Operation Blessing Aids Typhoon Survivors in Guam Still Needing Help 1 Month Later

A month after Typhoon Mawar battered the Pacific island of Guam on May 24th, many residents are still in dire need of help as they try to recover from the massive destruction that the Category 4 cyclone left behind. Some areas in this U.S. territory are still without power and water, so Operation Blessing recently visited these communities to bring food and encouragement. 

Survivors from the hardest-hit villages of Dededo and Yigo are overwhelmed with the challenge of rebuilding their houses that were destroyed by the strong winds and flash floods. Sadly, many of them are forced to prioritize buying building materials over essential food items. 

An Operation Blessing team responded to this urgent need and reached out to these most affected communities, making sure that every family received the much-needed aid. 

Operation Blessing Regional Director, John Tan, led the team. He said, "I'm in the village of Yigo and in the subdivision of 0 Down. The houses here are flattened. People here lost everything. There's still no power, no water. We're going door to door right now bringing food and fresh water, drinking water so that people can focus on rebuilding their homes."

The residents were grateful that Operation Blessing together with committed volunteers from their church partner, Life in the Son Church, personally brought them food bags containing rice, canned goods, coffee, sugar, and other basic needs. They were touched by this kind gesture that lifted their spirits. 

Hundreds of survivors also came to the church to get their food bags and free Bibles.
 
Children of the volunteers also came to help. Stephanie Taimanglo explained why she and her friend are giving away Bibles. "We would like to bless the people that have it and get filled with the Holy Spirit from Jesus," she said.

The material aid the survivors received may only last for a few days but God's promises written in the Bible and the prayers released over them can last a lifetime. 

One typhoon survivor cried after Operation Blessing volunteers prayed for her and said, "Thank you guys, I really appreciate this. Thank you so much!"