Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
1. Last week we requested prayer that Igor Fomichov be allowed to leave Ukraine temporarily. Even though as a pastor he had been granted official permission to do so, the final decision is up to the border guards, who at first denied him on his last trip but relented after intervention by the Mayor of Desna, where Igor serves on the city council. We are glad to report that Igor was permitted to leave Ukraine last Friday and was able to participate in a missions conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his first stop. Thank you for praying.
2. Our folks in Ukraine have told us that, since the war started, 495 Baptist churches in Ukraine have closed. This is mostly due to pastors leaving for the West. On the other hand, the churches where pastors choose to stay have gained many new people as they have been providing war relief to local residents. Praise God!
3. This week’s video update is titled “Thrilled at God’s Blessings.” It focuses on our newer missionaries—the Koops—and the Druzhba area, where BIEM has distributed much war relief. To view it, please click the following link:
4. Forum 18 reports the following from Russian-occupied Ukraine:
“Russian occupation forces have closed and seized more churches, the latest known being an Orthodox Church of Ukraine church in Basan and a Baptist Union church in Zaporizhzia Region, and the Catholic Church in Skadovsk in Kherson Region. Occupation forces broke the Catholic church’s windows and door during a raid, claiming they were looking for explosives and drugs. Artyom Sharlay of the Russian occupiers’ Religious Organisations Department claimed to Forum 18 that “law-abiding” religious communities “face no restrictions, but those that break the law are banned.”
5. In a recent update and in our October BIEM’s of Light Prayer & Praise sheet, we mentioned the new church in Nizhylovychi, which was started as the result of our war-relief efforts. That part of the Hostomel area had been occupied by Russian forces, who dragged away everything of value. This church has been meeting in a leaky, old tent while renovations are taking place in the building we purchased for it. The priority is installing heat and flooring. A major storm hit there last week, and it demolished the old tent. Now, the job of completing the heat and flooring has become urgent. Please pray that enough progress can be made to meet in this building since the tent is no longer an option. Funds to help with this project are needed as well.
Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM