SENEGAL – Focusing on school can be difficult enough on its own. Studying for tests, keeping up with the coursework, plus balancing the rest of life can prove to be challenging. Now compound this with the stress of dealing with a personal tragedy. Astou, a young adult in Senegal, knows all too well exactly how this scenario feels. And yet she persevered, in large part, thanks to you for giving her a brighter future through a microenterprise program.

Astou’s mother suffered for some time from kidney disease. After a two-month stay in the hospital, her mother succumbed to her illness and passed away. As though this wasn’t enough tragedy for a young woman, Astou’s father died from a fatal stroke shortly after.

Astou was left as a grieving orphan. Although barely an adult, she now took on the responsibility as head of household and became the sole provider for her two younger sisters. This new responsibility left no room for continuing their educations. Each day Astou and her sisters faced hunger and poverty. They attempted to sell baobab leaves, ice cream, and juice in their community. While they made a little money here and there, it was nowhere near enough to meet their needs, let alone help finance their educations.

Transformation to a Brighter Future through a Microenterprise Program

Thankfully, Astou’s pastor told her about Operation Blessing’s microenterprise program. Because you care so very much, she and her siblings were trained on how to raise chickens so they could sell them. This program turned the tide in their favor and allowed the young ladies to earn sustainable wages.

“We earned a lot of money from this project,” said Astou. “Now we can buy food and we don’t go hungry anymore. We have everything we need!”

Although the pain and grief from losing both parents remain, Astou and her siblings are abundantly thankful for the blessings you gave them.

“Thanks to God and this program we are all back in school,” exclaimed Astou. “A very big thank you to Operation Blessing and to everyone who helped us. May God bless you a hundredfold in return. May He enable you to reach other places to do what you have done for us!”

Astou went on to pass her university entrance exams and is hoping to become a doctor so that she can help those in need like her parents. Because of YOU, Astou and her sisters now have a bright future.

WORLDWIDE – This year we’ve already seen countless tragedies around the globe. The U.S. has faced hundreds of tornadoes and powerful storms. Flooding has ravaged Kenya and Brazil. War and political upheaval continue to wreak havoc in Ukraine and Israel. And vulnerable people still face the disasters of poverty and disease. That’s why we’re happy to report that when disaster strikes, we strike back together with love, compassion, and tangible relief.

You are a critical part of providing aid to survivors in dire circumstances around the world. At times like this, your support is more needed—and more appreciated—than ever before.

Thanks to you, we have multiple disaster teams prepared to reach out at a moment’s notice both in the U.S. and abroad.

LINDA – TORNADO SURVIVOR IN LOUISIANA

Over the past few months we’ve responded to tornadoes in Alabama, Ohio, Louisiana, and Nebraska. In Louisiana, we met Linda and her husband after a sudden twister tore through their town. Overwhelmed, Linda told us, “I would just love to walk away and not look back.” They needed friends like you to offer help and hope in their time of trouble.

Although the couple was unharmed by the storm, their property took a beating. Large fallen trees and debris littered their yard. These retirees didn’t know what to do next.

But Operation Blessing supporters like you didn’t let Linda and her husband deal with this burden alone! You showed them that when disaster strikes you are there to help. You sent a team of hardworking staff and volunteers to help. The team cleared heavy debris from their yard, restoring hope for the couple. “I bawled,” said Linda with tears in her eyes. “They have a good name, Operation Blessing, because that’s what they are. They are our heroes!”

ROSANGELA – FLOOD SURVIVOR IN BRAZIL

“Do you know what it’s like to wake up into a nightmare?” Rosangela, a flood survivor in Brazil, recounted her harrowing experience to us through tears. As the floodwaters rapidly rose, she fled by rescue boat. “I cannot swim, and the boat was so small. I was afraid I would die,” she said. In fact, over 170 people died during this flooding that lasted for weeks. And hundreds of thousands were displaced.

Once Rosangela reached safety, she was faced with the shocking reality that the streets of her neighborhood now looked like rivers, and her home lay submerged beneath the murky water. As the rain continued, she had no idea when she might be able to return to her house, or what state she would find it in.

Amid the chaos and despair, you emerged as a beacon of hope for Rosangela and countless other flood survivors. Our Operation Blessing team braved the flooded areas to help with rescues and provide desperately needed relief.

Thanks to the generosity of caring friends like you, survivors received water filtration systems, food boxes, solar lights, hygiene kits, medical care, and over 70,000 hot meals! Once the flood waters receded, you also helped by providing cleaning supplies and chlorine to fight contamination. Rosangela said, “I feel blessed by God to have these things.”

KARINA – WAR SURVIVOR IN UKRAINE

Karina explained to us that escaping a warzone doesn’t always mean feeling safe. Ukrainians not only lost their homes but also their sense of peace.

Although she, along with her husband and young son Danylo (8), managed to survive the nerve-wracking airstrikes and fled the area, they were later cast out of the hostel where they’d found respite. “It’s hard to be confident about tomorrow when at any moment we could find ourselves on the street again,” said Karina.

“My psychological state has suffered from the war,” she told us. “As refugees we constantly worry: Where to live? How to make ends meet? Where to find a better-paying job? How will the children study? The ground was pulled out from under us, and we were deprived of our home and native land.”

She shared that the help she received, thanks to your compassion, saved her from complete despair during this time of crisis. “Your monthly food package truly saved us from hunger! Oil, cereals, sugar, flour, canned food—all of this helped,” Karina said. “I am very grateful to Operation Blessing for the two-year support of our family. For giving us a sense of security in this dangerous world. For not forgetting our plight, despite being so far away!” Thank you for your constant support when disaster strikes throughout the world.

Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of faithful partners like you, Operation Blessing was able to step in and provide Josue with life-changing hernia surgery at no cost to his family. After the successful procedure, he is happy all the time and able to run and play without pain. His family rejoiced and his father said, “I am very grateful to Operation Blessing. I hope that you can help many more families like ours.”

You are the reason families like Josue’s can access this critical care, restoring their health and quality of life. Through our life-changing surgeries program, you help bring healing to patients with heart defects, burn scars, tumors, cataracts, and many other dangerous and debilitating conditions. And you not only bless the patients, but you bless heartbroken families as well!

With your support, we can continue reaching more people and transforming lives. If you’d like to get more involved with our life-changing surgeries program, please visit ob.org/surgeries. There you can choose a specific patient to help and to follow along their journey