War Relief Updates - November 17, 2023

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

1. Last week we mentioned an urgent prayer need concerning our container headed for Ukraine. It’s important for it to arrive in Ukraine by December 1 due to stricter regulations coming into effect that day, which will make it harder to receive humanitarian-aid status for such shipments. The prayer request involved the striking Polish truck drivers who have blocked truck border crossings. There is no sign of the strike ending and the lines are now thousands of trucks long. Therefore, we are trying to arrange to transport our container from Poland to Ukraine by rail. Please pray that this can be arranged.

2. Last week we mentioned that our church planter Vitaly Bilyak had completed his 13th trip to distribute aid and preach the Gospel to those living in the war zone. Accompanying Vitaly was Andrei Eliseev, who directs the church’s Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation ministry. To see and hear glimpses from that trip, please click the following link for the video, Donbas 13: Serving for Civilians:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/serving

3. As many of you know, each of our church plants in Ukraine has members and close relatives serving in Ukraine’s military. Many of them are in battle, and all of them will soon be facing freezing winter temperatures. Praise God, a friend of BIEM is especially burdened to help as many of these Ukrainian soldiers as possible with warm thermal underclothes and socks. He’s considering making a large donation for such a project if we can produce a realistic plan for procuring and distributing such items. Please pray that God would direct our thoughts concerning this important, potential project.

4. Igor Fomichov—who pastors the church on the military base in Desna, Ukraine— has recently returned home from a trip to the US, where he was sharing about BIEM’s war relief efforts with American congregations. He reports that more and more of his men are being called up for military service. One of his deacons and the director of their drug and alcohol rehabilitation center have both recently been called up. This reduction in manpower will slow down the church’s ministry of distributing war relief. Igor has been told that he may be next. Please pray that Igor would be spared military service as this would be a huge setback for that church’s overall ministry.

5. Yesterday a local charity sent us 8 pallets of medical supplies as humanitarian aid we can ship to Ukraine. We praise God for this huge blessing! Some friends have asked whether the new regulations will prevent us from continuing our war-relief shipments. Although continuing such aid will involve more work than in the past, we believe we will be able to continue shipping containers to Ukraine. Doing so may take a bit of time as our people adjust to the new regulations. However, we believe they will be able to adapt and continue despite the new, tighter regulations.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

November Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Normally, our monthly ministry video updates are separate from our weekly War Relief videos, which focus on our aid program to Ukraine during the war. However, for our November video, we’re highlighting once again our weekly video from November 2, “The Story of One Box of Groceries.” In it, BIEM church planter Igor Fomichov discusses the importance of BIEM’s war-relief shipments. As an illustration, he recounts the true story of how a simple package of food plus an invitation to the local church dramatically changed two unrelated families. You owe it to yourself to hear this brief, uplifting message and to be amazed at how God can and does use Christian kindness and concern to perform spiritual surgery in the hearts of recipients.

Here’s the video link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/groceries 

And in case you were not aware of our weekly War Relief video updates, you might like to watch others, most of which are less than 5 minutes in length. Here, you can select from all the videos we’ve created since the beginning of the war on Ukraine:

https://vimeo.com/showcase/9315861 

We also post our video updates (and other interesting ministry moments) on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, Like our page, and stay up to date on the activities of our missionaries.

Thank you for caring and for your prayers for the salvation of souls in Eastern Europe, especially during this tragic time of war. Blessings to you!

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - November 10, 2023

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

1. BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak recently completed his 13th war-relief trip to Ukraine’s war zone, where he and others distributed food and preached the Gospel to civilians, to active-duty servicemen, and to wounded ones in the Kurakhove hospital. On this particular trip he was accompanied by Andrei Eliseev, who directs the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Ministry of the church. When they finished the civilian part of their journey and arrived at the military unit they were helping, Vitaly was presented with a military medal for his service!

2. Praise God, the trip to another area of the war front by Sasha Petrenko for which we requested prayer last week did take place. Now, Sasha and others are in the Zaporizhia area to deliver generators, winter coats, New Testaments, and other war-relief supplies. Please pray for spiritual fruit from all the Gospel seeds being planted in the soil of War Relief aid.

3. We have previously mentioned the need for prayer that our container heading to Ukraine arrive before December 1 due to new restrictions that go into effect on that day. The good news is that the projected date of this container’s arrival in the Polish port is November 23, which normally would provide plenty of time to get the container into Ukraine by December 31. Unfortunately, truckers across Poland have just gone on strike. As a result, the flow of trucks from Poland to Ukraine has come to a halt. Please pray that this strike will end in time to transport our container from Poland into Ukraine before December 1.

4. Last week we mentioned that our Ukrainian church planters Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach have arrived in the U.S. and now are speaking in churches to share firsthand accounts of how God is using BIEM’s aid to introduce people to the Gospel during the war. Eugene and Pavel paused their activities long enough to record an update for the following video:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/containerconcerns

5. In the Kherson area of Ukraine, our people are considering holding an evangelistic winter camp for children whose parents were killed during the Russian occupation of their city. They request prayers for wisdom and divine guidance as they consider the logistics of holding such a camp. 

