BIEMs of Light June 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Despite community pressure exerted by an Orthodox priest, our missionaries in the Republic of Georgia report exciting opportunities reaching both children and parents through weekly Bible clubs in two different communities. May God bless and work in hearts!

• The BIEM home office would like to express thanks for special donations. The first is a forklift, which will literally take a heavy load off our staff and volunteers. The second is an empty, 40-ft., extra-high shipping container, which will provide a permanent space for storing the processed & sealed cartons of donated clothing destined for shipment overseas.

• In addition, BIEM has received donations of 3 pianos and 60 boxes of winter coats! We certainly praise God for all these items, which will be huge blessings overseas.

• In St. Petersburg, Russia, a BIEM missionary praises the Lord for saving the two adult sons of a woman in the church. She had been praying for her sons for the past two years.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Summer camps—We praise God for the $19,748 that has come in for summer camps. However, this figure means summer is upon us and we still need just over $20,000 to match our goal from last year of $40,000. Please join us in prayer about this serious need.

• In Belarus, BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk shares about a local family that became homeless when their house burned down. The local church was able to respond with gifts of clothing and other items. Pray for this family, that God will help and supply their needs and draw them to Himself.

• In Desna, Ukraine, the church is pleased that military recruits from the city’s base continue to visit the church, as opportunities permit. Yet an ongoing need in this church is for a musically inclined believer to lead their music ministry. They ask us to keep this request in mind.

• The Christian rehabilitation center near Ternopil, Ukraine, needs a couple Christian men who are firm in the faith to provide leadership and daily oversight of the ministry. Please pray for the Lord to provide qualified men.

BIEMs of Light May 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• BIEM missionaries, the Hoblitzes, share that, “Every Friday, we go out to the public square, and do colportage work. We have had thousands of Gospel tracts printed and passed out, and many New Testaments. Last week, a young college girl received Christ into her heart, and a young Georgian man wants to meet again.” Praise God for responsive souls!

• In February, we requested prayer for Grisha Fomichov, the father of BIEM missionary Igor Fomichov. He’d had a stroke that left physical and mental effects. Although Grisha hasn’t had a full recovery, he’s much better. More exciting, in April he placed his faith in Christ!

• The military conflict in eastern Ukraine had prevented students from attending the Seminary in Kyiv until about a year ago. At first two came, then five.  This spring session, that number increased to ten! We praise God for each of them!

• In Goncharovsk, Ukraine, Sasha Petrenko organized a floor hockey team for youth. This would serve the community and enable him to evangelize. In a surprise to everyone, Sasha’s team of newcomers took 2nd place in a tournament! This military community’s respect for our missionary shot up. May God continue to use this outreach for His glory!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In May, Sam Slobodian and Sergei Debelinsky will be visiting churches in the US. Brother Debelinsky is president of the Brotherhood of Independent Baptist Churches in Ukraine. He’ll be sharing God’s Word but also bring updates on ministry in his country. Please pray for safe travels and blessed services. I

• In Central Asia, secret police found and raided the church of Pastor River. They then went to the local school, where they detained and threatened his two children. River reports that pressure has eased up again, but local authorities clearly have their eyes on him. Please uphold in prayer this pastor and his family

• In Eastern Europe, even unsaved children are starting to ask BIEM’s church planters, “When will summer camp be?” What a wonderful situation when we don’t have to drum up interest, because the children themselves are eager for camp! Please pray for the upcoming camps:  for no serious injuries, for spiritual decisions, and of course for needed finances. Of the $40,000 goal, we have received about $10,000, so $30,000 is still needed. 

• In the past, we have requested prayer for a youth pastor for the young church in Ternopil, Ukraine. Praise God, they now have one! A dedicated young leader whom the youth respect has moved to Ternopil and agreed to minister in this role for at least a year. However, one of the ministers from the Rehabilitation Center has decided to return to his home in Eastern Ukraine, so now prayer is needed for a Christian man who can assist that ministry.

BIEMs of Light April 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, Bruce Tuttle is excited to report that recent graduates of the Pastors’ Training Institute are following God’s leading in various directions, both geographically and in ministry. Please pray for these graduates to be used of God in His fields of harvest! Meanwhile, six new students have enrolled—another praise!

• BIEM missionary Mikhail Titarenko reports that—at last—his mother has come to Christ! She is 90.5 years old and had read much of the Bible and had visited church services, but she had never put her faith in Christ. Mikhail’s daughter and her friends began to pray and fast for her grandmother’s salvation. The next time Mikhail approached her, she agreed to pray the sinner’s prayer (with his help) and asked Christ to save her. Hallelujah!

• Last month we requested prayer for the father of BIEM church-planter Igor Fomichov. Igor’s father suffered a stroke that affected his body and thinking. Igor thanks everyone for praying and reports that, although his father isn’t back to normal and still says odd things, at least he is somewhat better and is now home from the hospital.

• In the Curahuasi district of Peru, Cristobal Churbata thanks God for a special day of Bible training in Totoray Baptist Church. Although the congregation is not large, the people seem sincere in their desires to grow in the knowledge of God and His Word, and to be used by Him.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Please pray that the Drug and Alcohol rehab center operated by the church in Ternopil can legalize the building they rebuilt after a fire. Although it seems strange to Americans, in Ukraine the work is done first, and then the construction is checked and legalized.

• In a predominantly Muslim area, BIEM missionary Sasha reports that 5 new believers are preparing for baptism. He requests prayer for them, since being baptized in that land is a significant public statement that causes some new believers to fear. Sasha and his small church are also considering holding their first-ever Christian camp for both children and adults and request prayers concerning that. They’re seeking a location to hold it.

• In Belarus, a new believer named Svetlana is facing multiple challenges raising a disabled daughter alone while her husband is in prison. The church in Drogichin has helped with repairs to her dwelling place. They request prayer for wisdom and blessing in this.

• Because the United States has expelled Russian diplomats and closed the Russian Consulate in Seattle, deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Russia could hinder travel visas. Please pray that the current travel possibilities for BIEM’s American and Russian personnel will continue, since it’s vital for us to have direct contact with our partners in Russia.

BIEMs of Light March 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Bilogorodka, Ukraine, a man named Valera who had once been a concert violinist but sank into alcohol dependency for many years has been attending services. When someone in the U.S. donated a violin to BIEM, Pastor Eugene Buyko presented the instrument to Valera as a gift – “for ministry.” Moved to tears, a week later Valera played a hymn for the church. Pray for his salvation!

• Praise God for Muslims coming to Christ! Pastor Philip recently led 3 Muslims to faith in Jesus. A former imam who accepted Christ last summer has led an uncle to the Savior, and that man now attends a BIEM church plant. Also, Pastor Almond led a female Muslim to faith in Christ in a hospital. However, Mark and Fern, the only believers in their region of Central Asia, feel spiritually dry. Please pray for them to lead someone to Christ and for encouragement in a very tough place. 

• Vitaly Yurchenko reports that the Gospel puppet ministry in Chervona Sloboda had ten performances in just one month, which included prisons, orphanages, disabled children’s homes, and other churches. Even the city administration requested and received a performance. Praise God for so many opportunities to share Christ!

• In November’s BIEM’s of Light we requested prayer that Turkey would resume granting visas to Americans, which was halted due to a diplomatic dispute. Praise God this dispute has been resolved, and now BIEM personnel can travel through Istanbul once again, which is important for our outreach areas to certain countries

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Desna, Ukraine, the unsaved father of BIEM’s church planter Igor Fomichov suffered a stroke that affects his left side. It also affects his thinking: he says nonsensical things. Concerned, Igor talks and explains the Gospel, but isn’t sure his father understands at all. Please pray for his father, whose name is Grisha.

• Peruvian church-planter Ruben Villar Terrel is pleased with God’s blessing on their 40-member church. Yet, he foresees a coming need for deacons to help shoulder responsibilities. Please pray for God to prepare leaders who will be able to serve as deacons.

• In March, BIEM plans to bring Ukrainian church planters Vitaly and Katya Bilyak to the U.S. to visit supporting churches. Please pray that all goes well with their travels and for blessings for both them and the churches that receive them.

• In Facatativá, Colombia, William Suarez continues with the small church plant. The church has recently started a new women’s ministry. William’s main prayer request is the salvation of more souls as they do their part in the Great Commission.

