December Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Yesterday I asked Vitaly Yurchenko—who is both a church planter and Rector of our Seminary in Kyiv, Ukraine—to send us a video update that we could share with all of you. At the time of my request, even I wasn’t picturing the reality that he must shoot such a video by candlelight. I hope that you will spare 2 minutes to watch this short clip, where Vitaly discusses the current situation in his country and then more specifically their hopes for a winter session of the Seminary. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/777413088

At the conclusion, Vitaly expresses sincere gratitude to all of BIEM’s supporters for your financial sacrifices and daily prayers for Ukraine. Please accept my thanks also for continuing to stand with us and to help us use every opportunity—in season and out of season, in times of peace and times of war—to serve others and to glorify God and proclaim the Gospel.

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

BIEMs of Light: December 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• For years, a young man named Misha from a pastor’s home in Ukraine delayed giving his heart to Christ. Drafted, he found himself repeatedly thrust into battles, barely escaping with his life while men all around him were cut down. Many prayed, and Misha at last trusted Christ!

• We requested prayer for our 40-ft. container of aid, which got stuck in Gdansk, Poland. Praise the Lord, that container is finally released and bound for Ukraine. The downside is that the delay cost BIEM an additional $1,400 for extended storage—all because of someone else’s error, not ours.

• You prayed for Igor Fomichov during his visit to the U.S. God answered! In multiple states, people listened with great interest and promised to pray. Also, God answered other prayers and let Igor speed through the border back into Ukraine, a process that once took 9 hours.

• This week alone, BIEM has been able to purchase a dozen more generators for Ukraine. Churches are using them to create warming centers, places where locals can go and warm up during blackouts. There, visitors will also hear the Gospel. We plan to provide more as funds become available.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• BIEM personnel continue to make aid & evangelism trips to battle zones in the east and south of Ukraine. Today, Vitaly Bilyak is driving to Kherson. Sasha Petrenko will soon be headed to Donbas. Please pray for God’s protection on our missionaries and for the salvation of souls.

• Although Ukrainian engineers and electricians work around the clock to restore the power-generating system Russia is targeting, millions remain without power. Please pray for quick, successful repairs and for churches to seize these opportunities to glorify God by helping others in His name.

• From Central Asia: “We had our first person come to faith in Christ through our Afghani literacy school…. The semester exam is being able to read John 3:16 from the Dari Bible then explain it and write it in Dari. As she was studying…one woman called our teacher and said, ‘I get it! Jesus is the Son of God! He’s the Sacrifice that appeased the wrath of God against me. How can I accept him?’ She repented and asked Jesus to save her! Pray for her. She was threatened with death for daring to learn to read and write; now she’s afraid she’ll be killed if Muslims learn she accepted Christ.

• Our partners in Ukraine feel it imperative to hold a January session of the Seminary despite the war. Please pray for conditions to allow it and for students being able to attend despite hardships.

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War Relief Updates - November 11, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Because there is a special need for humanitarian aid among citizens living in Ukraine’s war-torn east, BIEM personnel continue to make trips there. In addition to distributing food items, they share the Gospel. Brother Sasha refers to an upcoming trip in our latest video:

https://vimeo.com/770028246

2. Please continue to pray for our latest humanitarian-aid container, which remains stuck in Gdansk, Poland. As announced previously, we’ve encountered numerous obstacles getting it to Ukraine. Now a new problem has arisen. Apparently, someone has replaced the original seal on the container with another. There are various possible explanations for such an occurrence, usually because someone along the line of transport (typically, a Customs official) decides they must look inside. When that happens, there should be a document stating that this was the case, along with the number of the new seal. We have folks trying to track this down, so please pray they find something that can resolve this issue. This particular shipment contains one of the best loads of items needed by our brethren in Ukraine, so perhaps we should not be surprised it has experienced the most delays.

3. This week, we continue to travel with Igor Fomichov and Vitaly Bilyak as they speak in American churches. The hearts of listeners are moved as they hear firsthand from Ukrainian pastors, fresh battle zones. This week more than ever before, we have had interview requests from local media. Please pray that God will use these opportunities to inform people about what God is doing in Ukraine. Pray also that these people’s hearts will be moved to help.

4. We just received this message from Tim, a BIEM missionary in Ukraine: “Two weeks ago, I tried to share the Gospel with my nephew’s commander after having brought some relief items to them. He refused and said, "I know what you want to talk to me about. I don't want to hear it. Thank you for your humanitarian aid, though." I left with a heavy heart. Today I learned he was killed in action yesterday. Many are excited for the aid but have no desire to hear the Gospel. Pray that hearts would be opened; Satan is fighting hard to blind the eyes.”

5. Related to item #4 above, Tim adds, “Please pray for my nephew Misha. It was his commander who was killed. His father is Vasya, one of our church planters. Misha, even though growing up in church, is an unbeliever. On all sides of him in the battle, fellow soldiers are being cut down by artillery and bullets. He keeps coming through unscathed but still needs to fall on his knees before God and repent of his sins and trust Christ as his personal Savior.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 28, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Brother Igor reports success in delivering needed medicine to a Ukrainian soldier from their area. This man had been part of the captured Azov battalion and was held prisoner in Belarus. He and others had been tortured and starved. They were released without clothing, just wrapped in sheets. Down to just 40 kg (88 lbs.), this man was immediately hospitalized. Since he is 1.9 meters tall (6 foot 2 ¾ in.), he was quite emaciated and in need of particular medications.

2. Russian missiles and drones have damaged up to 40% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. We at BIEM are glad we provided generators for a good number of churches in Ukraine. Churches are our main method of assisting people. But considering recent developments, over the next two weeks, we will be supplying more generators and solar phone chargers to churches.

3. Eugene Buyko and his family just completed six weeks in the United States, where they spoke in churches and schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, and the state of Washington. As their time to leave the U.S. drew near, the question Eugene received most often was “Are you going back to Ukraine?” His answer was “Certainly I am going back. That is where I am needed.” See the link below for a few words of appreciation from the Buykos at the end of their visit:

https://vimeo.com/765053627

4. Due to the severely damaged power grid in Ukraine, authorities there are urging the millions of Ukrainians who fled the country not to come back yet. The fear is that the critically damaged power situation will not cope with the increased demand if citizens begin returning home. Their government encourages those who have found havens in other countries to stay where they are, if possible, until spring.

5. Tim, a BIEM missionary currently in Ukraine, says, “I praise God that, even during Shahed-136 drone attacks, we were able to gather over 250 youth from all over Ukraine—including from some of the worst war zones—and hold a 3-day youth rally. Their songs of praise to our Almighty God were a stark contrast to the terrible hum of the drones backed by air raid sirens. God’s protection was very evident.”

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 21, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. In Ukraine, believers are organizing various ways to provide simple yet nourishing meals for people left in needy straits due to the war. One such project is dehydrated borsch. (Borsch is a hearty, beet-based soup.) By creating packets containing the dried ingredients of borsch, believers are creating lightweight, easily stored meals that can be reconstituted by adding water and then heating. You can view a brief video “The Dry Borsch Project” here:

https://vimeo.com/762324545

2. Despite danger, various BIEM personnel continue to make humanitarian-aid trips to deliver food very close to areas where fighting is occurring. On each trip, a brief Gospel message is preached prior to handing out any food. In an interesting turn of events, two local mayors requested to go along with Sasha, one of our church planters, on one such recent trip. We praise God for opportunities to help those in distress and for opportunities to demonstrate Christian love in action in the presence of these two civic leaders.

3. Since October 10, Russia’s aerial bombardment of Ukrainian power infrastructure has knocked out an estimated 30% of Ukraine’s power-generating capacity. As a result, the capital and other major cities have experienced rolling blackouts. In addition, some parts of Kyiv are undergoing shortages in the city water supply. We pray that the warm clothing inside our container that is due to arrive at port in Poland today will aid in keeping the recipients warm as temperatures drop.

4. If the bombardment of Ukrainian power facilities continues, there is concern the lack of heat in the face of dropping winter temperatures might soon spark another exodus of refugees leaving Ukraine. If so, these refugees would not be fleeing invasion forces so much as the frigid temperatures inside their homes. Our churches in central and western Ukraine will prepare to receive a new wave of needy travelers in case that happens. Praise God that we were able to provide generators for many of our churches. It looks like we might need to provide still more.

5. We had requested prayer for Igor Fomichov to be able to able to get permission to leave Ukraine and come to the U.S. to visit supporting churches. The process took time, but Igor was granted that permission! Simply crossing the border into Poland took 9 hours, but he is now out of Ukraine and on his way. Thank you for prayers!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 14, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. This week Russia used Iranian-made “kamikaze drones” to strike all over Ukraine. Over 80 missiles struck cities across Ukraine. Ukraine’s emergency services stated that the overall toll was 19 dead and more than 100 wounded, a figure that’s bound to grow. Once again, civilians were targeted. One of our men not far from an area that was hit said, “This is the last gasp of a dying army.” This was a reference to the impressive advances being made by the Ukrainian military as it continues to push the Russians out of occupied territories. We sure hope our brother is right. Please pray for peace and for an end to this bloodshed.

2. Last week, brother Igor shared what happened when he delivered war relief aid to an elderly lady in Desna. Her son Ruslan, a major in the Ukrainian army, showed up drunk as he often was. Touched by the compassion shown by the church, he and the whole family began to attend church and Ruslan was saved. Now Igor adds more good news: Katya, their neighbor, was so impressed by the change in Ruslan that now she and her family are also attending church. Praise God!

3. Starting tomorrow, brother Tim, one of our BIEM missionaries, is speaking to a group of 300 teenagers at a youth conference in Rivne, Ukraine. Rivne has been bombed for 3 days. Please pray for God’s protection and that many young people would trust Christ and for many to be called into His service.

