Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
1. BIEM’s project to provide 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers with $100 of warm clothing is now underway. The distribution will be done through partner churches in Ukraine that have direct contact with specific soldiers and can enlist church members who will be responsible for purchasing the warm clothing and getting it to the soldier(s) for whom they have taken responsibility. This plan is realistic since the soldiers will be the sons, fathers, brothers, uncles, husbands, or close friends of those doing the purchasing. As a bonus, right now in Ukraine, free shipping is available for parcels to soldiers in battle.
2. Concerning the project in Update 1 above, there is an application process that requires the churches involved to identify the soldiers their church volunteers are taking responsibility for and to name which church members agree to purchase items for which soldiers. We have already received applications representing over 400 soldiers. Therefore, war relief funds to provide for these soldiers are needed and greatly appreciated.
3. In this week’s video “War Relief Continues!” (filmed 100% in Ukraine) BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak shares some sights and thoughts during his 14th trip to deliver humanitarian aid and to preach the Gospel among needy ones in the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine. Here’s the link:
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/reliefcontinues
4. Vitaly and Natalyia are a couple who have dedicated themselves to delivering aid from BIEM to civilians and soldiers along the front lines. God has greatly used them. In the past two months, as the weather turns colder, they have resumed a method of aiding they used last winter. It features sharing the Gospel while providing soup. They gather volunteers who help to prepare huge kettles of very thick, meaty soup. They set up stations along main roads near the front, where hungry civilians and soldiers alike can stop for a warm bowl of hearty soup. As crowds gather, the volunteers make use of opportunities to share the Gospel and give out New Testaments and tracts along with groceries, which are scarce in those areas.
5. Tomorrow (December 23) a brave group of volunteers from Temple of Salvation Baptist Church (on Pukhova Street in Kyiv, Ukraine) set out on a special war-relief project to the war front in the Bakhmut area. There have been many such trips to distribute aid to civilians and soldiers along the front; however, this one is different for two reasons. First, central to this outreach is a special, pre-prepared evangelistic Christmas program for children. Second, large numbers are expected, which is unusual so close to the war front. Please pray for God to touch hearts and change lives during this evangelistic effort. Please pray for protection as well.
In Christ,
Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM