Disaster Relief
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

JOPLIN, Mo. – Yesterday while visiting our various projects in Joplin, I kept thinking that something was different, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until late in the day. It was the trees! Trees that looked dead a few weeks ago were sprouting leaves. The struggle of the trees seemed a perfect metaphor for the struggle of the people. (more…)
Tags: Bill Horan, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Relief, Joplin, Missouri, North America, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Tornado
Posted in Disaster, Disaster Relief, North America, US. Tornadoes | 3 Comments »
Friday, June 24th, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
KESENNUMA, Japan – Our recent eye clinics have been in the city of Kesennuma, a decimated major fishing port in the northern eastern corner of Miyagi Prefecture. At our first clinic here we met the former mayor of Motoyoshi Town, which had merged with the city two years ago. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Community Development, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye exams, Eye Glasses, Fishermen, Fishing, Fishing Industry, Fishing Supplies, Japan, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Kesennuma, Motoyoshi, Motoyoshi Town, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan
Posted in Asia, Disaster Relief, Earthquake, Japan earthquake/tsunami, Microenterprise | No Comments »
Thursday, June 16th, 2011

JOPLIN, Mo. – “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” The quote appears on an elegant plaque in John and Debbie’s home, but it’s more than just a saying—it’s something that defines the way they live. (more…)
Tags: Debbie, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Relief, Extreme Blessing, Home Depot, Jody Herrington-Gettys, John, Joplin, Joplin Tornado, Missouri, North America, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Rebuild, Relief, Relief Aid, Relief Supplies, The Home Depot, Tornado, Volunteers
Posted in Disaster, Disaster Relief, Jody Herrington-Gettys, North America, US. Tornadoes | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
URATO ISLANDS, Japan – Fishermen always suffer in the aftermath of a tsunami. The historically unprecedented tsunami that struck along 300 miles of the east coast of northern Japan and reached heights of 90 feet and traveled up to 5 miles inland was no exception. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Community Development, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye exams, Eye Glasses, Fishermen, Fishing, Fishing Industry, Fishing Supplies, Japan, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan, Urato Islands, Uratos
Posted in Asia, Disaster Relief, Japan earthquake/tsunami, Tsunami | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

JOPLIN, Mo. – Ron and his wife, Norma, live in Joplin, Mo. where their home sustained considerable damage in the recent tornado that ripped through the city, killing 132 people and leaving countless families without homes. The insurance company told Ron and Norma that they would take care of all the roof damage and structural damage to their home, but the insurance would not pay to repair the damage to Ron’s wheelchair ramp. (more…)
Tags: Disaster, Disaster Relief, Home Depot, Jody Herrington, Jody Herrington-Gettys, Joplin, Missouri, Mo., North America, OBI, OBI Video, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief Aid, The Home Depot, Tornado Relief, Tornadoes
Posted in Disaster, Disaster Relief, Jody Herrington-Gettys, North America, US. Tornadoes | No Comments »
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

JOPLIN, Mo.— When I asked Randy, a 51-year-old Joplin resident, how he would move on after the tornado, he simply answered, “You’ve just got to live it every day, and the next day will be better than the day before and it will get better.” This is true both physically and emotionally. Each day in Joplin, progress is being made in the cleanup process as compassionate volunteers swarm the streets and lend their hands and hearts to the survivors of this terrible tornado. (more…)
Tags: Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Relief, Joplin, Missouri, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Relief Aid, Tony Cece, Tornado, US, Volunteers
Posted in Disaster, Disaster Relief, North America, Tony Cece, US. Tornadoes | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
KESSENUMA, Japan – There is a general impression that most evacuees staying in emergency shelters are now being well supplied with basic needs such as food and water by the government. We were surprised to receive a sudden call from a pastor in the area telling us that the city of Kessenuma was sending out an “SOS” for more rice and dry foods. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye exams, Eye Glasses, Generators, Hiraiso, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Mrs. Kondoh, Ms. Satoh, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Shiogama, Toyoma, Toyoma Town, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan
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Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
HIRAISO, Japan – We spent another day delivering long awaited glasses, this time to the survivors of the small fishing village of Hiraiso. We had conducted an eye clinic there some 10 days previously. Once again, tsunami victims were excited to be able to see properly again. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye exams, Eye Glasses, Generators, Hiraiso, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Mrs. Kondoh, Ms. Satoh, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Shiogama, Toyoma, Toyoma Town, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan
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Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
URATO ISLANDS, Japan – Today our team delivered to the Urato Islands eyeglasses that had been prescribed individually to the islanders at our eye clinic over a week ago. Mr. Taketora Nishimura, the optician working with Operation Blessing to provide this service, said that it always gives him great satisfaction when the people try on the glasses he has prepared, and exclaim, “Mieru!” (I can see!) (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye exams, Eye Glasses, Fishing Guild, Generators, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Katsurajima, Matsushima Bay, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Sabusawu Island, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan, Urato Islands, Urato Islands Fishing Guild, Uratos, Village Chief
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Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
URATO ISLANDS, Japan – We finally received the go ahead from the barge operator this morning, and Operation Blessing was able to deliver the long-awaited industrial grade generators to three of the Urato Islands. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Fishing Guild, Generators, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Matsushima Bay, Mr. Chiba, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Sabusawu Island, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan, Urato Islands, Urato Islands Fishing Guild, Uratos, Village Chief
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Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
SHIOGAMA, Japan – On Friday we held our fourth eye clinic for the week—this time in Hiraiso Village, a small fishing and farming hamlet nestled in an inlet on the Miyagi Coast. Here, the neighboring large town of Minami Sanriku, 55 miles north of Sendai, had been wiped out by the tsunami. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye Glasses, Fishing Guild, Hiraiso, Hiraiso Village, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Kumayoshi Watanabe, Matsushima Bay, Minami Sanriku, Mitsuyo Satoh, Mr. Abe, Ms. Satoh, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing Eye Clinic, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Sabusawu Island, Sendai, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan, Urato Islands, Urato Islands Fishing Guild, Uratos, Village Chief, Washing Machines
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Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Operation Blessing’s Japan Disaster Relief Manager, Don Thomson, shares his firsthand account of the relief efforts in Japan.
SABUSAWA ISLAND, Japan – Today was our third and last eye clinic in the Urato Islands—on Sabusawa Island. The mayor of Shiogama (the city that has jurisdiction over the islands) was on the ferry with us today. He was heading to the opening ceremony for the local elementary and middle school on Nonoshima Island, and then also went on to pay us a visit at our eye clinic on the third island. (more…)
Tags: 2004 tsunami, Aid, Asia, Disaster, Disaster Aid, Disaster Assistance, Disaster Relief, Disaster Victims, Don Thomson, Earthquake, Earthquake Relief, Eye Clinic, Eye Glasses, Fishing Guild, Japan Disaster, Japan Disaster Victims, Japan Earthquake, Japan Quake, Japan Tsunami, Matsushima Bay, OBI, Operation Blessing, Operation Blessing Eye Clinic, Operation Blessing International, Relief, Sabusawu Island, Shiogama, Tsunami, Tsunami Japan, Urato Islands, Urato Islands Fishing Guild, Uratos, Washing Machines
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