BAKAHARI, India – Though devastating storm waters raged all around her, Ramavathy knew she had to keep going for the sake of her unborn child.

As an expecting mother, Ramavathy found herself homeless after floods destroyed her village and displaced her family.

Ramavathy, 28, lived in Bakahari in the East Camparan District of North Bihar, India. Her whole village was wiped out by the August floods that displaced more than 20 million people across South Asia. Everything she and her neighbors owned – houses, belongings and crops – was gone.

With no money or resources to afford medical help, Ramavathy now faced an even greater threat: the loss of her unborn child.

Narayan, her husband, felt there was no way to help his vulnerable family.

“He had no idea where to get food or money to take Ramavathy to the hospital,” said Shirley Joyce, an Operation Blessing representative. “He was afraid that she could lose the baby.”

Fortunately, the couple arrived just in time to Duncan Hospital, where help was on the way.

Doctors examined Ramavathy and quickly made preparations for her delivery. Despite some complications, a few days later Ramavathy successfully gave birth to a baby boy.

OBI treated many expecting mothers at Duncan hospital following the August disaster.

To add to the happy announcement, Operation Blessing India told the couple they would cover all of her medical expenses and hospital stay.

“She thought what OBI had done for her and her child was immeasurable,” Joyce said. “There was no way she could have managed to collect so much money for her delivery.”

Ramavathy was one of 290 people who received free treatment at Duncan Hospital following the floods. Nearly 80 percent of those patients were expectant mothers.

“Your timely help has helped me so much,” said Ramavathy, as she held her new baby. “I thank you for saving my child’s life.”

In addition to medical care, other relief efforts by OBI included the distribution of several thousand relief kits containing food and water purification tablets to flood victims.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.

 

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