4. Please pray for our container bound for Ukraine. It’s due in the port at Gdansk, Poland, on October 21st. This is the container we mentioned before that has proven very difficult to ship because, instead of renting it, we bought the container to leave it as a storage facility at the Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center near Ternopil in Western Ukraine. Other containers we have shipped were not owned by us and so were promptly unloaded upon arrival. As it turns out, shippers all down the line of those needed to get a container from the USA to Poland or Ukraine are very hesitant to handle a container that is privately owned. Nevertheless, despite severe challenges, the ship carrying our container is nearing the port. Please pray that our men can organize getting it across the border to Ukraine.

5. A question people often ask is what is happening to Ukraine’s harvest in light of the war? As it turns out, the harvest this year has been plentiful because the war did not stop farmers from planting. Some brave farmers lost their lives when their tractors hit mines. There are areas where crops have gone to waste because it was impossible to transport it due to closed shipping lanes and hostilities that block shipment. On occasion, Ukrainian news has shown videos of farmers burning or plowing under perfectly good produce. However, there is good news. Much of Ukraine’s harvest has been able to be moved by truck. The last few times I crossed the border from Poland into Ukraine, I witnessed unbelievably long lines of trucks leaving Ukraine for Poland lined up at border crossings. One time, I videoed the line as we drove more than 60 miles an hour in the other direction. It took more than 6 minutes of driving at that speed to see the end of the line of trucks! Another time, we decided to count the trucks. We stopped at 1,000! It is taking truck drivers days to cross the border because of these backups. Nevertheless, a good amount of Ukraine’s harvest is getting to market. Praise God!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: October 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• According to the Institute for Religious Freedom, as of July over 270 churches, synagogues, and other “religious buildings” had been destroyed by shelling in the invasion of Ukraine. So far, none of the churches built by BIEM have been destroyed. Since a good number of our churches are along the route the Russian army took towards Kyiv, this is remarkable. Praise God!

• This just in from overseas: “Praise God, a 50-year-old Afghani man put his faith in Jesus Christ last night in our refugee ministry in Central Asia.” Thanks be to God!

• Brother Tim, one of our missionaries based in the United States, will be making his 11th aid trip to Ukraine for the purpose of distributing humanitarian aid. These trips involve purchasing food and other needed items in Poland and then driving them across the border into Ukraine. These trips (which do not include our other container shipments) have provided over 50 tons of aid to Ukrainian churches that are distributing these goods.

• We thank God that the hardships and needs in wartime have galvanized many believers to step into ministry roles they never imagined in peacetime. This includes teens who are volunteering to serve God and neighbors through their local churches’ refugee ministries.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Last month we requested prayer that our director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, would be able to visit the US for several weeks with his family. The Lord answered that prayer. The Buykos have blessed numerous churches with personal updates from their homeland. Please pray that BIEM will be able to bring additional Ukrainian missionaries to the US so they, too, can report directly to supporters.

• Please uphold in prayer our newest church planters, Sergiy and Karina Koop, as they continue to reach out to refugees and others in the Druzhba district of Ternopil. May God bless their ministry with more souls for the Savior!

• Churches in Ukraine continue to assist refugees who have been uprooted due to the war. Sometimes this involves evacuating them from occupied territories, which is quite challenging. Many displaced persons are hearing the Gospel for the first time as they seek food and shelter. Please pray for more to see their spiritual need and to accept Christ as Savior.

• Please pray for the war to end soon. Several of our church planters express concern that, the longer the war lasts, the less likely it is church members who have evacuated to the west will return.  

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War Relief Updates - September 30, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. The Institute for Religious Freedom recently published statistics on how many churches have been destroyed in Ukraine during the war. They state. “At least 270 churches, religious buildings, spiritual educational institutions, and sacred sites (cemeteries, memorials, etc.) have been ruined as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine.” The Ukrainian Orthodox church affiliated with the Moscow Patriarch had the largest losses with 108 churches destroyed. The second highest total was the Baptists with 43 churches destroyed, followed by the Pentecostals with 42 churches destroyed, 18 Orthodox churches of Ukraine, 17 Ukrainian Greek Catholic, 11 Seventh Day Adventist churches, 9 Jewish synagogues, 7 Muslim mosques, 6 Roman Catholic, 5 Evangelical, and 4 Mormon temples destroyed as of July 15.

2. Praise God, as of today none of the churches built by BIEM have been destroyed. When you consider that a good number of these churches are situated along the route the Russian army took towards Kyiv, this is remarkable. No doubt, the prayers of God's people have played a part in this matter. A bombing did blow out the doors and windows of one of our churches, but the building survived. Services continued despite the damage, and repairs were quickly made.

3. Brother Tim, one of our missionaries based in the United States, will soon be making his 11th aid trip to Ukraine for the purpose of distributing humanitarian aid. These trips involve purchasing food and other needed items in Poland and then driving them across the border into Ukraine. With God’s help, this one brother’s efforts (which are separate from BIEM’s other containers and distributions) have provided over 50 tons of aid to Ukrainian churches that are distributing these goods.

