Gittika and her husband farmed mussels on a bamboo raft off the coast of Ranong, Southern Thailand. In December 2004, a tsunami struck their coastal community, sweeping away their livelihood and taking the lives of some of their friends.

The young family was devastated and didn’t have enough money to start over. They waited three years before they found the help they were looking for.

In December 2007, Operation Blessing began to construct a large mussel farm for 20 families who had all experienced a similar fate. The cost of the project was $1500 per family.

Gittika and her husband received two sections of OB’s large floating mussel farm. Young mussels were suspended in the water, growing at a depth of a couple of feet. After about 9 months, the mussels will be ready to harvest.

The young family expects to sell their harvest for about $6000. The money they will receive offers hope for a brighter future for their son, and capital to begin to farm their next crop of mussels.

“I am so grateful to Operation Blessing,” Gittika said, “for all of the help they have given us in providing this mussel farm. Thank you so much.”