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: November 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Our Ukrainian church planters Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach received permission to exit Ukraine temporarily and arrived in the U.S. on October 25. Both men are greatly involved in our Ukrainian war-relief efforts and will be speaking in churches to share firsthand accounts of how God is using BIEM’s aid to introduce people to the Gospel during this time of war. Thank you for your prayers!

• Because of upcoming, stricter changes in international shipping regulations for Ukraine, in October BIEM rushed to send our next container of war relief. By God’s grace, we secured a 40-foot, high cube container immediately, and we were blessed by a large group of volunteers who loaded the cargo in record time. On October 24, a driver delivered this container to the railroad depot, and it’s now headed overseas. Our hope is that these supplies will reach Ukraine before December 1, when the stricter regulations go into effect.

• We have mentioned before how Marta, the little daughter of our missionaries Yura and Violetta Levtseniuks, suffers from severe allergies. However, she is responding to treatment and her skin is losing the red splotches and becoming smoother. Thank you for prayers!

• When the Afghani Bible Institute for refugees resumed this autumn, 40 students had enrolled! We thank and praise the Lord for each former Muslim who desires to study God’s Word.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In the Kherson area of Ukraine, our people are considering holding an evangelistic winter camp for children whose parents were killed during the Russian occupation of their city. They request prayers for wisdom and divine guidance as they consider the logistics of holding such a camp.

• BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak recently completed his 13th war-relief trip to the war zone, where he and others distributed food and preached the Gospel to civilians, to active-duty servicemen, and to wounded ones in the Kurakhove hospital. Also, Sasha Petrenko and others are currently in the Zaporizhia area to deliver generators, winter coats, New Testaments, and other war-relief supplies. Please pray for spiritual fruit from all the Gospel seeds being planted in the soil of Christian aid.

• Our personnel in Central Asia urge prayers for the Afghani refugees, who are often trapped in hopeless lives, where they are frequently trafficked or abused. May God redeem those souls!

• Although our church planters, the Koops, managed to buy an apartment in the target area of their city, the apartment is totally unfinished—just bare, rough walls and floor. Please pray for the Lord to provide funding to finish that construction so they can take up residence there.

• Click here for a printer-friendly version.

War Relief Updates - November 2, 2023

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

1. We are glad for an answer to prayer! Our Ukrainian church planters Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach were granted permission to leave Ukraine temporarily and arrived in the United States this past Wednesday. Thank you for your prayers! Both men are greatly involved in our Ukrainian war-relief efforts and will be speaking in churches to share their firsthand accounts of how God is using these distributions to introduce recipients to the Gospel during this time of war.

2. In this week’s Ukraine war video update, Ukrainian missionary-pastor Igor Fomichov discusses how aid shipments from BIEM translate into changed lives in Ukraine. In it, he describes a poignant example from his own church. To view “The Story of One Box of Groceries,” please click the following link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/groceries

3. As winter approaches in Ukraine, there are signs that Russia will once again attack the Ukrainian power grid as it did last winter. Apparently, the goal was to make Ukrainians suffer so badly from the cold that they would overthrow their own government for relief. However, generators were widely used to provide electricity. Many generators came from Western nations. BIEM participated in this effort as we provided over $200,000 for generators to churches that were vulnerable to these attacks. Now, with the cold weather approaching again, we welcome donations for generators in the months ahead.

4. After receiving a green light from military commanders on October 30, Sasha Petrenko (who ministers in the Goncharovsk, Ukraine, church) is taking a trip to the war front to deliver relief to soldiers from his area who are stationed near Donetsk and Zaporizhia. These are dangerous journeys, which are occasionally delayed due to military operations. Please pray for his safety and for those traveling with him. Pray, too, that this trip will go forward as planned.

5.  In our October 20 update, we mentioned that Ukraine has passed legislation that makes it much more difficult to send containers to Ukraine. That legislation goes into effect on December 1. One of the most-dreaded new requirements that had been announced was that receiving organizations must provide the passport information for everyone receiving aid. However, the broker in Ukraine who processes our containers has just received a notification concerning the new regulations. That particular requirement is missing from what they received. If this stipulation has been stricken, it would be great news since it would be unusual and invasive to expect needy citizens to show their passport in order to receive aid.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 27, 2023

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

1. Because of impending, adverse shipping changes we mentioned on October 20, BIEM rushed to send our next container of war relief to Ukraine as soon as possible. By God’s grace, we managed to secure a 40-foot-high cube container immediately, and we were blessed by a large group of volunteers who loaded the cargo in record time. On Tuesday, a driver delivered this container to the railroad depot, where it will be transported by rail to a seaport. Please pray with us that the vessel carrying this shipment will experience smooth sailing with no delays so it can reach the Polish port by November 23. That should enable us to truck it into Ukraine before December 1, when the stricter regulations go into effect.

2. Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach are the next two Ukrainian church planters who are coming to visit churches in the United States. They have submitted all the forms required to apply for special permission to exit Ukraine temporarily for religious purposes as they plan to share how God is using war relief in Ukraine to reach souls. Please pray that their applications will be approved quickly so they can travel to the United States next week. Having Ukrainian pastors share firsthand accounts of our war relief efforts with American congregations greatly opens understanding and strengthens our financial and prayerful support.

3. In this week’s War Relief Video Update, Pastor Mykola of Sumy, Ukraine, shares about daily life in a city near the Russian border and the ways BIEM is assisting the church’s outreach to the community using gospels and humanitarian aid. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/sumy

4. Sasha Petrenko, who pastors the church reaching the Goncharovsk military base, is preparing to transport aid to the war front in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. These are areas where soldiers from Goncharovsk are stationed. Therefore, Sasha has special access that enables him to deliver supplies needed by the soldiers connected with his church. They are involved in intense fighting, so these trips are dangerous. Praise God, among the items we managed to purchase are a large number of winter coats that he will deliver on this trip. These will certainly be a help as the cold of winter approaches.

5. With the war between Israel and Hamas dominating the news, friends of BIEM are asking how this affects our war-relief efforts for Ukraine. After all, the new war certainly shifts focus from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. No doubt, there will be some sort of effect, but we can’t predict what form that may take. (Many Ukrainians fear the new conflict will push Americans into donor fatigue, resulting in diminishing aid.) Nevertheless, we at BIEM will continue to apply what God supplies in the best ways we can. Meanwhile, we along with Ukrainian Christians and believers around the world will pray for Israel in these very difficult times.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

October Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

As many of you know, one of our newest church plants is in the Druzhba district of Ternopil, a large city in western Ukraine. The Ukrainian missionaries who have been called there are Sergiy and Karina Koop. Previously, they had both served in New Life Baptist Church, where Karina’s father, Vitaly Bilyak, is the pastor. Sergiy, who served as New Life’s youth pastor, ended up also leading the church’s outreach to refugees. This experience gave both of them a burden to reach refugees with the Gospel and planted in them a vision to establish a new church in the Druzhba district, which is now home to 30,000 refugees.

This month’s video is one that Sergiy and Karina personally made to introduce people to their ministry. Right now, the greatest needs for this new church are monthly support and $20,000 to finish the construction of a large apartment in the middle of this area. A donor has committed $10,000 in matching funds to this project to encourage others to give toward the $20,000 needed.

Here’s the video link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/chooselife

Blessings to you!

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - October 20, 2023

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

1. This week we have received a generous donation of over 10,000 cans of powdered baby formula. The best thing about this product is that it can be also used as a nutritional supplement for adults. This is a wonderful boost to our war-relief efforts as this will go a long way to help Ukrainian infants, children, and adults during this time of war when many are lacking the nutrition they need.

2. Ukraine has passed legislation that makes it much more difficult to send containers to Ukraine. This goes into effect on December 1. Under the new regulations, a total of 20 steps will be required to import humanitarian supplies. All the steps must be completed within 30 days, which is not realistic. Another new requirement required after December 1 is that organizations providing humanitarian aid will be required to provide the passport information of every recipient! Remarkably, Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy, which is responsible for this new legislation, claims that the new rules are designed to make matters simpler! Many organizations across Ukraine are speaking out against these changes. Please pray that the Ukrainian government will rescind or at least lessen these new regulations.

3.  We are praising God for a group of volunteers from Heritage Baptist Church in the Chicago area who came to our headquarters with a load of clothing donations as well as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and other medical supplies. The group spent the whole day sorting and packing a large volume of donated items that had not yet been processed. In fact, they managed to process everything we had available! This gift of their energy turned out to be quite timely: shortly after they left we learned we needed to load a container immediately due to the circumstances mentioned above. Having all these goods packed and ready to go enables us to put them aboard the container this weekend. This would not have been possible without the timely visit of these folks from Heritage Baptist. Praise the Lord!

4. In the town of Lubyanka, Ukraine, Russian occupiers took over the church building and did much damage to it. But, as the pastor in the following video explains, God is still in control. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/incontrol

5. Thanks to a generous donation from a local supporter and friend of BIEM, Igor Fomichov and Vitaly Bilyak were each able to go on a shopping spree to purchase warm winter clothing needed by the soldiers connected with their churches. This opportunity came in time to add the warm clothing to the container being loaded this weekend. Once again, thanks to God’s timing, these items should reach their destinations before the coldest part of the upcoming winter.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 13, 2023

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

1. Last week we requested prayer that Igor Fomichov be allowed to leave Ukraine temporarily. Even though as a pastor he had been granted official permission to do so, the final decision is up to the border guards, who at first denied him on his last trip but relented after intervention by the Mayor of Desna, where Igor serves on the city council. We are glad to report that Igor was permitted to leave Ukraine last Friday and was able to participate in a missions conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his first stop. Thank you for praying.

2. Our folks in Ukraine have told us that, since the war started, 495 Baptist churches in Ukraine have closed. This is mostly due to pastors leaving for the West. On the other hand, the churches where pastors choose to stay have gained many new people as they have been providing war relief to local residents. Praise God!

3. This week’s video update is titled “Thrilled at God’s Blessings.” It focuses on our newer missionaries—the Koops—and the Druzhba area, where BIEM has distributed much war relief. To view it, please click the following link:

https://vimeo.com/874215448

4. Forum 18 reports the following from Russian-occupied Ukraine:

“Russian occupation forces have closed and seized more churches, the latest known being an Orthodox Church of Ukraine church in Basan and a Baptist Union church in Zaporizhzia Region, and the Catholic Church in Skadovsk in Kherson Region. Occupation forces broke the Catholic church’s windows and door during a raid, claiming they were looking for explosives and drugs. Artyom Sharlay of the Russian occupiers’ Religious Organisations Department claimed to Forum 18 that “law-abiding” religious communities “face no restrictions, but those that break the law are banned.”

5. In a recent update and in our October BIEM’s of Light Prayer & Praise sheet, we mentioned the new church in Nizhylovychi, which was started as the result of our war-relief efforts. That part of the Hostomel area had been occupied by Russian forces, who dragged away everything of value. This church has been meeting in a leaky, old tent while renovations are taking place in the building we purchased for it. The priority is installing heat and flooring. A major storm hit there last week, and it demolished the old tent. Now, the job of completing the heat and flooring has become urgent. Please pray that enough progress can be made to meet in this building since the tent is no longer an option. Funds to help with this project are needed as well.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 6, 2023

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

1. Recently, we wrote about the need to supply tourniquets to families in our Ukrainian churches who have loved ones in battle. Praise God for Operation Renewed Hope, which has provided funds for us to purchase almost 250 high-quality, American-made tourniquets that Ukrainian military medics praise highly. We were able to distribute the first portion of these during our travels in Ukraine these past two weeks. The rest will soon follow. Please continue to pray for this continuing need.

2. We are thankful for everyone who prayed for the safety of our students and teachers during our Fall seminary session in Kyiv. That session has now concluded. During this period, Russia targeted Kyiv with 33 Shahed suicide drones and one rocket. Praise God, these threats did not affect our classes, and this number was far fewer than in previous weeks. Even better, they resulted in no reported casualties.

3. Often, money alone cannot meet the needs of wartime victims in Ukraine. Here, BIEM missionary Pasha Usach shares how he and other believers traveled to a devastated area to apply their time and muscles to help people who could not help themselves, particularly those in need of heating this winter. May God receive praise for their actions! To view this short video, please click the following link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/helpinghands

4. Praise God, yesterday Igor Fomichov received the official permission he needed to leave Ukraine to travel to the US for the meetings we have scheduled over the next several weeks. This is an answer to a prayer request we shared previously. However, prayer is still needed since the border guards have the final say and can deny an exit even though official government permission has been granted. This almost happened the last time Igor came to the United States, and only through the late night (2:30 am) intervention of the mayor was Igor permitted to exit.

5. Our last stop on this trip to Ukraine was in Lviv, a large city in far Western Ukraine. There, Pastor Yura and the congregation are earnestly praying for a family in the church whose son Alexander has been missing in action for more than 20 days. Despite many inquiries to the military, the family has yet to learn whether he has been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon situation for families in Ukraine these days. Please pray for Alexander, his family, and this church. Pray also for Pastor Yura as he ministers to this family.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: October 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• On October 1 the church in Bilogorodka, Ukraine, used their pool to hold yet another baptism for souls saved during the war. Joining them was a congregation from Lubyanka. The Lubyanka church normally baptizes in nearby lakes or rivers, but landmines from the Russian occupation plague their shores. So, two congregations baptized their converts, together. Praise God for working in souls!

• One of the neediest churches we have helped with war-relief is in Lubyanka (mentioned above). While occupying that area, Russian troops ransacked buildings to haul away anything of value. After BIEM sent that church a 40-foot container of supplies, the church demonstrated Christian love by distributing to the needy. The church gained 10 new attenders. Some have trusted Christ. Praise God!

• In September, Vitaly Bilyak traveled here from Ukraine. After many wonderful services in U.S. churches, is on his way home to Ukraine. To see a brief video expressing his gratitude and farewell thoughts, visit BaptistInternational.org and click View Video Updates. Thanks for prayers!

• BIEM Board Chairman, Pastor Greg Wahlberg, recently traveled to Tajikistan and taught in our Afghan refugee Bible School. It was an amazing time. Through that experience, God has led him to join the Central Asia team as BIEM’s representative for that region. Praise God!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Belarus, BIEM church planter Nikolai Ryzhuk held an evangelistic event on the theme of Harvest. Although no unbelievers made a public profession, the Gospel seed was planted. He says, “Let’s pray to the Lord that the Word and singing that sounded will work in the hearts of the listeners.”

• BIEM missionaries in the nation of Georgia have been overseeing the translation of biblical resources into the Georgian language: “With the help of (4) national translators, we have been picking away at this project for some time, and by recent counts have over 50+ commentaries, devotionals, textbooks, evangelistic resources and curriculums already translated.” However, each translation must be edited linguistically and theologically. Please pray for more experienced individuals who can help!

• Praise God for growth in Nizhylovychi, where the new church established through our war relief recently had 39 in attendance. They meet in a leaky old tent while the building purchased for the church undergoes renovations. A cement floor is being installed over heated tubing, which is the most economical form of heating there. Please pray they can move out of the tent before winter.

• In October we hope to bring Igor Fomichov to the U.S. to speak in churches, followed by Eugene Buyko. Please pray that these Ukrainian pastors will receive the permission needed to exit Ukraine.

• Click here for a printer-friendly version.