4. While most of the Buyko family is in the United States reporting to churches supporting our War Relief efforts, their 19-year-old son, Mikhail remains in Ukraine. He has been busy serving in the church and distributing aid. No doubt, it must be difficult to remain behind while the rest of your family is able to go abroad, so do pray for Mikhail. Following is a link to a video he made describing some of his humanitarian-aid efforts.

https://vimeo.com/755575261

5. Not long ago, we posted a video about an aid-distribution trip Vitaly Bilyak took all the way to the battlefront in Donbas. In that video, the booming sounds of artillery fire gave evidence of how close he was to the fighting. Yesterday he and his brother Andrei returned from yet another trip to the battlefront. When they arrived in Bakhmut, the fighting was so close and intense that they had to make a quick getaway. Praise the Lord, they completed their mission and returned safely.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 23, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. When it comes to evacuating refugees from decimated and dangerous areas of Ukraine, moving them westward is the main goal. Most go to Western Ukraine, but many continue farther to Poland, Germany, and other European destinations. However, evacuating refugees from Russian-occupied areas such as Donbas is much more complicated. Recently, we helped evacuate such families. In one family, the father and 6-year-old daughter were killed in a bombing, while the rest of the family survived. They could not travel straight westward because of the war, so their first step was to Rostov-on-Don in Russia. From there to Moscow. From Moscow they traveled to Minsk in Belarus, and then to Brest in Belarus. From Brest they traveled to Poland then finally into Ukraine.

2. As more stores reopen in Western and Central Ukraine there remains a great need in the East. Vitaly Bilyak continues to make dangerous trips all the way to the battle area. Igor Fomichov and others have been able to take substantial aid to Chernihiv, one of the hardest hit cities in Ukraine. One member of our church there is a city council member, and he has been very active in assisting humanitarian-aid efforts.

3. A couple of days ago, an army recruiting contingent showed up at our drug and alcohol rehab center in Desna. Pastor Igor reports that people were shocked for two reasons. One is that the men in a drug and alcohol rehab center are not considered quality candidates for military service. Second, the Ukrainian army has had no problem recruiting soldiers. The lines at recruiting offices have been blocks long in many cases.

4. The new church being established in the Druzhba area of Ternopil has secured a location for holding regular meetings. Please pray for Sergiy and Karina Koop as they begin their ministry in this area, which is now home to over 30,000 refugees. Click on this link to hear their report about this significant event.

https://vimeo.com/753101896/4767eada18

5. This has been a good week for Ukraine as their army has made significant gains and has pushed the Russian troops a long way back towards Russia. Christians are praising God for this answer to prayer even though actual victory is still a long way off. Along with this good news, there is also the very sad fact that as Ukraine recovers more and more territory they are finding hundreds of mass graves of civilians, including women and children, who were simply slaughtered. May God bring an end to this heartbreaking moment in history.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 9, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Last week we mentioned that Vitaly Bilyak was on a trip to the Donbas area in Ukraine’s East that would bring him right up to the battle area. Only when we received his pictures and videos did we realize how dangerous this trip was. Please take the time to view his video at the following link:

https://vimeo.com/747742946

2. Unfortunately, our media seems to have forgotten about the war in Ukraine. Currently, there seems to be almost no coverage. Yet, when you are there, you realize how unfair that is as you see the devastating toll this war is claiming in terms of death, destruction, and suffering. Every town has gotten used to military funerals. It seems most families speak of a loved one in battle, often resulting in death or serious wounds. The published statistics are grossly minimized. When the true figures come out, the world will be shocked at how many lives were lost.

3. On this most recent trip, I began to realize how many of our Ukrainian families have loved ones that are currently in battle. The same for our churches, which are well represented when it comes to men in military service. One of our missionary wives has both a brother and her father serving on the front. In acknowledgment of the extreme sacrifice on the part of these soldiers, the military is paying 3-4 times more than the amount for regular service. Please pray for these men.

4. Of all the containers we have ever sent to Ukraine, the one currently destined for Ternopil has encountered the most difficulties by far. We have requested prayer for this container several times over the last year. It is also probably the one containing more high-value items than we have ever shipped in one container. Besides humanitarian aid, this container contains sports equipment for youth ministries, musical instruments for church music ministries, furniture for our drug and alcohol rehab centers, hundreds of chairs and dozens of tables needed by churches, plus much miscellaneous equipment needed by churches. We purchased this container so that it can become a permanent fixture at the Drug & Alcohol Rehab center near Ternopil, where it will provide much-needed storage space. At last, it has entered the port in Savannah, Georgia, where it is scheduled to be placed on a ship bound for Gdansk, Poland. From there, Lord willing, it will be trucked across the border into Ukraine. All the issues and challenges hindering this load could fill a book. Please pray that this container would proceed to its destination without further issues.

5. Beginning in mid-September, BIEM’s director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, will be visiting churches in the U.S. with his wife and daughters for 6 weeks. Please pray for good meetings and safety over many miles. But please also uphold their son Mikhail in prayer. At age 19, Mikhail cannot exit Ukraine during wartime. Not only will he be home alone, but he will be responsible for some of the preaching in their church, plus home maintenance, and handling any problems that may come up. Even without the war, being the sole family member left behind could be depressing. Let’s uphold Mikhail in prayer!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

September Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Warm greetings in the name of Christ! The following link contains our video update for the month of September. If you are not in the habit of watching every video we send your way, please do not miss watching this one. This one is special. It features footage of Vitaly Bilyak distributing aid right next to the battles taking place in the Donbas region. So much so that he had to pack a bulletproof vest on this journey. Towards the end of the video, you can clearly hear the nearby artillery shelling.

https://vimeo.com/747742946

Praise God for such brave and dedicated people! Please pray much for Vitaly. He plans two more such trips to this war zone in the weeks ahead.

