OPERATION BLESS ING INTERNATIONALSEPTEMBER 2014

Blessingsoperationblessing.org

When a Hero Needs Help A struggling fisherman loses

everything except hope{ P A G E 8 }

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A Message from THE PRESIDENT

To help families rise up out of poverty, Operation Blessing helps provide the supplies they need to earn a living, like boats for fishermen in Mexico and Japan, shown here.

No one would dispute the fact that feeding the hungry is a righteous thing to do. It is, however, difficult for any charitable organization to feed large numbers of people long term, because all too quickly, full stomachs

become empty. That's why it makes sense to "teach a man to fish," or provide resources that

jumpstart projects designed to enable hungry people to feed themselves. The Book of Genesis explains that mankind must work in order to eat: "By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat." Hard work is as necessary today as it was thousands of years ago, but nowadays, just working hard is often not enough. Poor people are almost always willing to work hard, but it takes more than just physical effort to earn enough to prosper.

Some degree of skill or knowledge of basic business principals must be combined with hard work in order for individuals to escape poverty. OBI has developed a list of skills ranging from cell phone repair and cosmetology to agricultural expertise, aquaculture and small business management. We are teaching these skills all over the world in order to create job opportunities and open doors of opportunity for the poor.

In this issue, there are two examples of how we use our resources to help people create lives of self-dependence. In Pakistan, a vocational training program empowers women and helps them secure the skills they need to succeed as a professional seamstress or cosmetologist. In Mexico, Operation Blessing went into a hurricane ravaged village and helped fishing families recover by furnishing boats and fishing gear. We constantly search for new and innovative ways to help people leverage the "sweat of their brow" into work that truly enables them to build lives of abundance. Thank you for helping make the world a better place.

May God bless you,

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A Message from THE PRESIDENT 4 Building a Strong Foundation Operation Blessings rebuilds a school and brings hope to a struggling community

6 Soaking up Blessings A young family receives help after a flood devastates their home

11 Give a Gift that Changes Lives Be a blessing to vulnerable children all around the world

12 Sewing to Survive A brand new training center is changing the lives of women in Pakistan

14 On the Verge of Collapse Antony doesn't feel safe in his own home until Operation Blessing steps in

Inside this issue Cover PAGE 8

When a Hero Needs Help A struggling fisherman loses everything except hope

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PAGE 6

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MYANMAR

Building a Strong Foundation

Over a hundred students attend the humble Ler Ri primary school in a war-torn region of Myanmar (Burma) and that number is on the rise. However, the small bamboo and

teak leaf hut that houses the school is declining.

The school along with nearby homes and other buildings in the village were abandoned and nearly destroyed as a result of the violence here. But, due to re-cent peace negotiations, refugee

Operation Blessings rebuilds a school and brings hope to a struggling community

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families are beginning to return to their homes and rebuild.

The reconstruction of the school is vital to the redevelop-ment of the community because school attendance helps create stability for families as they resettle, as well as hope and

encouragement for a better future. But villagers are using what little resources they have to rebuild their homes, and there is little left over to repair the school.

So Operation Blessing has partnered with Asian Tribal Ministries to improve the condition of the school, supplying building ma-terials, a generator and a clean water unit, as well as tables, chairs, text books and supplies like notebooks.

The students now have the materials, safe classroom and strong foundation they need to further their education and build a stronger community. ◆

Before

After

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It was the middle of the night when Marjorie leapt out of bed and rushed to her three-year-

old twins’ bedroom. Water completely covered the floor and was steadily rising.

With her family all huddled to-gether on the bed, she prayed that the floodwaters would not reach them.

FLORIDA

A young family receives help after a flood devastates their home

Soaking up Blessings

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The water eventually stopped rising but remained in the house for almost two full days, destroying many of their possessions and causing heavy damage to the interior of their home.

Marjorie and her husband Steve, like so many others in their neighborhood, had not purchased flood insurance because their home was in a non-flood zone, but due to the historic rainfall, they were now facing

a seemingly insurmountable amount of damage and loss. “Whenever we started thinking too far ahead, like about tearing out

drywall and replacing what we were going to lose, we just got overwhelmed and started crying,” Marjorie said.

Soon after the water had receded, Operation Blessing was in Marjorie’s neighborhood helping flood victims salvage personal items and remove ruined carpet and furniture from their homes. Teams even helped remove water-damaged drywall to prevent mold from setting in.

“It was amazing to watch the Operation Blessing volunteers,” she said. “They just came in, and in an instant the whole wall was gone. That would have taken us weeks.”

But OBI volunteers did not stop there. At Marjorie’s home, teams installed protective insulation and hung new drywall. They also put in new cabinets and appliances in the kitchen, repaired and finished little Noah and Abigail’s bedroom, and even bought new toys for their playroom.

“I can’t thank the volunteers and staff enough,” Marjorie said. “They don’t know what an impact they’re making on us. They just can’t understand; I feel so blessed.” ◆

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When Hurricane Manuel struck his small fishing village, Wilbert heroically saved the lives of many people, but after the storm had passed, he was the one who needed saving.

