Praises – Rejoice with us!
The church on the military base in Desna, Ukraine, continues to receive visitors who are there for military training. Two female soldiers showed up for church and stayed for a birthday celebration for the pastor. Pleasantly surprised, they said how well they understood the sermon and prayers. They didn’t know such churches existed!
The Rehabilitation Center near Ternopil rejoices that individuals with addictions continue to come to them. One recent case is a man named Vladimir, a well-educated man who had been a dentist before getting hooked on substances. May God lead them to freedom in Christ!
The Hoblitzes, BIEM missionaries in Tbilisi, Georgia, report that, since the holidays, 15 souls have followed Christ and been baptized. God is blessing in other ways, too!
BIEM missionaries Vitaly and Alexandra Keller evangelize on the streets of Kyiv, Ukraine. One day a woman approached. Maria shared that in 2019 she had considered herself a good Orthodox believer, but in reality she thought about God only on church holidays. After hearing the Gospel from Vitaly, Maria visited a Protestant church and repented of her sins. Now Maria is active in her church and joins the Kellers in street ministry. Praise the Lord!
Prayer - Pray with us!
A BIEM missionary in Central Asia met an elderly woman who trusted Christ in 1989, after her son got saved and overcame heroine addiction. She directed the local movie theater and allowed Christians to hold services there. For that, Muslims beat her, knocking out her teeth. For years she has feared letting anyone know she is a believer. Pray for her faith to increase, for fears to decrease, and that she would forbid her daughters-in-law from practicing witchcraft in her house.
Electricians recently ran a powerline to the uncompleted building purchased in Borschiv, Ukraine, to use as a church. Electricity will enable work to continue inside even during cold weather. The Skripniks request prayer for funding and experienced workers to complete the building so it can be used for church services.
The arrival of March means BIEM must begin plans for summer camps for children and teens. Praise God, of the at least $40,000 needed, over $9,000 has already been received as year-end gifts in 2019. Please pray for God to prompt some of His people for the remaining $31,000 needed for camps.
One of our experienced church planters has expressed a desire to start a church in very populated area of Kyiv which has no Gospel witness. This would be a major undertaking as far as building costs yet would have truly amazing potential. Please pray for direction as we consider this and that God would lead and provide.