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - September 2, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Amy and I are back in the US. We are thankful for your prayers, which kept us safe and blessed us in many ways. On my previous trip, there were airline delays both coming and going, which resulted in unexpected airport overnight stays. Plus, Customs at the border crossing decided to check all my suitcases, which is never fun and takes time. So, on this trip we were specifically praying for two things: one, that there would not be a long line at the Polish border, and secondly that Customs would not open our suitcases. We had 8 suitcases that Delta allowed us to bring in for free. Praise God, on this trip we had no problems with connections either way, Customs did not open a single suitcase, and lo and behold, when we got to the border there was only one car in front of us. Amazing!

2. Thank you for praying for the trip that Vitaly Bilyak took to the war front we mentioned previously. We are glad to report that he made it there and back safely. This was one of the riskiest ventures by our Ukrainian men thus far. At times, it required Vitaly to wear a bulletproof vest. In some of the videos he sent, you can hear nearby artillery fire. Next week we hope to post a video about this particular trip.

3. The SUV and trailer Vitaly Bilyak traveled with was loaded with aid for three different groups of people in that area: Churches that distribute to nearby civilians who have not been able to evacuate, wounded civilians in hospitals, and military men connected with his church in Ternopil who requested specific items like wound kits, tourniquets, and military gear they are not able to get. One of them is a special forces member who had a serious need for a high-end drone, which we brought on our trip, and Vitaly was able to deliver it. When the special forces received it, they went to work right away, modifying it by turning off any lights on the unit and adapting It for military use, which includes (among other things) a program that prevents enemy operators from taking control of the drone, which has happened with drones not properly prepared for battle areas.

4. We had a wonderful time participating in a church camp in Bilogorodka. The church is in the Bucha area that was severely attacked and suffered many atrocities as was reported on our media. Once again, we heard eyewitness accounts of the horrors and terrors of being occupied by Russian troops. The church is just a few miles from where the Russian army was finally stopped and forced to retreat. Many church people who stayed through this shared how during many moments of nearby battles they thought their lives would soon be over. Praise God that the fear and terror that reigned not long ago was replaced by joy and happiness as 9 converts were baptized the Sunday after camp concluded.

5.  Please pray for the Buyko family, as they hope to travel to the United States on September 15th. Even though men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine during the war, recently the Ukrainian government made a provision that allows pastors to travel to the US if it is for religious purposes conducted by a charitable entity. Last month, BIEM was able to bring one of our church planters to visit the United States under this provision. Earlier this week we started the process to obtain such permission for brother Eugene. We have obtained visas for his wife Sophia and daughters Angelica, 21; Solomia, 15; and Ivanka, 9. Eugene’s son Mikhail, who is 19, cannot come. This family is quite musical and are certainly going to be a blessing to churches in the US. Here is a link of Angelica, Solomia, and Ivanka singing.

https://vimeo.com/730450599

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: September 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Our new missionaries in Ukraine, the Koops, operated a 3-day children’s camp in Druzhba, which they have targeted for a new church. The first day, 65 attended; the 2nd day up to 85, and the third day over 100 participated, including about 20 mothers who were asking, “Where is the church?” When those moms heard that church services will be starting soon, some replied they will come.

• Praise God, attacks from Russia on Ukraine’s Independence Day were not as bad as some feared. Although Russian rockets and missiles hit 58 cities and communities on that day, the next day there was only one. Since then, it seems things have died down.

• In Ukraine, the Slobodians report a wonderful baptism at the new church in Bilogorodka. Nine adults were baptized. Praise God for souls being accepting Christ in this time of war. Previously, the Russian army had come within a few miles of Bilogorodka, which is in the Bucha area.

• Praise God for a fruitful trip Vitaly Bilyak took to the military front in Donbas area with a trailer full of aid. He and those with him helped civilians, wounded ones in a hospital, plus soldier friends for whom he brought much-needed supplies and requested items. Vitaly plans two more such trips in September. Pray for safety. His videos from the front include sounds of artillery and explosions.

Prayer - Pray with us!

• Sources predict that the next week will be an especially dangerous time for the military cities of Desna and Goncharovsk, where BIEM missionaries have planted two churches. Both towns have already suffered attacks by missiles, rockets, and planes. More attacks are expected. Please pray for our missionaries, the churches, and the community, that lives would be spared.

• Pasha Usach conducted a special one-day event for mothers and wives who had lost sons and husbands in the war. Over 50 attended. The event was a huge blessing and provided a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel, so much so that Pavel is planning another such an event. Pray that God will use these outreaches to draw souls to Christ, the source of the greatest comfort.