War Relief Updates - September 29, 2023

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

1. BIEM Board member Kevin Gaugler and I are now in Ukraine, where we are making stops in multiple areas where BIEM has planted churches. We are looking forward to a baptism this Sunday in Bilogorodka, where brother Eugene Buyko is the church planter. One of the churches where brother Eugene has delivered war relief aid from BIEM is in Lubyanka, which is in the Hostomel area, which was previously occupied by Russians and was the site of many atrocities. When the pastor there heard Eugene was planning a baptism for this Sunday, he telephoned. Like most Ukrainian churches, the Lubyanka church baptizes in nearby rivers and lakes. However, the pastor explained that the shores around the rivers and lakes near his church are plagued with land mines. Because he didn’t want to risk having anyone blown up by attending a baptism, he asked if his congregation could attend and baptize their converts in Bilogorodka’s pool, too. Eugene gladly agreed! So, we look forward to great fellowship with a congregation that has endured much suffering yet remains faithful and continues to win souls.

2. Back on January 6, we wrote about a refugee family who showed up in brother Yura’s church in Lviv after escaping from an occupied area. They told the heartbreaking story of their 27-year-old daughter who had served in the Ukrainian military. Somehow the Russian military killed her. After this family received notification from the Russian military that they could come and retrieve her body, the brokenhearted family arrived only to be shocked and horrified: her body had been cut into several pieces. We visited Pastor Yura yesterday, and he gave us an update. In the months since this grieving family arrived in Lviv, the local church has been reaching out to them with love and compassion. As a result, the father, mother, and most of the children have been saved, baptized, and become an integral part of this church. Praise God!

3. After visiting some supporting churches in the U.S., church-planter Vitaly Bilyak paused to share his gratitude and some parting words with you friends in America. Please watch this brief video here:

https://vimeo.com/869314876

4. Tomorrow we are looking forward to visiting the new church in Nizhylovychi. This is the church that began through our war-relief distributions in that area. Since the congregation’s humble beginnings, there has been exciting progress as the Lord supplied funds to purchase a simple, old house to serve as a church building even though it needed repair work. Since its purchase, we have been able to install a badly needed concrete floor. More recently, additional funds have arrived for a new well, so soon they will have clean, running water. When the church planter showed us photos of some elderly new converts struggling to read their Bibles with little magnifying glasses, we purchased nice, large magnifying glasses for them. We look forward to handing out these new magnifying glasses tomorrow.

5. Here at the Seminary in Kyiv, we are thrilled at the attendance of 32 students for the Fall session. We thank God for such a turnout during this time of war in Ukraine. Because of the war, our students from Donetsk, Lugansk, and other occupied regions cannot come. Also prevented from coming are the students from Belarus. Therefore, to still have 32 students is more than we expected. Praise God! For those students who were able to attend this week, besides learning much from the classes taught, the time together and wonderful fellowship they have been able to enjoy provide their own form of war relief. Of these 32, 8 have newly enrolled just this semester. Once again, we praise God!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 22, 2023

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

1. One of the important features of our war-relief efforts is to include Bible distribution along with humanitarian aid. These Bible and New Testaments are being gladly received. Our workers say they have not seen such a hunger for God’s Word since when the Iron Curtain suddenly fell. Likewise, today in Ukraine there is an openness to receive God’s Word that most likely is one effect of the war since people do tend to turn to Heaven during difficult times. Sadly, plenty of people react to the war in the opposite way: instead of turning to God, they blame God for allowing such a calamity to happen. Many of the New Testaments our people are distributing to soldiers have a camouflage cover, which certainly blends with their surroundings. What is within these special covers is the greatest power we know—the wonderful and precious words of our Lord.

2.This week we are concluding meetings we have scheduled in churches with Vitaly Bilyak, who has made 12 trips to the warfront delivering aid and sharing the Gospel with civilians and with the military. He receives special access to some divisions since men from his church serve in them. These trips to the warfront are dangerous, as evidenced by the artillery fire you can hear in the background of some of his videos we have been showing in churches. That sound of artillery prompted one believer to ask, “Vitaly, was there a moment on these trips when you felt in serious danger?” “Yes,” replied Vitaly, “several times.” When asked for an example, Vitaly recounted a time when he and his son-in-law Sergiy traveled to Bakhmut. After two long days of distributing aid and sharing the Gospel, Vitaly and Sergiy drove with the local pastor to retrieve several cans of gasoline that were stored in the church building. When they arrived, Vitaly noticed the building was well shot up. That fact made him wonder exactly how close they were to the fighting. He didn’t have to wonder long—as they were loading canisters of gasoline, a Ukrainian tank pulled up right in front of the church and began firing at a nearby Russian position. After numerous rounds, the tank sped away. Vitaly realized why the tank left in a rush. Obviously, the crew expected return fire! Vitaly said, “I think we have enough gas for now. Let’s go!”

3. In this week’s video update, BIEM's Sasha Petrenko is joined by the local mayor, who sincerely thanks BIEM for all the humanitarian aid you friends are providing for Ukraine during this time of war and special needs.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/physical-spiritualaid

4. We have just heard from a church group in the Chicago area that plans to come soon to deliver aid and supplies for shipment to Ukraine. Another blessing—they plan to spend time helping to sort and pack much of the donated items we have accumulated in our warehouse. Yet a third blessing—they say they have collected 5 wheelchairs, which they will bring. Praise God! Wheelchairs are among the most requested items in Ukraine these days.

5. Next week Sam Slobodian and BIEM board member Pastor Kevin Gaugler will be in Ukraine for our Fall Seminary session and to survey our war-relief distribution. Please pray for safety and God’s protection since Russia continues its bomb, missile, and drone attacks all over Ukraine. Please pray for the safety of the seminary students and staff as well.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 15, 2023

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

1. Anton, a member of the church with an outreach to the military base in Goncharovsk, Ukraine (near the Belarusian border), shared an interesting story. Last Sunday, he wore a tee shirt that proclaims, “My God Is Real.” He was standing at a bus stop when a newly recruited soldier approached him. After reading Anton’s tee shirt, the soldier said, “You must be a believer.” Anton replied that he is. Next, the soldier (named Sergei) said, “I am too. Can you tell me where I can find a Bible-preaching church around here?” Anton rejoiced. “Come with me,” he said. “I’m going there now!” Praise God for a church established in this needy place where soldiers being deployed to the war can receive strength from God’s Word and fellowship with believers! (We’ll post a photo of Anton with Sergei on BIEM’s Facebook page.)

2. Thank you for praying for Sasha Petrenko’s delayed trip to the war front to deliver relief supplies for civilians and soldiers in Zaporizhia. Sasha reports that this effort took place and that God protected the 4 men and 2 vehicles who undertook this dangerous journey. Along with much food, this delivery included tools, chainsaws, insulated canisters for transporting food, a vehicle for transporting wounded soldiers, and other practical items.

3. On the trip mentioned in #2 above, Sasha had many opportunities to share Christ and pray with soldiers who are involved in the intensive counteroffensive taking place. The New Testaments he distributed to these soldiers feature camouflage covers, which was a nice touch for these men. A young soldier named Artyom was especially glad to see Sasha. Artyom had been reached through the church’s camping and youth ministries. Now he says that everything he had heard from the Word of God and hidden in his heart has become very real and precious during his deployment. Praise God!

4. In this week’s video update, several BIEM missionaries in Ukraine and their volunteers thank American believers for the latest shipment of aid received and give glimpses of the contents as they unload it. You can view that brief video at this link:

https://vimeo.com/864861254

5. As many of you know, even though men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine, the Ukrainian government has made an exception for pastors who are invited to the West for religious purposes. So far, we have been able to obtain that special approval for several of our church planters. Therefore, we have had a steady stream of Ukrainian church planters coming to the United States to speak in churches. They have been a huge blessing to American believers, who are glad to receive firsthand reports of how God is using our war-relief efforts to reach souls. Yesterday we began the application process for such exemptions for church planters we hope to have with us next month. However, it turns out that the requirements have changed and the paperwork is now more complicated. Please pray that the two applications we are submitting under the new requirements will be accepted.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 8, 2023

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

1. Last week we requested prayer regarding Sasha Petrenko’s plans to deliver a load of items to the embattled area of Zaporizhia where many soldiers from the Goncharovsk military base (where Sasha lives and ministers) are stationed. The commander had called and asked that Sasha and his team postpone the trip because heavy fighting would endanger the convoy. This trip is on again; Sasha hopes to leave tomorrow. Please pray for him and the others making this trip, that God would keep them all safe.

2. In the military city of Desna, Igor Fomichov reports that they are continuing to see fruit from their local war-relief distributions. Some recipients end up visiting the church and trusting Christ. The church is now planning another baptism. One of the new converts is a lady who had evacuated to a nearby village with her invalid husband. Igor took them supplies and groceries. They were astounded that anyone would do such a thing and expressed openness to hear the Gospel. Praise God, the wife received Christ, is now regularly attending the services, and is one of those preparing for baptism!

3. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, the head of the International Rescue Committee observed that the amount of humanitarian aid given for Ukraine is far below last year’s giving. BIEM has noticed the same truth. When Russia first invaded Ukraine, people worldwide were outraged and gave to aid the victims of shelling, missiles, tank fire, etc. But in 2023, people in the West are accustomed to knowing part of Ukraine is occupied, that warfare continues there. The shock and outrage have largely worn off. In an interview, Sergiy Shaptala—pastor of Ukraine’s largest Baptist church—addresses the issue of declining aid even as the needs are mounting. You can see that short video here:

https://vimeo.com/861365666

4. It has been reported that Ukraine’s President Zelensky is considering signing into law a measure that would reduce the age of those exempt from being drafted due to being enrolled in university studies down to 30. (Currently, citizens of any age enrolled in university classes are exempt from military service.) Such a change would certainly affect some members of our churches in Ukraine, so there is a great deal of concern about this possibility.

5. With summer camps concluded, our camps statistics for this year are in and—praise God—we are glad to report that our Ukrainian personnel conducted over 50 different camps with a total of 3,712 campers attending. Many of these campers were war refugees. A good number of churches conducted more than one camp, holding various camps for different age groups. They also organized a good number of camps in nearby villages. We praise God that, even during this time of war, BIEM had opportunities to conduct so many camps where many youths accepted Christ and made many other life-changing decisions.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

September Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

For September, our monthly video puts the spotlight on the Kellers, BIEM missionaries who have accumulated much evangelistic experience ministering in Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, and the U.S. Until last year, they were busy sharing the Gospel in Kyiv through various creative outreaches. But then the war came…

The Kellers are still involved in evangelism and ministry to Ukraine, but they are temporarily based in the U.S. In addition to visiting supporting churches and ministering to refugees who have come to the States, their family spent a full month in BIEM’s upstairs guest quarters. Here, they used part of that time to help sort, pack, and organize incoming clothing donations for our next shipment to Ukraine. (They even visited yard sales and persuaded sellers to donate leftover clothing to BIEM as war relief!)

Although we on the home staff of BIEM can and do speak of the great need for war relief, we believe you will appreciate the perspective of the Kellers, coworkers who speak of the needs from firsthand experience.

Like BIEM, international charities have noticed that donations of humanitarian for Ukraine are down from last year. The invasion is no longer shocking news. Yet, Russian missiles and drones continue to bombard homes and businesses. People continue to die even if your evening news doesn’t mention it. The needs are as great as ever. Can you spare a few minutes to watch the Kellers’ update and prayerfully consider how you can help?

https://vimeo.com/861702993

Blessings to you!

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - September 1, 2023

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

1. One of our partnering churches in Ukraine is on the outskirts of Vinnitsa, a large city where a group of 800 refugees from Kherson recently arrived, each with just the clothes they were wearing and a small bag. These people are victims of the flooding caused by the Russians exploding the Nova Kakhovka Dam. BIEM personnel were able to drive a large vehicle full of much-needed aid to that church. These items will help that congregation minister to these people who have lost nearly all their possessions.

2. Polonne in Khelnitskiy region is another large city that has received many refugees. This week, BIEM church planter Eugene Buyko was able to take a large load of humanitarian aid to a local church ministering to this group of refugees. The mayor there presented Eugene with an official letter of commendation and appreciation to BIEM for the help they are receiving. In fact, BIEM has received dozens of such official expressions of gratitude from local authorities in the areas where we have provided war relief. And even though our ministry’s name is the one on these letters of deep gratitude, all of you who are giving are the ones who deserve the real thanks. May our Heavenly Father reward you richly for these donations in Christ’s name to bless people going through extreme hardships!

3. One of the most common questions we receive at BIEM is “What are the most pressing needs in Ukraine right now?” Of course, contributions to BIEM’s War Relief Fund are always needed and give us much flexibility in the kinds of aid we can supply for churches to minister to their countrymen. But in this week’s video, Sam Slobodian and Ukrainian missionary-pastor Vitaly Bilyak discuss specific non-monetary needs that many of you friends can provide with unused items in your cabinets, closets, or basements. To view this brief video, please click the following link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/ukraineneeds

4. Sasha Petrenko, the BIEM church planter on the military base in Goncharovsk, was scheduled to deliver relief to the Goncharovsk brigade that is battling in Zaporizhzhia. However, the commander there called and told him to postpone this delivery because the battle was so intense that they could come under fire. Sasha and his team hope to make this trip next week instead. Please pray that Sasha and those who are part of the group delivering this aid will be able to do so, and please pray for their safety as well.

5. Although it’s not exactly a war-relief item, yesterday we were thrilled to receive a beautiful wooden pulpit from a church in Indianapolis. When that congregation remodeled their interior, their pulpit no longer matched—so they donated it to us. As with previous such gifts, this pulpit will be shipped to Ukraine with our next load of humanitarian aid. There, it will be used to preach God’s Word and to glorify Him. And if any of you have access to good, solid pulpits (or other church furniture, such as chairs and folding tables) that aren’t being used, we would be thrilled to accept them for Eastern Europe!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: September 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In recent days we’ve received a flurry of wonderful updates from Central Asia, especially concerning refugees: “We just baptized 13 Afghani believers! God gave safety even though many police were around….” “Great and mighty is the Lord our God!” One more sinner has come to repentance just now. I was talking to J__ and shared my testimony…. Today he knelt and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.” “I just received word that our Iranian brother, Matthew, led 2 men to Christ, and they are preparing for baptism. Please be in prayer for them as the persecution there is constant.” Praise God!

• On August 25, the last summer camps came to a close. What a blessing that kids and teens heard the Gospel, and learned lessons from God’s Word. They learned songs of praise to the Lord, and some have made the step of putting their faith in Christ. Thank you for giving and praying!

• Praise God that both the Desna and Bilogorodka churches have completed a special outreach project that provided $12,000 of medicine to women in their area whose husbands and sons were in battle.  The best news is that in both churches some of these ladies now regularly attend services.

• Our August BIEMs requested prayer for Sam and Amy Slobodian, who were then in Ukraine. In addition to serving in camps, Sam says, “We were able to participate in two baptisms. One in Ternopil, and the other in Smolin, a town near the Goncharovsk military base. In both locations, those baptisms included converts who were reached through our war-relief distribution efforts.” Thanks for the prayers!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Currently, we have our missionary Vitaly Bilyak visiting BIEM from Ukraine. We praise God that he has been allowed to exit the country once more and is already visiting supporting churches to preach and give updates in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

• For September 10, the Ryzhuks in Belarus are planning an evangelistic outreach based on the theme of The Harvest. They request prayer for God to touch hearts and draw souls to Himself.

• As many of you know, one of our missionaries in Ukraine has joined another BIEM missionary in Tbilisi, Georgia. Together, they hope to launch a school for training nationals for the ministry similar to what had been established in Ukraine. There is much to pray for concerning this. Please pray the Lord’s guidance and that He would provide the students, the funds, and a meeting place for such an outreach.

