Devastation Much Worse Than Expected In Rural Areas-
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 27, 2012) - A disaster relief team from the humanitarian organization Operation Blessing International has arrived at the epicenter of last week's 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Oaxaca, Mexico and was surprised to find much worse devastation in rural areas than expected.
Scott Hill, director of the charity's OB Mexico office, reports that many of the homes in the countryside are made of adobe and were destroyed by the quake, leaving residents to fend for themselves outside.
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 1, 2012) Operation Blessing International (OBI) is dispatching equipment, supplies and personnel to Illinois to provide relief to those impacted by the recent tornadoes.
According to reports, a severe storm system moved across the Midwest and Western/Central plains on Wednesday, February 29, bringing tornado & severe weather damage to several states. Officials have confirmed several fatalities and more than 100 injuries with homes and businesses either damaged or destroyed.
Custom Made Boats, Built by Maine Company, to be Presented on March 10 in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (February 27, 2012) Operation Blessing International (OBI) and multinational software company, SAP, will present 10 new fishing boats to Japanese fishermen whose livelihoods were ruined in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
-- Operation Blessing International Launches Large Scale Aquaculture Program --
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA One of a diminishing number of relief organizations still on the ground in the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti, Operation Blessing International (OBI) is assisting earthquake victims by providing an important food source as well as a means for economic self-sufficiency tilapia and tropical fish.
-- Operation Blessing International still present, while many others have left --
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (January 10, 2012) - On Jan. 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter less than 20 miles from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, killed an estimated 316,000, injured a million, made homeless 1.5 million to 1.8 million, and either collapsed or severely damaged an estimated quarter-million commercial buildings and residences. Some 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater were recorded within 12 days following the initial quake.
-OBI and Longtime Partner, the German Charity Humedica, Team-Up To Provide Relief-
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (October 26, 2010) -- Operation Blessing International (OBI) and its longtime disaster relief partner, the German charity Humedica, are in Turkey to provide relief for victims of a 7.2.magnitude earthquake that hit the eastern part of the nation last Sunday (Oct. 23).
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (Sept. 1, 2011) - Japanese fishermen whose way-of-life was severely impacted following the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, are getting help from the American humanitarian organization, Operation Blessing International (OBI), who will deliver 40 fishing boats to local fishermen in Hikado Fishing Harbor (Kessenuma, Japan) who have been out of work since the disaster.
The boat delivery is the first of what could be a donation of hundreds of boats by OBI in the coming weeks to several months.
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (JULY 21, 2011) - The international humanitarian organization Operation Blessing International (OBI) will deliver critical relief supplies to the new country of South Sudan starting next week. Bill Horan, president of the charity, made the announcement today.
NEW DELHI, India – It wasn’t the first time Hlawin had known fear in her life.
The young mother had once fled Burma seeking safety from the Burmese army that threatened harm against her community because they were of an ethnic minority.
But this was a different kind of fear—this time she feared for the wellbeing of her child. One-year-old Nehemiah was sick.
COTABATO, Philippines – Four weeks of torrential rains have left the province of Cotabato struggling to survive.
The swollen Rio Grande de Mindanao has overflowed its banks, flooding the once fertile rice fields and forcing families to flee the rising waters and abandon their homes for safer shelter.
“Reports say it will be flooded for more than three months,” said Dr. Kim Pascual, OB Philippines country director. “Luzon and Manila were also affected by another typhoon last weekend, but nothing compares to the suffering in Cotabato.”
Volunteers Needed For Cleanup Efforts Beginning Friday
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (May 27, 2011) - The Virginia Beach-based humanitarian organization Operation Blessing International (OBI) has arrived in Joplin, MO for tornado relief efforts. Bill Horan, president of Operation Blessing International, made the announcement today.
Report from the field: OBI teams share their firsthand, eye-witness accounts of the relief efforts in Japan
SHIOGAMA, Japan – Asian Director Ron Oates and I met with the Urato Islands Fishing Guild, at their temporary office set up on the mainland in Shiogama City. Our meeting was to discuss how Operation Blessing could help the local oyster and seaweed cultivation industry get back on its feet.
Leesburg, Florida Company, PowerTech, Manufacturing Generators; Will Ship From Orlando To Japan On Friday, April 8
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (April 6, 2011) The international humanitarian organization Operation Blessing International (OBI) has purchased 20 industrial-grade electrical generators from Leesburg, Florida-based PowerTech Generators that will ship from Orlando to Japan this Friday, April 8, 2011.
HAITI - Doctors and nurses from the world-renowned Mayo Clinic are working tirelessly to save lives and improve health in Haiti.
In partnership with Operation Blessing, teams of around 10 medical professionals have been arriving in the island nation in waves since the beginning of February.
Report from the field: OBI teams share their firsthand, eye-witness accounts of the relief efforts in Japan
URATO ISLANDS, Japan – Shiogama is known as the Tuna Capital of Japan and the center of a huge fishing industry. There are tuna statues and art work depicting tuna everywhere. The oceanfront was decimated by the tsunami, but much of the wave's velocity struck four islands just off shore.
NEW EYEGLASSES FOR 1,400 JAPAN QUAKE/TSUNAMI
SURVIVORS: OPERATION BLESSING INTERNATIONAL HOSTING THREE FREE EYE CLINICS
THIS WEEKEND
SHIOGAMA, JAPAN (March 30, 2011) The
Virginia Beach-based humanitarian organization, Operation Blessing International
will be providing 1,400 survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
with free prescription eyeglasses and reading glasses this weekend when
the charity hosts three free eye clinics.
The clinics will take place on Friday
(10am-4pm), Saturday (9am-4pm) and Sunday (9-4pm) in Shiogama. On hand
--Charity Purchases 1.5 Tons Of Rice From Local Farmer For Distribution In Hard-Hit Areas--
ISHINOMAKI, JAPAN (March 24, 2011) The Virginia Beach-based Operation Blessing International (OBI) disaster relief team has delivered 4 tons of emergency supplies to shelters and the general hospital in the city of Ishinomaki today.
The shelter supplies included rice, water, bread, fruit, warm clothing, cooking stoves, candles and canned food.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Connie Tynes had
no idea that she would be literally saving lives when she first joined
the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team at Regent University.
It was a small group of 20 students who
chose to spend their free time gaining hands-on experience in the field
of entrepreneurship and business, and learning about social responsibility.
When they heard about the food crisis
in Niger that was escalating to near famine status again last year, the
students decided they wanted to help.
Snow, Lack Of fuel, Impassable Roads Making
Relief Efforts Difficult
RIKUZEN TAKATA, JAPAN (March 17, 2011)
-- For the last two days the Operation Blessing International (OBI) disaster
relief team has supplied food and water to over 1,500 people despite heavy
snow, a lack of fuel, impassable roads, and the nuclear threat.
Yesterday the OBI team, under the direction
of David Darg, director of international disaster relief, drove to the
city of Oshu, where, thanks to the charity=92s donors, they were able to
purchase a large amount of rice at a supermarket. Darg had learned about
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 15, 2011) =96
A disaster relief team from Operation Blessing International (OBI), the
6th largest international humanitarian organization, has arrived in Sendai,
Japan and is distributing clean drinking water and emergency food rations
today.
David Darg, international disaster relief
director for the charity, is leading the effort. Darg arrived in Japan
from Haiti over the weekend, where he has been on the ground directing
OBI=92s longtime relief programs since last year=92s devastating earthquake.