BIEMs of Light February 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Belarus, BIEM was able to support financially Christmas outreaches from Dec. 24 – January 8. Hundreds attended these holiday services, including unsaved adults and orphans. Some had never attended any church service before. As a result, God was glorified, and some souls repented of sin and accepted the Savior!

• Praise God for open doors! In December, two BIEM missionaries helped oversee an evangelistic outreach in 20+ locations. Over 500 boxes containing small gifts (Bibles, children’s salvation tracts, stuffed animals, toothbrushes, bouncy balls, candy, etc.) were prepared by a church in Tbilisi and then sent to various church plants or refugee settlements around the country. Through preaching, Christian films, direct evangelism, or house-to-house visitation, the gospel was given to over 500 children and young people across Georgia, as well as to many of their parents.

• In Ukraine, three dedicated men were recently ordained to ministry. Two of them are BIEM missionaries. We praise God for men who sincerely love the Lord and desire to be used by Him!

• The Kiev seminary is expanding!  This winter session plans were laid to add a Missions Department to the existing Theology, Christian Education and Music Departments.  Please pray for this effort which will begin with the Fall 2018 semester.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In February, BIEM’s national missionaries Vitaly and Olena Yurchenko will be visiting supporting churches with Sam Slobodian. Please pray for safe traveling over many miles, plus blessed fellowship in the churches they visit.

• In Peru, Wilber Huillca again requests prayer for the indigenous Yine people group, among whom he is actively evangelizing. May God open eyes and give salvation.

• In Ternopil, Ukraine, Vitaly Bilyak reports that many new people have been attending services at the church’s new location. However, quite a few of them abstain from communion, which indicates they either aren’t saved or have unresolved sin. Please pray that they will be reconciled with God.

• The rehabilitation center near Ternopil also needs a couple more dedicated men to lead that ministry. Please pray for God to provide.

BIEMs of Light January 2018

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Praise God our container has arrived in Ukraine! Please pray for the distribution which has begun. 

• Andrei Eliseev, who oversees the rehabilitation center of New Life Baptist near Ternopil, Ukraine, was fervently praying for another man to assist in leading the ministry. And God provided! Brother Gennady, who himself was once addicted to substances and freed through rehab stepped forward to assist. Both Andrei and Gennady rejoice in God’s provision of a Christian man who has a sincere desire to help others in the same way he himself has been helped. 

• BIEM’s missionary Bruce Tuttle announced that, on December 16, the Pastors Training Institute in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, graduated 10 students. Their training constitutes about 2000 hours of classroom training and 60 classes. Some of those graduating already have a clear direction for their ministries, but we know all of them have hearts willing to be used in God’s harvest fields!

• Many of our church planters minister to needy places such as hospitals, senior care centers, orphanages and juvenile centers.  One of the women at a psychiatric hospital which has opened their doors to brother Sergei’s ministry recently told him, "Before your arrival, it was so noisy (there are many mentally ill people and some quite violent), but now it's quiet, probably because you came with Jesus and everything calmed down. Jesus can soothe any storm. Praise  God.”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Central Asia, Pastor Righteous requests prayer. He has seen a number of Muslims come to Christ in recent days. The local mosque responded by stirring up a group of angry men to come and pelt the house with stones four days in a row. He and his 7-year-old son were nearly hit. He’s concerned for the safety of his family. 

• In Belarus, BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk continues to experience debilitating back pain. Please pray for grace for him to minister despite the serious discomfort, but also for a permanent remedy to be found.

• In Western Ukraine, our missionaries Sergei & Vika Skripnik request prayer for their sons’ health. Timothy has difficulty breathing through his nose. The feeling is as if he has nasal congestion, but a doctor says the passages are clear. David has a skin irritation on his hands. They think it may be a reaction to the cold, although it’s never happened before.

• The church in Desna, Ukraine, has renewed their prayer request for a talented believer who can take charge of the music in services. As believers have gotten saved and moved away to minister elsewhere, this has left a vacuum in the church’s musical ministry.

Urgent Prayer Request

In Central Asia, Pastor Righteous requests prayer. He has led a number of Muslims to Christ in recent days. The local mosque responded by stirring up a group of angry men to come and pelt the house with stones four days in a row. He and his seven-year-old son were nearly hit. He's concerned for the safety of his family.
 

Challenger Update

Here is an excerpt from our most recent Challenger publication.

BIEM’s shipments of 40-ft. containers of humanitarian aid and church equipment are especially effective evangelistic tools. They open hearts to the Gospel, help new churches, and they lift up churches’ testimonies in their communities. Learn the encouraging details, in the words of Ukrainians themselves...

It’s such a blessing to see BIEM meeting not only spiritual needs in Ukraine, but also material needs. Because the economic crisis in Ukraine has dragged on for decades, people have seen humanitarian aid more than once. They distinguish good aid from a pile of rags. People who receive assistance from us are always grateful, because BIEM sends quality items.

When I consider the whole humanitarian-aid process — from receiving donated garments in Indiana all the way to distribution in churches, orphanages, and rehabilitation centers in Ukraine — I see the church of Jesus Christ united in fulfilling the Great Commission. Every carton of clothing, every chair, each blanket, is a token of God’s love, sent to Ukraine by brothers and sisters in America. This isn’t just a mountain of stuff. It’s carefully packed boxes of love in the form of folded blouses, sweaters, and pants.

When Eugene Buyko and I visited BIEM in America last spring, we helped to load a container. The process of shipping and receiving such aid is laborious. First, most of the clothing received at BIEM’s warehouse gets hand-sorted by volunteers. Sorting and packing requires much more than a few days. When the warehouse is full, it’s time to order a sea container. Once again, loading requires volunteers.

When loading, volunteers fill the container compactly. No empty space is left. The top is reserved for bulky or fragile things: bicycles, wheelchairs, cribs, strollers, etc. During loading, someone counts and logs each item. When full, the container undergoes fumigation. At last, a truck hauls the container to a port, where it’s loaded onto a ship. Transit takes two months.

Our Ternopil church enjoys good collaboration with Social Services in our city. They know people who truly need help and accompany them to our church on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We offer everyone Christian literature, plus a children’s Bible if they have kids.

Employees of Social Services feel at home in the church. I was talking to one, and he referred to it as “our church.” I smiled. I like this trend. We pray that people, “seeing your good deeds, glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12).

Friends, once more I want to express to you great thanks for your ministry to Ukraine through humanitarian aid.

— Vitaly Bilyak, Ternopil

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for your prayers and for the material aid, which is so vital. In the economic collapse in our land, there’s much poverty. The brothers and sisters of various churches are grateful for the clothing you provide. This clothing is vital for us, since not many people can buy new things. Our churches receive small offerings, so we’re unable to buy church furniture. So chairs, tables, and other things from the container are really useful.

Here, not many can buy a car, especially in villages. When one brother received a bicycle as a gift, he was ecstatic. Now he gets around much more quickly.

Surrounding our church is a chain-link fence. Where did we get the fencing? From a container, of course! You can’t imagine how much you help us. Without your aid, our missionaries couldn’t have established a single church. Not one church building has been built without your help, because we are “labourers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9).

Over and over, I want to express appreciation to you for your invaluable support. May the Lord bless you!

— Vitaly Yurchenko

Please consider giving towards the costs of shipping containers so that we can continue to further the Gospel through humanitarian aid. For more stories of how humanitarian aid has blessed people in Ukraine and surrounding areas, click here. 

Urgent Prayer Request

Our container bound for Ukraine is due to arrive in the port city of Odessa on December 7. Please pray that it can be successfully dispatched to Kiev and that our brethren there can succeed in the huge task of clearing it through customs.

BIEMs of Light December 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• We praise the Lord for yet another successful Bible Quest in Ukraine. In October, 20 different teams of young people studied all the parables of Jesus and joined in friendly competition against each other. Ultimately, everyone who participates benefits from godly fellowship and increased knowledge of God’s Word.

• Although summer camps are long over, we rejoice for continuing fruit of both children and adults who have begun to attend local churches because of the camps!

• In St. Petersburg, Russia, a born-again man from Kyrgyzstan has been using mp3 players (BIEM’s Hear It Now program) to witness to others who immigrated there from Central Asia!

• Join us in praising God for two more solid, Bible-believing men in Latin America who have applied to BIEM for aid to plant churches. (We will share more details in a future newsletter.)

Prayer – Pray with us!

