Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People

1. There is heightened concern among our Ukrainian national missionaries that some will be conscripted for military service in that country. This concern is born out of Ukraine’s increasingly aggressive conscription tactics. For example, recently after a large musical concert in downtown Kyiv there were military officers waiting at every exit to conscript on the spot the large number of male concertgoers as they were exiting the concert. Furthermore, it has become customary for the military to accompany police on traffic stops, during which they examine the I.D. of the traffic offender and in many cases conscript them on the spot. Also, there has been an increase in roadblocks set up to do the same. Therefore, please pray that our church planters will not be compelled to leave their fruitful ministries to serve in the military, which would drastically affect our war-relief distributions.

2. Believers in Bilogorodka, Ukraine, have begun distributing war relief from our container that recently arrived. Already, teams have delivered supplies to war-torn Kherson. Due to new regulations, these distributions require much more documentation than before. If the documentation is not accepted, that would prevent future container shipments from receiving humanitarian-aid status. Therefore, our brethren are being very diligent about this matter even though it requires much more meticulous effort on their part.

3. Ministry always involves movement—across the street, across town, across the country, and oceans—all for the sake of reaching souls and changing lives. We are thankful to the Lord for allowing Igor Fomichov—our missionary from Desna, Ukraine—to travel to the U.S. and speak in supporting churches these past weeks. Before flying home to Ukraine, Igor offered this “moving” update about his church's rehabilitation ministry in the city of Desna:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/missionsmove

4. After a break for the summer, aid distribution to the Bakhmut-area refugees who have been evacuated to the Obolon district of Kyiv resumed last month. There are over 8,000 such refugees. When Sam Slobodian was recently in Kyiv during the Fall session of our seminary, he was able to meet with Pastor Nikolai, who is leading this outreach. Pastor Nikolai recounted how several refugees have been saved through these distributions are now regularly attending their church services. Praise God!

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM