Urgent Prayer Request

Our missionary Tim and his family are courageously serving the Lord in a country strongly opposed to Christians. The spiritual attacks have been increasing weekly especially from false believers who try to destroy their ministry. Recently, Tim held a camp for children and there were 6 campers who accepted Jesus as their Savior and 2 other people who have just come to Christ. Now he is being summoned to appear before the authorities. Please pray God will intervene in this meeting and preserve their ministry there. Pray also for these new converts who are already facing strong opposition for trusting Christ.

BIEMs of Light June 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• With God’s blessing and help from friends, we are progressing toward our goal for summer camp programs. At this time last month, we needed $26,000 to match last year’s level of $40,000. As of this writing, the need is down to $16,600. Thanks to all who are giving!
• Our missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk had been hospitalized with severe back pain. Although he is still unable to do physical labor, we rejoice that he is able to walk and attend evangelistic tent meetings held in Drogichin, Belarus, in May. But continue praying.
• BIEM has been hosting 2 of our Ukrainian church planters who are in the U.S. for the first time and visiting churches to share their ministries in person. Also, Vitaly Keller of Russia is visiting U.S. churches too. These meetings with supporters are mutual encouragements!
• A second soul has come to Christ in Bilogorodka! Although Pastor Eugene Buyko’s father-in-law helped in the church’s construction, he had been skeptical of non-Orthodox believers for years. Working alongside our believers convinced him the Gospel is true. Praise God!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• BIEM’s most recent shipping container of supplies was due to reach the Ukrainian port on June 1. Because this container includes items for the new church plant in Bilogorodka (hundreds of chairs, tables, pulpit, several hundred Bibles), please pray the Lord will speed its way through customs to reach the church before dedication Sunday on June 18.
• The church in Ternopil, Ukraine, requests we pray for God to supply a youth pastor for their church. A university city, Ternopil has about 40,000 students. Opportunities for outreach abound, but missionary pastor Vitaly Bilyak is limited as he serves as pastor and oversees the youth, too. He hopes God will send a youth minister in the near future.
• In the military city of Desna, Ukraine, literally thousands of soldiers must march past the church building on their way to showers.  Pastor Igor hopes to mount an electronic sign on the building to highlight Bible verses and give church information. Please pray that God would enable and direct in this exciting evangelistic project.
• BIEM praises God for the $7,000+ that donors have sent to provide relief for the churches and Christian families hurt by this spring’s flooding in Peru. Please pray for these brothers and sisters as they repair their homes and church buildings. More gifts are welcome since it will take some time to recover.

BIEMs of Light April/May 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• We praise God that, on April 6 & 8, friends of BIEM volunteered their time to load a 40-ft. container of aid, Bible literature, and church-planting items. It’s now bound for Ukraine. (Please pray it will arrive safely and that God will help our Ukrainian brethren to navigate successfully the bureaucracy involved in getting a container through Ukrainian Customs.)
• From time to time, BIEM invites our national church-planters to the U.S. to visit churches and share their testimonies and news from the mission field. Praise the Lord that, after several attempts, Igor Fomichov has been granted a visa to visit the U.S.
• A movie titled King of Glory (a 4-hour movie) was created to explain Jesus to Muslims. It shows God’s plan for mankind and emphasizes the need for a Savior. BIEM translated it into a Central Asian language, and our missionary Tim arranged for it to be shown on national TV on Easter in Central Asia! Praise God for reports of salvation decisions!
• Sasha, a BIEM missionary in a predominantly Muslim land, rejoices that he and his wife now have several Bible studies in homes of local Muslim husbands with wives from Russia or Ukraine. In these cases, the husbands not only permit the study in their home, but have also sat and listened. Praise God! May His Word speak to hearts.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• From Belarus: BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk requests prayer for evangelistic tent meetings planned for May 13 - 14. May many unsaved neighbors attend, even if out of curiosity. Pray for God to convict of sin and to draw people to Himself.
• Also from Belarus: The spinal operation undergone by the Ryzhuks’ son, Tolik, was evidently not fully successful in correcting his problem. In addition, our missionary Nikolai is now hospitalized. MRI results reveal herniation in his spine, and physicians say he needs surgery. Pray that God will provide guidance in both members of this missionary family.
• Summer is fast approaching! Overseas, pastors and missionaries are contacting us to ask whether there will be funds for summer camp ministries. As of this writing, BIEM needs $26,000 to match last year’s level of camp support. Please pray the Lord will prompt His people to make camp ministries possible once again in 2017.
• Please pray for believers in Peru, which has been hit hard by heavy rains, flooding, and mudslides. Although the immediate crisis may be over, these events leave behind much devastation and needs. (Donations for relief may be designated “Peru Relief.”)

Urgent Prayer Request

Thank-you for praying for our brothers and sisters in Peru which is
experiencing floods and mudslides of historic proportions.   A "state
of emergency" has been declared for 1/2 of the country.

Our missionaries are attempting to assess the damage; however, heavy
rains are expected to continue for 20 - 30 more days. The
missionaries expect overall repairs and replacements to total tens of
thousands of dollars. Medical needs are expected to arise in the
coming weeks. Drinking water and food are in short supply at best.
Cell phone service is spotty.

We value your prayers for our missionaries and their congregations in
this time of great suffering. Those desiring to help with these needs
should designate funds "PERU RELIEF" via BIEM.

BIEMs of Light December 2016

 

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Tolik, son of BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk, underwent back surgery in Moldova in the last week of November. So far, recovery seems to be going well. Tolik was up and walking two days later. Praise the Lord for a Christian surgeon and for this report.
   
• BIEM praises the Lord for the provision of a $40,000 matching-funds program to push several building projects to some final stages of completion, including needed interior furnishings! Please pray with us that the $40,000 needed comes in.
  
  
• Pastor Andy Counterman, who is BIEM’s Field Director for Latin America, reports exciting progress among the young church planters there. Starting new churches is no breeze. Humanly speaking, it involves much time and energy. But God is blessing. One church is up to 55 people. Another up to 60. Another church planter is reaching native tribes in the jungles… May the Lord continue to bless the ministries of young men on fire for God!
   
• In Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, BIEM’s Bruce Tuttle speaks of his 10 Bible students and says he is  “delighted with the developments that are noticeable in their fervor and Christian leadership character.” Such words remind us of the Apostle Paul’s pleasure at Timothy’s eager desire to grow in the Word and ministry. Praise God for such young men!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Currently Igor Balashov and an evangelistic team are visiting churches in Siberia in places where “there are many fish, but few fishermen.” In all our prayers for buildings, programs, and resources, may we never forget simply to pray for the Holy Spirit to touch hearts and save souls through the preaching of His Word! (Igor sends thanks for prayers, too!)
   
• In the past, we have referred to the puppet ministry of the church in Chervona Sloboda, Ukraine. Vitaly Yurchenko writes, “Please pray about upcoming presentations, as we have many scheduled for different places. Christmas is coming, and various churches and orphanages invite us. Pray for these outreaches.”
   
• In Goncharovsk, Ukraine, missionary Alexander Petrenko has organized a floor hockey club for schoolboys. In addition to the playing their sport, he has Bible lessons with them. He requests prayer for these young men to understand and embrace the Gospel.
   
• In Shahovskaya, Russia, Pastor Rumachik reports a bureaucratic delay that prevents hooking up a natural gas line to the new church building. This situation forces the believers to continue warming the building with electric space heaters, which is expensive. Please pray for a quick resolution to this delay.

BIEMs of Light August 2016

 August 2016

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Pastor Samuel, who has been leading a growing group of believers in a predominantly Muslim area, rejoices that they can participate in the Great Commission. The church has been committed to discipleship and now sees good results, especially in college-age members who have gone on to serve as leaders of home-churches in various countries.
   
• Praise the Lord’s protection through a cup of tea! One BIEM missionary couple serves in a mountainous region of Central Asia. After a female physician examined the wife, the doctor desired to become friends and invited her to tea. The husbanded regretted this delay—until on the drive home they discovered a rockslide had just occurred on their road!
   
• In Peru, missionary Wilber Huillca Quispe visits jungle villages with the Gospel. Recently a couple in a village of the Yaminahua tribe donated a plot of ground with a thatched-roof structure to be used for Christian meetings. Praise God for their heartfelt gift to God’s work!
   
• The church plant in Bilogorodka went ahead and conducted a camp on the church grounds even though the building is not complete. The neighborhood was canvassed, and our workers were thrilled with 80 campers from the community! Many parents attended the closing event.  Praise God for such wonderful results! This will open doors to homes and hearts of the community.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Although at this point details concerning interpretation and enforcement remain unclear, reports suggest Russia’s new anti-terrorism law could also be used as a tool against believers. Please pray for Russian believers and for their witness to increase, not decrease, for God’s glory.
   
• Our first Central Asia home-church construction project is in progress. Pastor Barnabas owns a little plot of land next to his home, and the foundation for a small church building is already laid. Pray the building will be completed soon and allow believers a safe place to meet and worship.
   
• Final summer camps are taking place this month, and we are rejoicing in large numbers of campers and many salvation decisions. Please continue to pray for God to work in lives, both of campers who have already been to camp and for young people soon to be in camp. Praise God for supplying the finances needed and a heartfelt word of thanks to each who gave for this need.
   
• Elaine Smith, a pastor’s wife and the mother of a BIEM missionary, has been undergoing serious health issues. Praise God, physicians have located some blood clots and believe they can treat serious swelling she also has. Please pray for healing as she undergoes treatment.

BIEMs of Light July 2016

 

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In June, Valery Ryzhuk and others made an evangelistic trip using rivers in the Far North of Russia. Praise God, souls repented and put their faith in Christ. A woman named Yulia told them that, before the brethren’s previous trip, she had been on the verge of suicide after the death of her son. The Lord used them to comfort and strengthen her in the difficult time.
   
• BIEM helped sponsor a youth conference in Russia that both leaders and young people consider a huge success and blessing. Some confessed their sin and asked Christ for salvation. Others were deepened in their commitment! Pastor Pavel Rumachik writes, “Praise God for your participation in this fellowship. May God reward you as well!”
   
• Thanks to the generosity of Faith Baptist Church in Lebanon, Penn., Micah and Alisha Tuttle were able to purchase and distribute 4 expensive flannel graph sets to 4 churches in the Republic of Georgia. Upon learning of the gift, a member of one church exclaimed that they had just started praying for such a tool for their children’s ministry! May God be praised.
   
• Recently BIEM missionaries organized a special family camp in Central Asia. Forty-four people attended, a number of them being couples in which one is a Christian and the other is not.  By the camp’s conclusion, several attendees requested prayer and gave evidence of being close to placing faith in Christ. Praise God for such a gathering; may He bless all who attended.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Doctors for Elaine Smith, the mother of a BIEM missionary who had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure have determined that she has Lupus, which explains the issues she was having. Please pray that the treatment will be effective and that the Lord will be glorified in all this.
   
• In Central Asia, Pastor Righteous reports an increase in people throwing rocks at him and his home. He notes the local populace seems to be emboldened by anti-Christian activities taking place in various countries of the world. Please uphold his family and other believers.
   
• We are rejoicing that the funds needed for summer camps this year have been provided!  We Praise God for each gift.  By this point in July, some churches in Eastern Europe have already held their children’s or teen camps. Other camps have yet to take place.  Please pray for many to be saved.
   
• In closing, here is one of our missionary’s plea: “Please pray with us that the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would penetrate the darkness of this increasingly Islamic land. The battle rages, time is short, Satan is powerful, we need God’s warriors kneeling in intercession before the throne of God, to keep us strong in the battle, and to help us snatch souls from the throes of death and the eternal flames of Hell.” Can you sense the sincerity of that request? Let’s pray for missionaries!

Fire in the Rehab Center

On September 30th, Vitaly Bilyak, BIEM’s missionary in Ternopil, Ukraine, received a call at 1:30 am. The Rehabilitation Center run by this new church was burning. Praise the Lord, neither the minister on duty nor the six rehabilitants living there were injured. However, since fire insurance is not a realistic option in Ukraine, there is an urgent need to do some rebuilding before winter sets in. Fortunately, the large, 2-story workshop recently built was untouched. Therefore the rehabilitants have been moved into this unfinished building to carry on that ministry. The rehabilitation work is crucial. It has successfully rescued lives from the bondage of drugs and alcohol. Even more critical, it has rescued souls from hell as former addicts repent and place their trust in Christ.

New Life Baptist church in the heart of Ternopil is certainly an urban location. Because some of this ministry’s first converts were drug addicts and alcoholics, the church saw and responded to the need for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. The program features Bible Study, personal counseling, and physical labor.

Since this rehabilitation center began in 2008, nearly forty men have successfully completed the program and are now living productive Christian lives. What a testimony of God’s great saving grace! However, an almost equal number quit the program, which of course is voluntary. Of those, 10 have already died as a result of their downward path. This gloomy fact highlights the shining victories in the lives of those who have concluded the program. The Rehabilitation Center has literally saved both the souls and the lives of dozens.

Because of the fire, there’s an emergency need of $10,000 to rebuild the exterior of the burned building and get it roofed before winter, and also to finish the portion of the workshop now being used for ministry. Certainly, more funds will be needed later, but the wonderful news is that some materials and all of the labor is being provided by Ukrainian believers. All of the windows and doors will be donated by a Ukrainian business owned by Christians. Volunteers from Ukrainian churches are already arriving to help.

Please consider helping with this urgent need. All gifts, no matter the amount, will be greatly appreciated. If you can help, please designate your gift “Rehabilitation Center" and send your donation to BIEM, 121 Commerce Drive, Suite 50, Danville, IN 46122. To make a donation online please click the red donate button at the top right of this page.

Following is a letter with photographs from Vitaly Bilyak.

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Letter from missionary Vitaly Bilyak about the fire

Greetings to you, dear friends,

As you probably realize, the past week has been hectic. Because of the fire at our Rehabilitation Center, we’ve had to change all our plans.

The fire started overnight between September 29 and 30. God saved all six rehabilitants and the minister in a miraculous way. One of rehabilitants dreamed that the house was on fire. It scared him, and he woke up to see the fire was real.Praise the Lord that nobody was hurt or killed. Everyone is all right.

This letter is a summary of the situation. Wehadtomakedecisions about the future of the center.

One idea was to send the rehabilitants away to other centers. We rejected it and decided to continue our ministry while renovating the building.

CURRENT STATUS

The house was destroyed so badly we had to remove the roof. We need to rebuild the upper part of all walls (about1.6 feet). The doors and windows (except for one) are totally destroyed. The recent kitchen addition is gone. The bedroom burned, too, along with all the beds and the men’s personal belongings.

Praise the Lord that we have a big workshop and a large room for the storage.

We moved the rehabilitants to the shop’s large storage room. We use an electric heater. The shop is the temporary living room, dining room, and storage for building materials. We’ve added a temporary shower and electric boiler to the shop rest room.The washing machine is also there.

Plans and needs

We need to act quickly! Since winter is coming and fall is a season of hard rains,we need quick, decisive action. The dirt road is really bad, so Step 1 is to buy and transport building supplies before the heavy rains.

Rehab Center – the house

Our plans are to fix all the walls in the building before winter. It is also important to rebuild the roof and attic.

We plan to create a higher roof than we had before. That way, we will gain a loft for center’s needs. (In the loft we want to build two-three rooms for fellowship and a library.)

While working on these immediate steps, we will plan the following stages.

Rehab Center – the workshop

In order to continue this ministry in wintertime, we must make bedrooms for the rehabilitants. It is much quicker to make rooms in our workshop than to wait for the burned house to be rebuilt. When we planned to make living quarters above the shop, our plan was to have several rooms for rehabilitants who have no place to go after they finish the program. The fire forced u

s to speed up this work. Such living quarters will allow the men to spend the winter relatively comfortable. Before and during the winter, the rehabilitants and we will reconstruct our building. After we complete the renovation, the men will move back to the house, and the dormitory over the shop will be used as we planned.

Here are the steps we need to take:

-       Finish the floor.We have wood for it; we only need some panels (OSB) for the rest room.

-       Mount the dry wall.

-       Do the electrical wiring (outlets, switches).

-       Install a water heater. Water is already there.

Most of this work we will do on our own or with the help of willing friends from other churches. We need at least $10,000 for building materials and transportation. We will be extremely grateful for your help in renovating the Rehabilitation Center for alcohol and drug addicts.

With all respect and prayers for God’s richest blessings upon you,

Yours in Christ,

Vitaliy Biliak

Special Prayer Needs for Ukraine

Special Prayer Needs for Ukraine

Special prayer needs Ukrainian believers asked us to convey.(Updated 3/19/2014)

1. Please pray for civil peace in that nation. Citizens in the West and in the East of Ukraine need to return to a state of living together peacefully and participating in one unified society.
2. As people see the failures of human political leaders, pray they would realize the need to put their hope in the Lord. This is a prayer for a revival that would turn Ukrainian people to God.
3. Pray that exterior powers would refrain from interfering with the internal affairs of the nation during this difficult time.
4. In light of the many changes in government offices, please pray for the country’s internal structure to be rebuilt and stabilized.
5. Another concern is the number of people who are carrying weapons. Criminal elements were operating during the unrest, taking advantage of the distractions. Pray for law and order to prevail.
6. Pray that this situation would result in opportunities for God’s people to evangelize. This would require being able to draw people’s focus off of politics—not easy to do these days.
7. Please pray that whatever government or leaders God allows to remain or come into power, that Ukraine would continue to have freedom to preach the Gospel and do missionary work.

Thank-you for joining us in praying for the people and the nation of Ukraine!

Evangelistic Campaign being Planned in Peru

In Peru, new church-planter Jaime Ovalle requests prayer for an evangelistic campaign beingplanned for November. Pray for power in preaching and for the salvation of souls!

Young Orthodox Priest Causes Problems at Bible Meetings

In Komarivka, Ukraine, a young Orthodox priest has begun attending the Baptist churchservices and is causing problems. He accuses the locals of teaching heresy and refuses to stop coming until he converts them all to Orthodoxy. The missionary doesn’t want to throw him out physically, but requests prayer that God will open this young man’s eyes the same as He did to young Saul.

Young Believer Brutally Attacked for Christ

In one of the restricted lands where our missionaries work, a young woman was brutally attacked a week after her baptism. She had to flee her hometown. Please pray for her health, safety, and adjustment to the new area. A male new believer, Ali, has been threatened by family members. Please pray for these and others taking their first steps on the Christian path in these hostile lands.

Islamic police question neighbors of BIEM national pastor to accuse him

One of our active former Muslims in Central Asia is Pastor Eagle. He has seen good spiritual fruit with souls turning to Christ. However, the local police are questioning all the neighbors about him in their efforts to find any accusation against him. Pray for him and his wife. Meanwhile, Pastor River has 5 groups to which he ministers. They baptized 10 people this past summer! Read the full report in November's BIEM’s of Light

BIEM makes initial delivery of Bibles to Arab Christians

BIEM is excited to have made an initial delivery of Bibles and related materials to former Muslims in order to assist them in evangelizing a particularly restrictive nation. (Forgive the vagueness; we’re being elusive for a reason.) May the Lord use His Word to save souls! Read the full report in November's BIEM’s of Light

Central Asian Pastor chased through street by angry Imam

A Pastor in Central Asia reports that on the way town they met the village Imam in the street. He grabbed a club, and five other men with clubs chased them through the village. Laughing, River said, “They wanted to beat us to death; they ran really fast, but we praise God, we ran even faster. They did not catch us.” This Imam is the same one who was very angry at his daughter for being arrested with believers a while back. River said his rage stems from the fact that his entire family has left Islam and trusted Christ and been baptized. He is the only one left in the family to repent. Please pray for this man to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and repent. Read the full report in September's BIEM’s of Light

Goal: 30,000 Bibles by years end

Please pray for God’s blessings and empowerment on our project to distribute 30,000 copies of His Word before the end of this year. People need to know what Christ has done for them! Read the full report in September's BIEM’s of Light

BIEM sends thousands of New Testaments for Muslims in Russia

Pastors in the Moscow area have written to thank BIEM for the gift of thousands of New Testaments in the Uzbek, Turkmen, and Kyrgyz languages. Muslims from all of these nations (which were once part of the USSR) have settled in Moscow for work. Praise God for willing workers, for whom these New Testaments in native languages are vital tools. Read the full report in August's BIEM's of Light

God opens another field for BIEM in Latin America

Many friends of BIEM don’t realize that our founder, Ukrainian-born Peter Slobodian, received Christ and began serving the Lord in Argentina. He and his wife Mary occasionally returned to Latin America to visit friends and to evangelize in Spanish. Now BIEM has accepted an opportunity to boost church planting in Latin America, the continent of our roots. The “beachhead” for this evangelistic thrust is Peru. In that country, there are two fundamental Bible schools for national believers. The students receive a solid foundation of Bible knowledge and training in church-planting. However, after graduation these men face an uphill struggle. Despite ministerial training, they must work secular jobs simply to survive.

Enter BIEM. We have experience providing limited-time support to approved nationals to help them plant churches. What we don’t have is a Bible school in South America. Conversely, there are quality schools, but not a program to assist graduates. In this win-win scenario, the schools already there will provide the education, plus recommendations concerning graduates, and then BIEM would financially aid such men for two years while they focus on evangelism and church-planting.

This model is reminiscent of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” When the goal is spiritual fruit for God’s glory, it’s unimportant who planted or watered (or who taught, and who financed). We merely want to see souls saved to the glory of God.

Why limit the support to two years? This time period was recommended to lessen the risk of nationals becoming dependent on American dollars. Another advantage is that U.S. churches who want to take on such a project don’t need to pledge support forever. In 24 months, their commitment is done. Even if the church planter ends up working part-time after the initial two years, in the worst-case scenario his church is two years farther along than it would have been.

The first candidate, Segundo Rodriquez, has already been accepted and is busy on his field in Peru. The second man that we aim to help was saved out of drug addiction. He has already started a church in his mother-in-law’s home, which is in a drug-ridden area of Urubamba. (At the moment, he drives a taxi to earn a living and can’t concentrate on church-planting.) The third and fourth men hope to work as a team in the Peruvian interior.

Of course, accountability is crucial. These church planters will be answerable to a team of five advisors (three Americans and two Peruvians) who teach at the schools in Trujillo and Urubamba. In addition, BIEM board member Pastor Andy Counterman will oversee this program as part of his regular ministry trips to Latin America.

The pluses are abundant: trained workers, endorsements, favorable economics, a system of accountability and oversight, local advisors, and good stewardship. If this program functions as well as we hope, then we can expand it into other Latin countries.

We praise God for another way to serve God and to grease the wheels for world evangelism!

[box type="info"] The church planters in South America will receive different amounts of funding, depending on whether they are single or married, and living in the jungle, a town, or a city. One-time gifts for this initiative can be designated “BIEM South America.” Just 10 churches giving $70/month for two years starts a church. Can you help? (Of course, gifts from individuals are also welcome.)[/box]

BIEM's Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center Waiting List Grows

BIEM's Drug & Alcohol Rehab Center is currently at capacity with men whose lives have been hurt by addictions.  The Rehab Center now has a waiting list that is continually growing with more and more men who want to change their lives for the better.  This is not done on their own power, but through the power of Christ in their lives.  Instead of the hopelessness of their addiction, hope is giving through a personal relationship with Christ. Current recovered addicts are making bunk beds with their own tools to accommodate as many men as possible.  There is also a need for a similar women's Rehab Center.  Will you consider giving to these needy ministries?