• In Central Asia, a young girl who has come to Christ is suffering from holes in her heart that need immediate corrective surgery. A surgeon in the U.S. has agreed to perform the operation for free. BIEM personnel managed to obtain a visa to the U.S. Please pray the flight and surgery go well.

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War Relief Updates - August 25, 2023

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

1. After a Russian missile struck an apartment complex in Lviv, Ukraine, BIEM’s Yura Levtseniuk and his church were among those who rendered aid to victims in various ways. Thanks to Yura’s medical training, he has an open door to make bandages and to assist in treating festering wounds at the local hospital. In turn, such assistance provides him with opportunities to share about Christ. Yura says, “Thank you very much for the [financial] help that was provided. Thanks to you, we were able to help people who suffered because of the missile strike. We helped them to purchase [repair] materials and transported them as needed. One woman promised to come to our services, saying that she used to visit an evangelical church.” In all these situations, believers reflect the love of God, and gifts to BIEM’s War Relief Fund play a key role.

2. The Ukrainian government continues to allow pastors to leave Ukraine for short periods of time for religious purposes. Speaking in churches and raising awareness of the war qualifies our missionary-pastors for this exception and helps to raise funds for our war-relief efforts. This weekend, we begin meetings with Vitaly Bilyak, who has made numerous war-relief-distribution trips to the war front. We will be in churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Ohio over the next several weeks. Please pray for these meetings as Vitaly seeks to minister to hearts from God’s Word and to update listeners on the current situation overseas.

3. This week’s war-relief video comes from Desna, Ukraine, where Igor and Aleksandra Fomichov talk about ways their local church has been able to minister to the physical needs of people in their community, including medicines for locals with limited income and tourniquets to save the lives of those injured due to the war. You can see the video here:

https://vimeo.com/856911786?share=copy

4. At this point in August, our final Christian camps for children and teens in Eastern Europe are winding down. We do not yet have statistics to share; however, we do know that many refugee children and youth attended these camps. For them, it was a chance to eat nourishing food and forget about the war while having fun, playing games, and fellowshipping. For our camp staffers, these camps provided a wonderful tool for uplifting these young people with God’s Word and explaining God’s way of salvation. Although some people expressed surprise that churches would even consider holding camps during a time of war, many parents of children who returned home refreshed and happy expressed deep appreciation to those who ministered to their children in these camps. Thank you to each of you who donated to make them possible. Together, your combined gifts met the full amount of our goal for the camp ministries.

5. On July 7, we told about a Ukrainian woman, Nastya, who was severely wounded in battle while serving in the Ukrainian military. Thanks to a tourniquet supplied via BIEM, her life and even her arm were saved. Amazingly, this week, Nastya felt strong enough to reenlist. However, Nastya had no suitable footgear for military duty, and her nation’s ability to supply such needs has worn thin. Willing to help, BIEM purchased a pair of boots for her.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 18, 2023

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

1. A good amount of medical supplies and equipment is always included in our container shipments of aid to Ukraine. This is possible because of generous supplies of items we receive from donors who contribute everything from stethoscopes to adult diapers. Occasionally we receive a hospital bed. These are huge blessings to people in Ukraine. When possible, aid items get recycled over and over again in Ukraine as our folks get these to families in need who, when they are finished using, are glad to pass an item on to another family. Just recently, folks in Minnesota made available an extra nice, almost-new hospital bed that originally cost $7,000. Now, because of war casualties among military and civilians alike, such items are needed more than ever before. Praise God for this wonderful provision!

Sometimes people ask us, “What kind of equipment is needed most?” Our answer is probably wheelchairs. This is a continuing need in Ukraine. So if you have access to a new or used wheelchair, please consider donating it for Ukraine. Along with those, crutches, canes, and aluminum walkers are always needed. It has been a blessing to receive many of these, which we are always glad to ship to Ukraine. (One time, a visitor stopped by and noticed a large number of walkers, crutches, and canes that had been dropped off to our warehouse in a disorderly fashion. A little embarrassed at the jumble, I jokingly told the visitor, “Sorry about the mess; this always happens after we have a healing service!”)

3. This week’s video concerning war relief focuses on the Christian Rehabilitation Center near Ternopil, Ukraine. That ministry (operated by the local church) has freed many men from addictions to alcohol and drugs. In turn, those men are assisting in BIEM’s war relief efforts. To learn more, please click the following link:

https://vimeo.com/855849147?share=copy

4. As many of you know, the Slobodians have recently returned from a trip to Ukraine, where they helped in summer camps. Each camp included a significant number of refugees. Following is a link to a video about this trip that will be BIEM’s monthly video for August. If you do not receive these monthly presentations, you can subscribe on our website. In the meantime, you can view this video, which has a war relief element to it and ends with a sample of what it is like to be in Ukraine these days:

https://vimeo.com/855809988?share=copy

5. On the way to visit BIEM missionaries in the Republic of Georgia earlier this week, Sam Slobodian was able to make a stop in Turkey to visit a special orphanage that we have helped with War Relief funds. This orphanage houses nearly 600 Ukrainian children & youth that have been evacuated to Turkey. Many of them are war orphans, children of parents who have been killed in the war. It was a blessing to see how these children are being cared for and to see a location where BIEM is practicing James 1:27: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM