Praises – Rejoice with us!
With BIEM’s assistance, churches in Brest, Belarus held an evangelistic service for kids with disabilities. The result was a filled auditorium, with 80% unbelievers. Nikolai Ryzhuk praises God for opportunities to hold such events for outreach and God’s glory.
We rejoice about the special evangelistic services during Christmas and New Year. Our missionaries have reported unsaved visitors, including some who had never stepped inside a church before. (One man’s mother had once been adamantly opposed to the new Baptist church but came!) Also pray that the Word sown in hearts will bear fruit.
In Desna, Ukraine, a soldier was ordered to escort a new Christian recruit who wanted to visit the church. (The purpose of the escort was to ensure the new man didn’t desert or do anything forbidden.) But at the church, the soldier pulling escort duty got saved!
In Goncharovsk, Ukraine, an influential woman in the local school phoned our missionary Ira Petrenko and asked to schedule a massage. (Ira has training in this.) Ira was tired, but her husband Sasha suggested it might be a good door for sharing God’s Word. Not only did that administrator listen, but later in a parents’ meeting, she even gave her personal endorsement of our missionary’s church!
Prayer - Pray with us!
Micah, one of our missionaries in Tbilisi, Georgia, has been meeting with a number of young people with questions about God and salvation. Most are astonished to learn that salvation resides fully in faith in Christ, not in obeying the commandments 100% until death, etc. Please pray for him as he seeks to break through preconceived notions with Gospel Truth.
Please continue to pray for Noah Harvey, grandson of Sam & Amy Slobodian. His January 29 surgery was successful despite complications that led to another week of hospitalization. The recovery will be slow and could result in missing a lot of school. Please pray for a quick recovery, and to gain weight, and to return to school soon.
Our container in Ukraine is within one last document of having all the goods released. Much of the delay is due to procedural changes from the new presidential administration. Please pray that these changes will not hamper future shipments of aid for our churches.
A BIEM missionary who labors in restricted lands is preparing to leave on a trip where he’ll be assisting a new church plant among Afghanis and helping to establish a Bible institute for Afghanis. Please pray for God’s protection and blessing in this dangerous area.