• Plans are underway to bring the Buyko family to the United States, where they will visit churches for one month. Sophia and the three girls have already received visas; now we are working on getting the special permission needed for Eugene to temporarily exit Ukraine during wartime. Please pray that this permission will be granted, just as it was for Vitaly Yurchenko.

• Some of our contacts are witnessing of Christ to Muslims in Afghanistan. Please pray for God to open eyes and illumine hearts with the Gospel.

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War Relief Updates - August 26, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Greetings from Ukraine, where there was a lot of concern about what would happen on August 24th, Ukrainian Independence Day. Many feared a massive rocket and missile attack from Russia. Because of the threat, we stayed west of Kyiv until today. There was a definite upswing in war activity on that day, with rocket and missile attacks targeting 58 different cities in Ukraine with tragic loss of life. Perhaps the worst attack was upon a civilian train that killed nearly 30 near Dnipropetrovsk. This barbaric attack was reported by our news media, so you may have heard of it. On the 25th, there was only one such attack. Today on the 26th, there are none that have been made public so far, but it is still morning.

2. Many Ukrainians were both amazed and heartened by the fact that, despite the danger, Britain’s former prime minister Boris Johnson took a very public stroll through Kyiv’s downtown area on the 24th. Although we did not duplicate that act of bravery, our coming here at the same time the U.S. embassy in Kyiv was urging U.S. citizens to depart Ukraine using “privately available ground transportation” definitely encouraged the hearts of our brethren here. We could tell that many citizens were departing Ukraine as we were arriving,because there was virtually no line at the border crossing going into Ukraine while the line at the border crossings for those leaving Ukraine was 13 hours long!

3. One of the most discouraging factors here is that many believers in Ukraine have family in Russia who simply do not believe what their Ukrainian relatives tell them about the war. They choose to believe Putin’s propaganda machine rather than the eyewitness accounts of their own relatives. For example, the attack on the civilian train that we mentioned was portrayed by Russian media as an attack on a military train carrying hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers to the war front. Meanwhile, it’s obvious to the rest of the world that this was a civilian train. Pray that somehow the light of truth would penetrate the darkness that has descended over Russia today. 

4. Praise God that despite very trying circumstances, ministry continues. Once again, this weekend we will be participating in baptisms of new converts. Such ministry is taking place in churches all over Ukraine. Theyreport increases in attendance even though many church members have evacuated to the West.Ukrainians are more open to the Gospel now than before the war, which is resulting in a harvest of souls. In fact, at this present time BIEM is starting a new church in an unreached area of Ternopil, Ukraine. Sergeyand Karina Koop, our newest missionaries, have just begun a special outreach in an area that contains 30,000 refugees. They feel God’s leading for them to plant a new church there. Please pray for them in this endeavor. Following is a link to a video where they share their plans:

https://vimeo.com/743204368

5.  Our summer camps here in Ukraine are in their final week and are making a big impact in the community. Perhaps more than ever before. People are amazed that during a time of war churches are putting forth so much effort for the sake of children and youth. One of our camps was closely watched by the highly decorated general of the border guards, who viewed the activities from his balcony overlooking the church property. He was so impressed that he asked the pastor if he could write about it on his Facebook. No problem, said the pastor. So, the general wrote a glowing report about what an excellent program this church operated for the youth while the Orthodox Church did nothing! This was surprising, because not long ago the Orthodox Church gave him a special award because his command had intercepted the smuggling of some valuable and very holy Orthodox icons out of Ukraine. While they probably won’t ask him to return the medal, he surely will not get any more from that direction.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 19, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. A couple of weeks ago, we mentioned that Vitaly and Alona Yurchenko were on their way to the United States after Vitaly became one of the first Ukrainian pastors to receive special permission to leave Ukraine through a new Ukrainian government program allowing such travel for religious purposes. They have been a blessing to us and to churches we have been able to schedule them in. This week, they were joined by their daughter and son-in-law, Karina and Pasha, who managed to get into the United States through Mexico.

2. Please pray for Amy and me as we leave for Ukraine this coming Tuesday to participate in Ukrainian summer camps. Though not all our Ukrainian churches are able to have camp this summer, many are. Those that are have been reporting many more campers than expected. Praise God!

3. There is a growing concern throughout Ukraine that Russia will launch a major attack of some sort on August 24th. This is Ukrainian Independence Day and marks the 6-month point of the war. Please pray for the protection of our people and churches.

4. Two of our families need extra prayer because they are in military cities that have already been attacked. They are the Fomichovs in Desna and the Petrenkos in Goncharovsk. Please uphold them in prayer by name. Following is a link to a video from Sasha in Goncharovsk and Igor in Desna. By the way, we now have over 60 videos posted on our website you can view and download.

Link to the new video, with Sasha and Igor: https://vimeo.com/741232051/f012f1eacf

Links to all our videos: https://vimeo.com/showcase/9315861

5. Previously, we mentioned that, although our humanitarian efforts focus mostly on civilians and churches, by providing aid we have helped soldiers who are closely connected with our churches and pastors. When Amy and I travel to Ukraine next week, we will take along several suitcases, some of which will contain particular gear and medical items specifically requested by such soldiers, including a high-end drone requested by a special forces man who is in a very sensitive position. Please pray that we can get all these goods in, and especially pray for Vitaly Bilyak, who will deliver them. This involves a dangerous journey just outside a battle area where he will be met.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

August Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Having just returned from Ukraine, we bring you warm greetings from many believers who are sincerely grateful for your prayers and support during this difficult time in Ukraine. Our camps in Ukraine are in full swing now, with many more campers than expected. In some places, they have double the amount of youth they expected. While this is a challenge, our folks are greatly blessed that it is now evident that the decision to go ahead with camps despite the war was a good one that will have eternal results for the glory of God.

This month's video update comes from one of these camps, where the church in Zdolbuniv obtained a property outside the city for a campground two years ago. They have steadfastly transformed this property into a functioning campground, something BIEM was glad to help them with. This summer was the first time they were able to use the location for camps. This month's video update features children & youth worker Pasha Usach sharing the blessings taking place. One of the most exciting developments is that a group of nearby residents has begun to regularly attend services each Sunday on the campground. Brother Pasha and the other believers are excited about the potential of a new church being established.

https://vimeo.com/738697218

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - August 12, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Since we just returned from Ukraine, one question we are often asked is, "How do the Ukrainian believers look at the status of the war? Do they think they will be able to continue to withstand Russia? Do they think they will be able to drive the Russians out of the parts of Ukraine they have occupied? From what I gathered from my time with Ukrainian believers, they are optimistic about their chances and feel that, if the US and the West continue to supply Ukraine with weapons, they will eventually drive Russia out of Ukraine. However, no one is predicting that such a victory will come soon. Under the best of scenarios, this will take some time.

2. As usual, I spent time in both Western and Central Ukraine. In Western Ukraine the farther north you go, the greater the concern about Russian forces invading there from Belarus. They also hear reports that Russia has begun to shift some more forces to Belarus. Does that mean Russia is going to launch an attack on Western Ukraine from Belarus? Of course, no one knows, but just in case some of the churches we are connected to such as those in Zdolbuniv, Dubno, and Rivne are making evacuation plans to get their church people to the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine.

3. One of the camps I visited this trip was in the Bucha region north of Kyiv, specifically Lubyanka, which is next to Hostomel, one of the sites of the worst atrocities committed by Russian forces. There, it was heartbreaking to hear firsthand accounts of the atrocities that had taken place in that area. Here is a link to a news report about what took place there.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/19/ukraine-a-visual-diary-of-horrors-in-hostomel

The pastor of the church in Lubyanka, his wife, and a lady who had been the Sunday school teacher of some of our people survived all this. Several times with Russian soldiers holding guns to their heads they were certain they would be killed like so many of their neighbors. The Russians killed many, stole just about everything they had, and destroyed a lot they could not drag off. The fact that these three survived all this is remarkable and certainly due to the merciful and protective hand of God.

4. Praise God, due to the support of God's people in the USA who have given generously to our War Relief Fund, we have been able to provide significant relief to this area, replacing and repairing much that was destroyed and stolen by the Russian invaders. Besides what we had already provided, the day after we left our people delivered an entire 40-foot container of humanitarian aid from friends in the United States. This is the 8th 40-foot container we have transported from the border to needy areas in Ukraine. This is in addition to countless other loads we have delivered with vans, SUVs, and all sizes of trucks. Praise God!

5. Our War Relief Efforts are focusing almost entirely on civilians, though there are certainly needs in the Ukrainian military. Since there are major humanitarian efforts specializing in military needs, including our US government, we have decided to focus on the civilian side, especially churches. However, we do make an exception in the cases of soldiers who are members of or closely related to our churches. Since our people have access to these soldiers, we have been able to provide them with needed military gear, including boots and various military clothing and gear purchased from military surplus stores. Many of the soldiers who are drafted are instructed to bring their own gear. Some of these men are in the special forces and requested that if it was possible to provide them with drones. After making this known to some, we have been provided with two drones we are working on getting to these men. Another exception we have made is to a military hospital in Western Ukraine, where we have provided medicine, wound kits, tourniquets, and other items they requested. This hospital has been instrumental in obtaining special permission for some of our men to leave Ukraine and return on humanitarian missions.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 5, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Greetings from Ukraine!  Due to problems with airlines, late and rerouted flights and delays, it took nearly 48 hours to get to Western Ukraine this trip.  As we travel eastward towards Kyiv we are noticing one big change.  When we stop at gas stations, we are no longer limited to just 5 or 10 gallons but can now fill up without a special permit. When I asked why the difference, the explanation is that now more fuel from Europe is flowing into Ukraine.  We don’t understand exactly how these things work but we are thankful.

2. Our War Relief efforts involve not only the distribution of humanitarian aid but also involve the evacuation of refugees from occupied or embattled areas. Our men are bringing aid into such areas and exiting with refugees.  This week and next week we are conducting such operations in the areas of Ukraine near Kharkiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv.

3. Just when the westward flow of refugees has lessened, it appears that it will ramp up once again. This is because president Zelensky has requested that all Ukrainians in the entire Donbas region leave that area and is promising to compensate those who leave behind apartments and homes.

4. Our camps in Ukraine are in full swing now with many more campers than expected. In some places, they have double the amount of youth they expected. While this is a challenge, our folks are greatly blessed seeing that the decision to go ahead with camps despite the war was a good one that will have eternal results for the glory of God.

5. Thank you for your prayers concerning Vitaly Yurchenko’s request for special permission to leave Ukraine we mentioned last week. Praise God, this permission was granted, and today he and his wife Alona are flying to the United States, where they will have meetings in churches in Indiana and Minnesota. We hope that other national missionaries will also be granted such permission in the near future.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - July 29, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Please pray for our people in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region. Early today our media reported that Russians launched a large-scale attack on this area. Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea, and X-22 missiles from Tu-22m3 long-range bombers were fired from a Russian airfield roughly 160 miles from Ukraine’s border. In addition, short-range Iskandar ballistic missiles were fired from the Gomel region in Belarus. Twenty-five missiles hit the city of Chernihiv. Goncharovsk was also hit. Our media are reporting loss of life, though the numbers are not clear. BIEM has churches in both Chernihiv and Goncharovsk, which is a military city. I was able to speak with some of our men there just moments ago. Thankfully, none of our people have been injured, and our church buildings in these areas have not been hit. However, as you can imagine people there are frightened and anxious. (Note: US media reports use various spellings for Goncharovsk.)

2. In our update of July 15, we requested prayer for Vitaly Yurchenko, who was trying to get permission to leave Ukraine to visit the United States through a new Ukrainian program. That program allows pastors to leave Ukraine for up to one month for religious conferences. Yesterday he was told he would be approved but needed to buy tickets to demonstrate serious intent to travel. This is unusual, because normally consulates warn people not to buy tickets until their travel documents are approved. However, things are certainly not normal in Ukraine these days. Therefore, we are in the process of buying tickets for Vitaly and his wife Alona, with hopes they will soon be able to come. They will be a great blessing to whichever churches we can schedule them in. Please pray that their case will be approved.

3. Yesterday, BIEM personnel drove another 5 tons of food from Poland into Ukraine, this time for the Kharkiv region. We praise God for thoughtful donors and for those driving and distributing.

4. Despite the war, we are receiving reports of young people coming to Christ in BIEM-sponsored camps in Estonia, Ukraine, and Russia. The nearly 30 camps in Ukraine this year are all operated on church properties. The children stay most of the day and receive two meals. They return to their homes in the evening. This is proving to be a very effective way of doing camp during war.

5. Despite the war in Ukraine, one of our seminary graduates is deeply burdened for a particular district in a large city in Western Ukraine that has been flooded with refugees. Many of them plan to stay. This brother has recruited others to help start a new church, and they are praying and fasting every Friday for God’s direction and provision for that goal. Please join them in praying.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - July 22, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Praise God, we have received another container from the United States! This is the 7th container our dedicated Ukrainians are distributing to needy places. This one went to the city administration of a region that contains several settlements that were occupied by Russian forces, so these goods will reach some of the neediest recipients.

2. We rejoice that the Keller family has received their documents to travel to the United States. At first, only Alexandra and the girls received travel documents. We were concerned since none arrived for Vitaly, the only family member who is not a Ukrainian citizen. Vitaly has Russian citizenship, so we were thought this might be a problem. However, yesterday Vitaly, too, received his travel documents. Praise God!

3. Soon I will be making another trip to Ukraine, leaving August 2. We will be in 3 or 4 cities in the west, then 3 or 4 cities near Kyiv, including areas where the Russian army invaded from Belarus to attack Kyiv before being driven out. Ukrainian forces have now liberated over 1,000 settlements that had been occupied by Russian forces. Besides focusing mainly on war-relief efforts, we will also partake in a baptism and an ordination.

4. Praise the Lord, on our website BIEM has now posted nearly 60 videos featuring our Ukrainian missionaries distributing aid. If you have not seen these videos, please go to our website (BaptistInternational.org) and click on "View Video Updates" beneath the main banner. If you have already viewed these videos, you may have noticed that our men often wear hand-me-down t-shirts of all sorts. This week we ordered custom t-shirts with “BIEM” and American & Ukrainian flags imprinted on them. When we asked what color they wanted, they replied military green, which their president often wears. So that's what we ordered, and they look great! Our coworkers are really looking forward to receiving these t-shirts, which I plan to deliver personally.

5. Since Russia continues to bomb Ukraine indiscriminately, no place in Ukraine is totally safe from bombs and missiles. Nevertheless, our missionaries are conducting summer camps all over Ukraine. Right now, it looks like we will operate between 25 and 30 camps in Ukraine this summer. This year, all our Ukrainian day camps are being conducted on church properties, where campers can spend the day and eat their meals but return home every evening. Meanwhile, our missionaries in other areas like Russia, Belarus and Central Asia are also conducting summer camps. Please pray for a harvest of souls and for inroads into many unchurched homes.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM