug and having to purchase a new one.
Thanks to friends like YOU, Operation Blessing was able to bring hope and relief to the people of San Mateo. Together, we installed a rainwater harvesting system that brought access to clean water for 50 households and five communal sites.
The community members held an inauguration to celebrate
the gift Operation Blessing and its supporters had given to them. The compassion and commitment of supporters like you was an answered prayer for San Mateo.
“Thank you very much!” exclaimed Juana. “My water tank looks beautiful. My children will no longer have to go with a donkey to fetch water. Now we will have it right here at home.”
Not only does the new water system alleviate physical strain and water scarcity, but it is also bringing families together. “My feet won’t hurt anymore, and now those in the community.
I have more time to take care of my newborn daughter,” said Candelaria. “Thank you!”
The people of San Mateo are all grateful for the abundance and convenience they now have. Your dedication and kindness are making a tangible difference in the lives of
Clean water means better health, more dignity, and more time for work, study,