• One of our missionary pastors in Russia is doing double-duty as both senior pastor and youth minister. Please pray that God will provide a young man with heart to accept the youth work. 

• One of our leaders in the Central Asian ministry requests prayer for a soon-to-be-released Tajik language version of the film King of Glory. Pray for many speakers of Tajik to be curious enough to view this film and understand the need of their own souls.

• Brother Andrey in another Central Asian country recently wrote us that many of the churches in his country were taking the week to pray and fast for the persecution of believers in Central Asia to subside, and that American churches would experience revival and not need persecution to wake us up. That’s a sobering thought! Let’s rally around those same prayer requests. 

• Our container bound for Ukraine is due to arrive in the port city of Odessa on December 7. Please pray that it can be successfully dispatched to Kiev and that our brethren there can succeed in the huge task of clearing it through customs.

BIEMs of Light November 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• The container loading we requested prayer for last month went very well.  Praise God for the volunteers who helped load and for the forklift that was provided, since this container had a lot of heavy items.  The container was due to leave port November 1st and should arrive by Christmas.
• In August we mentioned that a businessman volunteered to fund an electronic sign in front of the church building in Desna, Ukraine. Praise God the sign is now up and functioning and has already brought visitors into the church! Praise the Lord for yet another tool to attract souls.
• Although the 2017 summer camps are now behind us, we remain grateful to God (and to you) for making each of these camps possible.  3,614 children and teens heard the Gospel. Of those, camp leaders’ combined reports relate that 677 campers (and a few parents!) made specific decisions regarding repenting and asking the Lord to save them. A 2017 camp report is available upon request.
• Sam Slobodian and a couple of American pastors plan to travel to the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine at the end of November to minister to churches and BIEM missionaries there. A scheduled highlight of the trip will be the ordination of two BIEM workers in Ukraine, Alexander Petrenko and Lyosha Savchuk. We anticipate a joy-filled, God-glorifying trip!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Popina, Belarus, the small congregation of believers has been meeting in the home of Pastor Andrei Taranovich since they don’t yet have a church building. In the last couple days of October, two of the pastor’s grandsons were playing with fire and accidentally set fire to the interior of the home. Praise God, the boys ran outside in a panic and are safe, but now the pastor’s house (also the church’s place of worship) needs repairs they can’t afford. Please pray.
• In Fedorivka, Ukraine, Mikail Titarenko witnessed to three retired men living next door and had an excellent opportunity to share the Gospel. He asked for prayer for their salvation.
• The government of Turkey has suspended the issuance of visas to US citizens due to a diplomatic dispute. BIEM personnel often travel through Istanbul during trips overseas.  Please pray that this issue would soon be resolved.
• Pray for Sam Slobodian and a couple of American pastors planning to travel to the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine later this month to minister to churches and BIEM missionaries there. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel and encourage fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, especially through the ordination of Alexander Petrenko and Lyosha Savchuk. Praise God for providing dedicated laborers for the fields. 

Challenger Update

Here is a story from our most recent Challenger publication.

In August, Central Asian evangelist Elijah and his family saw God work in wonderful ways as they delivered mp3s with the New Testament, Bible lessons, Christian songs, and testimonies in Central Asian languages such as Tajik, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Russian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My name is Erkin. Because of my illness, I’m completely blind. I have been with Christ four years. I do not read and cannot move without help. Not long ago I was operated on and I began to see the glory of God. Still, to my great regret, I cannot read the Word of God. But not long ago God made me a wonderful gift. From the city came a minister [Elijah] and blessed me and gave me an mp3. I did not even know there is such a thing as mp3. Now I listen to the Word of God whenever I want. I am very grateful to God for such a wonderful gift. I do not have to ask someone to read the Word of God to me; now I listen to the Word of God when I want! Thanks to my God and those who donated their finances for this blessing. May God bless you abundantly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My name is Jyldyz. I was born in 1964. In 2015 I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I cannot
read the Word of God. I only listen to God’s Word in church. My eyesight is -9. God heard my prayers and through the ministers gave me an mp3 from which I can hear the Word of God. This is an incomparable blessing. When I received the mp3 into my hands, my tears began to ow. I am infinitely grateful to God and Jesus Christ. Thanks to all who have contributed to the spread of the Word of God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This year I will turn 89. My name is Vitaly. Since I see poorly, my wife wrote for me in large letters verses from the Scriptures every day. I could not read the Word of God, but now I have an mp3, and through it I listen to God’s Word. I was so glad when I was given this player. It is my dearest gift in life. When I received it, I did not let it out of my hand and enjoyed it all the time. I was edified by the Word of God and did not give it even to my wife. She took offense. [He laughs.] She complained to her friend about this and told God’s servants who distributed the mp3s. Finally, my desire was fulfilled; the Lord heard my wife’s prayer and answered. Now we listen to the Word of God together. All glory to God.

Gifts designated “Central Asia Ministry” will purchase more Here it Now! (HIN) players. Can you help?

BIEMs of Light October 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Through our Hear It Now! ministry, over 5,000 mp3 players have been distributed throughout Central Asia. These little electronic players carry the Good News, including the New Testament in their language, Old Testament lessons, songs, and testimonies by their own people. We receive reports of Muslims trusting Jesus as Savior every month. Praise God for using technology to reach restricted countries where Christianity is greatly suppressed!
• On October 14 we will be loading a forty-foot container bound for Ukraine. Praise God for all the donated items we have received for this shipment, which include a complete set of pews, 350 folding chairs, a pulpit, and 60 tables. Along with clothing, medical supplies and sports equipment, these items will be a great blessing for new churches in Ukraine. Please pray that the loading goes well.
• In Russia, what began as one Christian rehabilitation center has now grown to a network of 11 such centers. Over 2,000 have received help, and at least 400 former addicts now lead a sober, God-honoring lifestyle. Thank God this ministry continues!
• In the Fontibón district of Bogotá, Colombia, church planter William Suarez held a children’s event. “We were able to preach to many people. A number of children who attended were saved, and their parents also heard the Gospel.” May God water the seed’s sown in hearts!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Please pray for someone to help us create mobile apps for our Hear It Now! ministry to Central Asia. Our Central Asian workers have ideas but not the technical knowledge needed.
• On October 13-14 in Ukraine, a 4th “Bible Quest” will be held, with 120 teens participating. This event requires in-depth study of God’s Word, plus specific actions, such as going into the community to share the Gospel with someone and invite that person to church. Please pray for God’s blessing on this outreach that more workers for the harvest would be produced.
• In a Muslim land where women have no refuge from abusive, alcoholic men, BIEM has established a Women’s Shelter. Here, hurting women can find comfort and learn of a loving Heavenly Father. Pray for those who minister there: our brave national pastors (Almond, Zealous, Righteous), our courageous manager Julie, and her helper Rose. Pray for the women and kids at the Shelter to receive Jesus and stand strong in their new faith.
• During this month of October, Sam Slobodian will be traveling with 4 of our national church planters visiting in the United States. First Pavel Rumachik and Andrei Yudintsev from Russia will be here, followed by Eugene Buyko and Igor Fomichov from Ukraine. Please pray that God will bless the meetings where they will be speaking.

BIEMs of Light September 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Hallelujah! We requested prayer for two church planters whom BIEM had invited to speak in American churches to receive permission from the U.S. to come. Their interview at the embassy in Moscow went well, and they received visas. They plan to come this month!

• Although not all reports from summer camps are in, those we’ve received indicate happy children, happy parents, and tired (but happy!) workers. Many kids from non-Christian homes attended their first Christian camp and heard the Gospel. Workers express exuberant thank you’s to BIEM’s supporters for making such camps possible.

• Church planter Vitaly Yurchenko in Chervona Sloboda, Ukraine has been able to reach out to a local orphanage.  This can become a regular outreach.  Praise God!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• This month BIEM president Sam Slobodian will be in Kyiv, Ukraine, with 3 pastors (from Indiana and Minnesota), who will teach in our Fall Seminary session. They will also minister in churches and participate in baptismal services in Desna and Ternopil. Please pray for God to bless these sessions and baptisms, which are public evangelistic events.

• Last month we requested prayer for Rachel, our missionaries’ daughter with Lyme disease: They report, “Rachel is doing much better. Thank you for prayers. We wondered if 21 days of antibiotics would cure her, but for now her symptoms have ceased. We pray that she will not relapse and that our schedule of travel won’t adversely affect her health.”

• Writing from Peru, church planter Wilber Huillca reminds us of a basic truth: Christian workers pour out themselves for the sakes of those they try to reach and disciple for Christ, but they are not immune to attacks from the Devil. He says, “Pray for our spiritual lives. May God help us to conquer the trials that come every day. Pray, too, for economic provision for our family and the ministry….”

• BIEM missionary Igor Balashov is currently leading a team in the Far East of Russia, as far as the Magadan area. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work through them.

Urgent Prayer Request

In the same restricted-access country of Central Asia where police recently raided Pastor River’s church, Pastor Mark ministers in a totally different region. As Pastor Mark exited a building supply store today, two men attacked and viciously beat him. The attackers took no money. The assault is apparently related to his Christian faith in this predominantly Muslim land. Pastor Mark is currently being treated in a hospital. At the moment the extent of his injuries isn’t known, but doctors used many stitches around his mouth and his injuries are affecting his vision.    Please pray for him and his wife, Fern, who is expecting.

BIEMs of Light August 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Western Asia, two more souls have come to Christ in a Muslim land. This husband and wife faced many obstacles to faith. The husband was an atheist. The wife is in a wheelchair due to a serious accident and asked many “Why?” questions. God used our missionary Sasha and the Scriptures to remove the obstacles and replaced them with faith!
• When church-planter Igor Fomichov of Ukraine was visiting U.S. churches in July, he mentioned informally a long-range hope of mounting a Bible verse on the church building so soldiers passing by would see it. A businessman has stepped forward to fund something better: an electronic sign capable even of pictures. This project is now being pursued!
• Pastor River and his wife Hope have faced much pressure in Central Asia. The authorities raided a service at their home, then posted men to watch the residence. They also summoned those who had been present for questioning, which caused fears. Thanks to prayer by God’s people, the pressure on Pastor River is lessening for now. We don’t assume they are no longer under observation, but we praise God for this reprieve.
• In Peru, missionary Wilber Huillca reports, “Praise the Lord, we have been able to bring the Gospel to our brothers from different communities and ethnicities, such as the Yine, Yaminahua, Amahuaca, Kaquinte, Machiguenga, Ashaninca, Shahui, and others. During our stay here in Sepahua, God has opened doors for us with the Amahuaca and Yaminahua people, with whom we now face new challenges.” May God continue to bless and help!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Pray that two of our Russian church planters whom we have invited to visit the U.S. to speak in churches will be granted visas.  Their consultation at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow (which determines whether to grant the visas) is on August 3.
• The daughter of our missionary Tim experienced health problems following an insect bite (a tick). They had fly back to the U.S. on July 21, and she has since been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Please pray for restored health for this young lady.
• Please continue to uphold in prayer church planter Nikolai Ryzhuk in Belarus. He’s no longer bedridden, but his severe back pain does limit what he can do physically.
• The last of the summer camps will be taking place in August. Please pray for God to work in campers’ hearts!

Urgent Prayer Request Update

Thank you for praying for Brother River. While he is not in the free and clear, the persecution has eased for now. He wrote, "Thank you for your prayers, God has answered. Things have eased up and we are able to meet again." Please continue to pray for them as they can still be raided at anytime. Pray for wisdom and safety.

Challenger Update

Here is a story from our most recent Challenger publication.

When a sinner repents, Heaven rejoices. In our church, we too greatly rejoiced. Victor is a man for whom we have prayed a long time. He actively helped in building our church. He became the first person whose heart found peace in Christ after many years of wandering in darkness.

Victor came from the world, from a non-Christian family. All of Victor’s life passed without the Lord; therefore, when he repented that was a special event for us. Tears of joy welled in our eyes. We sang hymns of praise and thankfulness. The whole church got on their knees and gave praise to the Creator for this saved sinner.

However, while the church was rejoicing, the enemy of mankind’s souls was pre- paring a serious trial for Victor to shake his faith. When Victor’s wife learned he had repented, she began pressuring him psychologically. For two weeks she would not talk with her husband. Later she used words to pressure him at any opportunity. On Sunday mornings before worship service she would say, “Don’t forget to give away all the tithe to your church.” (That was as if to say, “Take all our money and give it to your church.”)

Friends and relatives wondered how it was possible he would no longer drink alcohol. They wondered if Victor had fallen into a cult.

It takes courage to openly declare you’ve become a follower of Christ, that you want to change your life, especially when everyone around you is far from God. There’s a risk everyone will turn away and say that you’ve lost your mind. But Victor had thought through his decision with regard to the Gospel and Christ. He openly said: “I am a believer. I no longer drink!” Thank God for his decision and courage. This was the first fruit of his repentance. 

For a long time, Victor has taken medicine for his heart and blood pressure. He has bottles of medicines standing on the windowsill in a certain order, so even with his eyes closed he can take the right one and make no mistake. One evening he came home after a hard day of work, and he took his pills, drank the necessary dose and...felt oddly. He lay down and all his body felt weightless. Victor thought he was dying. It turned out his daughter-in-law had unwittingly shuffled the medicines. As a result, he took ten times the normal dose of one medicine! When Viktor finally began to feel better, his concerned wife said tenderly: “Victor, go to your church. You will sing psalms. It will help you feel better.”

His wife’s new, softened attitude is a huge answer to prayer. Fellow church members in Ukraine were praying, and so were Americans Victor had met when they visited Bilogorodka to help with the church’s construction. People on both sides of the ocean prayed fervently.

There will be more trials in Victor’s future. We are praying, and we ask that you, dear brothers and sisters, please support Victor in prayer, that the Lord be with him in all his paths and give him peace of heart.

Thank you again to each of you who donated to BIEM’s church construction fund, which in turn led to Victor’s repentance. Saving sinners is the heart of ministry!

Urgent Prayer Request

Please pray for our national pastor, River, and his family who have been serving with BIEM for 12 years in a Muslim country. Sunday night, police broke into his home and disrupted a gathering of believers.  All the Bibles were confiscated.  The police demanded to know who the pastor was and declared they would put him in jail for a minimum of 15 days.  No one would say who the pastor was.  Ever since, an armed guard has been stationed at River's house.  River can't leave, nor can anyone come visit.  This is like an unofficial house arrest and local authorities may also be using this opportunity to collect more information about the group of believers.  River's wife, Hope, is eight months pregnant.  Please pray for their safety, especially that the intense pressure will not affect the pregnancy.

BIEMs of Light July 2017

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• The financial need for the summer camps has been met! These camps for children and teens have already begun, so this is also a prayer request for God to work through them.
• In Ukraine, two dedication ceremonies took place in June: the new church in Bilogorodka and the completely rebuilt Rehabilitation Center outside Ternopil. Both of these facilities turned out even better than imagined and stand out as wonderful testimonies.
• Last month, we asked that you pray for our shipping container to arrive quickly and pass through Ukrainian Customs. It did! The cargo of chairs included in this shipment arrived in the nick of time to seat everyone at the Bilogorodka dedication service! Praise the Lord!
• We also requested prayer that two foreign-born coworkers be granted visas to visit the USA. God granted this request! In May and part of June, Igor (church planter in Ukraine) and Sasha (a BIEM national missionary in a restricted country) were able to visit many churches, where they preached and shared directly about their respective mission fields.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In a restricted-access nation in Central Asia, 50 children came for camp. A number of them made professions of faith in Christ, but 6 in particular gave evidence of truly understanding their need of Christ.  Later, after local policemen threatened and intimidated our BIEM missionary against preaching and holding services, 90 people came for family camp. There, 8 former Muslims placed their trust in Christ as Savior! Please pray for continuing fruit and for safety for our personnel.
• In Peru, missionary Wilber Huillca and others will soon begin creating an audio recording of the Bible in Yine, the language of one of the tribal groups in the Peruvian jungle. Please pray for God to bless and use this project to save many more souls for His Kingdom.
• In Belarus, even though BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk’s spinal condition is better (less painful) than previously, he still cannot perform manual labor or drive long distances. Please pray for relief for this brother.
• BIEM’s missionary Micah Tuttle (Republic of Georgia) shares this request, which all of our missionaries could echo: “As you pray for us, pray for a sincere love for men’s souls, for a bold courage in our witness, for a pure heart before God, and for a steadfast faithfulness in this ‘good’ fight. We are very much aware of the need for prayer support back home and are incredibly thankful for your prayers, your love, and your financial support!”