A hardworking fisherman with a servant’s heart, Wilbert had taken it upon himself to become a certified lifeguard after two members of his village drowned at sea. Not long after he had completed his training,

MEXICO

When a hero needs help

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A struggling fisherman loses everything except hope

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Hurricane Manuel tore through his village, and Wilbert bravely put to use the skills he had learned — saving two families as well as his own and becoming a local hero.

Continued on page 10

When a hero needs help

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Although his family was safe, his home flooded and most of their pos-sessions were destroyed — including Wilbert’s fishing boat. Without it, he had no way to feed his wife and three children. But he did not lose hope, and prayed that somehow he would find a way to provide for his family again.

Soon, Operation Blessing came to Wilbert’s village, providing new fishing boats and other materials to help the community get back on its feet — including a new panga fishing boat for Wilbert and his family. The very first thing he did that day was go fishing.

Wilbert’s wife, Elizabeth, was never able to finish her education, but she has great hopes that her children will be able to have a better life. She had al-ways dreamed she would be able to help her husband provide for their family and with help from OB Mexico, she is now able to do just that.

Teams helped Elizabeth set up a restaurant near the sea so she can cook and serve the fish that Wilbert catches.

“Since Operation Blessing came to my life, it has completely changed,” Elizabeth said. “I do not have enough words to express my gratitude because now, thanks to you, my family’s future is safe.”

Now, with a new boat and successful res-taurant, Wilbert and his family are thriving and continue to work hard and help others in their community.

“Ever since Op-eration Blessing arrived, good things have come and everything is different,” Wilbert said. “We are so thankful for all your help!” ◆

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Visit ob.org/ClubBless to learn more.

Give A Gift That Changes Lives

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Join Club Bless today and bless the lives of vulnerable children all around the world! No matter what giving level you decide to join Club Bless at — please know that your gift will have an immediate impact in helping to relieve suffering and spread God’s blessings to those who need them most.

– CLUB BLESS – Monthly Yearly

President’s Circle $500 $6,000

Bless-The-Greatest Need 250 3,000

Bless-A-Village 100 1,200

Bless-A-Family 50 600

Bless-A-Life 25 300

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For Kiran, learning how to sew is changing her life one stitch at a time.

A young mother attempting to break free of an abusive home, Kiran dreams of the day she can successfully provide for her daughter on her own.

Operation Blessing is partnering with the Community Advance-ment Society in Pakistan so Kiran, and other girls like her, will be able to do just that.

A vocational train-ing center has been opened to provide women who want to improve their situa-tions and create their own incomes with the skills to do so.

Fully-funded by Operation Blessing,

PAKISTAN

A brand new training center is changing the lives of women in Pakistan

Sewing to Survive

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the center offers six-month courses in sewing and cosmetology, free of charge, to students wanting to learn the trades. Up to 50 women can be enrolled at a time, and in the final stages of the program they will be taught how to manage their own businesses so they can become financially independent and provide for their children.

As part of the program, Kiran will learn how to sew bed sheets, pillows, tablecloths, curtains, children's clothing, and all types of popular Pakistani wear.

Now, Kiran has the opportunity for a bet-ter life, and her little girl has the chance at a brighter future.

“Because of this training, I’ll be able to earn money by sewing clothes and have enough to send my daughter to school,” Kiran said. ◆

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PERU

every child should feel safe in their own home. But for 8-year-old Antony, home is anything but safe.

“Every time it rains, my Antony runs to the neighbor’s house, afraid that our house will collapse,” his mother, Sandra, said.

Unfortunately, little Antony’s fear comes from experience. His home is built on stilts to avoid flooding when the water rises during the rainy season, but it has collapsed twice during recent storms —

Antony doesn't feel safe in his own home until Operation Blessing steps in

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once when he and his family were inside.“I protected my kids so they weren’t injured,”

Sandra said. “The roof fell on top of me, but I was covering them.”

Sandra tells Antony that the house will not collapse again to calm his fears but knows that without the necessary reconstruction, their home is still at risk. But even with her small food business selling items like fish, vegetables and bananas from her doorstep, she earns just enough to afford the most basic necessities, leaving nothing for house repairs.

“The most difficult thing for me to do is fix my house, because I only have enough to get food for my children,” she said.

When Operation Blessing learned of Antony’s situation and the hazardous condition of his home, a team immediately started construc-tion on a new house for his family. OB Peru also built a larger stand for his mother’s food business and provided a variety of supplies so she can increase her income and better care for her children.

Now, even when it storms, Antony feels safe in his own home, knowing that it will be able to withstand the weather. ◆

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Copyright © 2014 by Operation Blessing International, P.O. Box 2636, Virginia Beach, VA 23450. For more information, call (800) 730-2537 or visit our website at operationblessing.org

As kidnapping and terrorismcontinue to threaten Nigerian schoolgirls, razor wire has become an essential school supply.

Will you help provide critical aid to vulnerable children like these today?