Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
1. Because of impending, adverse shipping changes we mentioned on October 20, BIEM rushed to send our next container of war relief to Ukraine as soon as possible. By God’s grace, we managed to secure a 40-foot-high cube container immediately, and we were blessed by a large group of volunteers who loaded the cargo in record time. On Tuesday, a driver delivered this container to the railroad depot, where it will be transported by rail to a seaport. Please pray with us that the vessel carrying this shipment will experience smooth sailing with no delays so it can reach the Polish port by November 23. That should enable us to truck it into Ukraine before December 1, when the stricter regulations go into effect.
2. Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach are the next two Ukrainian church planters who are coming to visit churches in the United States. They have submitted all the forms required to apply for special permission to exit Ukraine temporarily for religious purposes as they plan to share how God is using war relief in Ukraine to reach souls. Please pray that their applications will be approved quickly so they can travel to the United States next week. Having Ukrainian pastors share firsthand accounts of our war relief efforts with American congregations greatly opens understanding and strengthens our financial and prayerful support.
3. In this week’s War Relief Video Update, Pastor Mykola of Sumy, Ukraine, shares about daily life in a city near the Russian border and the ways BIEM is assisting the church’s outreach to the community using gospels and humanitarian aid. Here’s the link:
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/sumy
4. Sasha Petrenko, who pastors the church reaching the Goncharovsk military base, is preparing to transport aid to the war front in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. These are areas where soldiers from Goncharovsk are stationed. Therefore, Sasha has special access that enables him to deliver supplies needed by the soldiers connected with his church. They are involved in intense fighting, so these trips are dangerous. Praise God, among the items we managed to purchase are a large number of winter coats that he will deliver on this trip. These will certainly be a help as the cold of winter approaches.
5. With the war between Israel and Hamas dominating the news, friends of BIEM are asking how this affects our war-relief efforts for Ukraine. After all, the new war certainly shifts focus from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. No doubt, there will be some sort of effect, but we can’t predict what form that may take. (Many Ukrainians fear the new conflict will push Americans into donor fatigue, resulting in diminishing aid.) Nevertheless, we at BIEM will continue to apply what God supplies in the best ways we can. Meanwhile, we along with Ukrainian Christians and believers around the world will pray for Israel in these very difficult times.
In Christ,
Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM