War Relief Updates - June 28, 2024

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

1. Much of the war relief that we provide for those suffering the consequences of the war in Ukraine goes towards expenses like food, clothing, medical supplies & costs, repairs to damaged homes, protective gear, and equipment for soldiers connected to our churches—generators, power banks, and coal and wood for heating. This week we received heartfelt thanks for war relief of a different type. Expressing thanks were several soldiers who received high-end First Aid kits and a Christian volunteer for whom we helped to purchase a vehicle (a used 4x4 Lada Niva), which he uses to transport wounded from the front lines to where they can receive medical care.

2. Sergiy Koop in Ternopil continues to stay in touch with numerous soldiers who were helped through our war-relief distributions. Several are now tuning into his church services online. Please pray for their salvation. One has been transferred to the Ternopil area, so he has been attending the church services. When the church has sufficient funds, they plan to upgrade their equipment to improve the quality of these broadcasts.

3. Shortly after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Sofia Buyko accepted her husband’s wishes and departed for Poland with their 3 daughters. In Poland, and later in Germany, the 4 were safe from the aerial bombings and atrocities being committed by occupying forces. But as time passed, they decided to leave their place of safety and return to Ukraine even though war was still raging. Why would they do that? Listen to their own answer in this 3-minute video, “The Decision to Return.”

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/thedecision

4. More than once, we have requested prayer for Oleg, the brother of BIEM missionary Sasha Petrenko. Oleg disappeared soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, and for a long time the family didn’t know where he was or even whether Oleg was still alive. Praise God, Oleg was among the 90 POWs that Russia this week swapped soldiers that Ukraine had captured. Of those released back to Ukraine, Oleg was one of those in the worst physical condition. He was transported to a hospital, where Sasha was told that his brother faced a long recovery period. Of course, the family is rejoicing that Oleg survived his ordeal and that he is back in Ukraine again!

If you would like to see a mass media news article with a heartwarming video about this exchange, here is one such link:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/russia-ukraine-each-return-90-prisoners-of-war/ar-BB1oTvDH

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 21, 2024

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

1. This year, we had to do something we didn’t want to do—raise our target goal for summer camps to $60,000. Although the war in Ukraine has driven up prices, making this change necessary, that amount seemed enormous. We had never set such a goal for camp. But, praise God, He provided this amount through all of you! (In fact, for once our spring Challenger newsletter—now in production—will not mention the need for camp funds because you all beat us to it!) Also, God blessed by providing quick passage of our most recent container of supplies to Ukraine. Since we included many items for use in camps, our Ukrainian missionaries were thrilled to receive it!

2. Igor Fomichov in Desna requests prayer for two members of the church who have been sent to the war front. Vova is a deacon, and Roma is a soldier. Both were both saved through this ministry. Since both men were heavily involved in war-relief distributions, their absence will leave a gap in the ministry. They have been sent to one of the most dangerous areas of the front, where daily deadly battles take place. This is devastating news for their families and the church. Please pray that God will protect them and use them to share Christ where they are.

3. In Ukraine, the town of Posad-Pokrovske became a key strategic front in the defense of Mykolaiv and in the fight to liberate Kherson. But relentless Russian shelling left 90% of its 940 houses severely damaged or destroyed, and residents can hardly imagine how to recover. BIEM missionary Pavel Usach and a team of fellow church members have made several trips from Zdolbuniv to Posad-Pokrovske in the south near Kherson. The church building, too, was extremely damaged. So, with aid from BIEM, Pavel and the others have been serving this community and helping the congregation to make a comeback!

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/posad-pokrovske

4. BIEM is grateful for the donations we receive for this ministry, whether they be funds, gently used clothing, medical supplies, or church furniture & equipment. This week, two extraordinary gifts especially blessed us. One was a deluxe weightlifting center, which will go to the Desna Drug and Rehabilitation Center. The rehabilitation program there emphasizes Bible study, counseling, and performing work, but it also includes physical exercise. As these men strive to build back bodies that have wasted away from drug and alcohol abuse, this equipment will get a lot of use. We also received a $12 gift from an 11-year-old named Maria. She designated her donation to help a child orphaned by the war. Maria’s gift really touched our hearts.

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 14, 2024

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

1. Thank you for praying for Pasha Usach’s trip last week, when he was delivering war relief and sharing the Gospel near Kherson. Best of all, some listeners made salvation decisions during meetings as the Gospel was presented. Several youths from Pasha’s home church participated in this trip, so the team consisted of 12 people aboard multiple vehicles since they were transporting a large amount of aid from BIEM’s most recent container. Pasha reports that the trip went well and that they all returned safely. We will be posting a video featuring this trip in the near future.

2. We have been greatly encouraged by the pictures, videos, and thank-you messages that we have received from soldiers who received warm clothing, New Testaments, and Gospel literature during our special project in December - February. The upcoming issue of our newsletter, The Challenger, is an expanded version that features a sampling of testimonies and photos. Since it is at the printers, you should receive it soon if you are on the Challenger mailing list. If not, you have time to subscribe. This issue is particularly heartwarming and is sure to bless each one who gave and prayed for this project.

3. Our Ukrainian church planter Vitaly Bilyak often receives the question, “Can Ukraine Win the War?” In the following video clip, he addresses that exact same question. We encourage you to watch, listen, and then to pray!

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/canukrainewin

4. Please pray that God would continue to bless our War Relief fund with donations. (And perhaps you can be a partial answer to that prayer?) Already this month, we have distributed close to $20,000 in war relief to various serious needs. Though the media do not provide much war news these days, the war continues. In fact, over the last several weeks Russia’s attacks have intensified and knocked out 50% of Ukraine’s power supply. As a result, we are getting more requests for generators, and those who have already received generators often repeat their gratitude, mentioning how these generators have been vital to their ministries. (To date, BIEM has distributed more than $250,000 just for generators. May God be praised!)

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - June 7, 2024

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

1. This weekend, Pasha Usach and a few others are traveling to the Kherson area with a load of war-relief supplies he received from our container. One of the places where he will be distributing and sharing the Gospel is the location where two elderly ladies opened their home to start a church through Pasha’s encouragement. A few weeks ago, we posted a video about this new church. If you missed it, you can see that video via the following link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/oneplusone

This is a needy and dangerous area, and BIEM has regularly provided it with food, clothing, firewood, medicine, and repair of damaged homes. Many locals have come to Christ as a result of all this outreach. In fact, 70+ people now attend this new church! Please pray for Pasha and those traveling with him that the Lord would protect them and use this effort for His glory.

2. One of the key men in our war relief efforts is Yura, our church planter in Lviv, Ukraine. Besides his role in distribution, he is one of two men who uses his family car to drive us and other BIEM personnel from Poland to Ukraine and back when we arrive from the US. Because he has 3 small children, he is allowed to cross the border and so plays an important role in our efforts. Yura’s worn-out vehicle needs replacing, and he has an opportunity to upgrade to a much better vehicle for about $10,000. Please pray that the Lord will provide for this need.

3. Under the supervision of Nadia Lovytska, dedicated volunteers in Ukraine work together to create packets of dried soups and other food for soldiers on the war front. BIEM has provided war relief funds to boost this project, which is greatly valued by the recipients. A second video will be forthcoming soon, but for now the following link will give you a closer look...

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/driedfoods

4. Concerning our summer camps, about 3 weeks ago we sent out a letter informing supporters that we had only $19,000 of the $60,000 needed for our summer camps. By the time we published our June BIEM’s of Light, that amount had surpassed $34,000. Today the figure is close to $40,000, and a church just contacted us to say they are sending $5,000. Praise God! Please pray with us for the remaining $15,000 needed.In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - May 31, 2024

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

1. In Smolyn, Ukraine, the new church has an unsaved neighbor, Pasha. He works for the local fire and rescue department. Although not a believer, Pasha became heavily involved in the church’s distribution of war relief. However, his entire department received a summons to report to the military recruitment office. Some hoped that working for the fire and rescue department would exempt them from military service. Not so. All of them were told to prepare for deployment. However, after the church prayed for the Lord to intervene for Pasha, he received unexpected orders. Instead of going to the war front, Pasha was assigned to duties at the local military base. This answer to prayer has made a profound impact on Pasha. Please join this church in praying for his salvation.

2. Regular readers of these updates will recall Misha, a nephew of BIEM missionaries who put his trust in the Lord about 2 years ago while serving in the Ukrainian army. Amazingly, Misha has survived battle after battle and even mine explosions. However, his unit had not been heard from in 8 days. This is highly unusual. Our missionary stated, “We haven't heard from Misha since Sunday. We are fearing the worst. He always checks in.” However, just this afternoon they received word from Misha that he is neither killed nor captured and is not being pulled back somewhat from the front. Praise God!

3. BIEM missionary Vitaly Bilyak loves the various evangelistic and discipleship opportunities made possible through summer camps, which have become part of our war relief. In this video, he shares his personal perspectives on the benefits of holding summer camps for children and teens even while war rages in Ukraine. We invite you to view this short video interview, “Setting Our Hearts on Summer Camps.” Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/settinghearts

4. We periodically mention BIEM missionary Sasha Petrenko. In addition to being a church planter, Sasha has played a key role in distributing war relief in Ukraine. Because he serves as a deputy on the town council and has a solid, friendly relationship with the mayor, Sasha has had unusual access to areas near the front lines, where he has shared the Gospel with soldiers while distributing aid. But a recent medical exam revealed that Sasha now has Hepatitis C (a serious viral infection that affects the liver). On Monday he meets with doctors to hear their treatment plan. He requests prayer that the treatment will allow him to continue distributing war relief and sharing the Gospel in sensitive areas.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - May 24, 2024

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

1. We have received a prayer request from Pasha Usach, our church planter in Zdolbuniv, Ukraine. He has just received our latest container. Apparently, this shipment falls under new guidelines for receiving humanitarian aid, which now add many more reporting requirements. These requirements present an overwhelming task. Not needing to deal with such documentation was a great blessing while the special wartime exemption for such documentation existed. Evidently, those days are over. Pasha certainly needs prayer as he slogs through the monumental task ahead of him.

2. We mentioned in last week’s updates that Vitaly Bilyak from Ternopil in Western Ukraine is temporarily visiting BIEM in the US to speak in churches. Our first meeting was in Kentucky. In that service we met Anatoly, a Ukrainian man who recently arrived in the US as a refugee from the war. He told us that he well recalls my father’s sermons that we broadcast throughout the Soviet Union over international shortwave radio over 30 years ago. What a blessing and encouragement to hear that Anatoly and many folks he knew were regular listeners and still remember Peter Slobodian!

3. Speaking of Vitaly Bilyak, in his 17th evangelistic-aid trip to the south and east of Ukraine, Vitaly ministered to both hurting civilians and the soldiers defending them. But the trip was not without cost. A Russian drone targeted Vitaly’s car with a grenade. By God’s grace, Vitaly survived, but shrapnel from the blast caused extensive damage to his vehicle. In this video, “Serving Those Who Have Suffered Loss,” he shares some of the sights and sounds from that trip:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/servingthosewhosuffer

4. This week, one of our missionary couples to restricted lands visited the BIEM home office for a couple of days. They brought a large trailer full of war relief items that a service organization had donated for our next container—wheelchairs, walkers, and many boxes stuffed tightly with brand-new socks. While the husband spent many hours in ministry-related meetings with BIEM personnel, the wife spent hours in our warehouse sorting and packing dozens of boxes of donated clothing that needed to be prepared for shipment. What blessings!

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - May 10, 2024

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

1. On May 8, Russia targeted Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure with a massive wave of 55 missiles and 21 explosive drones, according to CNN and AP reports. This largest attack in several weeks struck 6 different geographic regions. Although Ukraine’s Energy Minister states Russia is attempting to halt Ukraine’s ability to generate and transmit energy, civilian homes are also getting pounded, and civilian lives are lost. BIEM is thankful to the Lord for protecting our seminary students in Kyiv as well as Sam Slobodian and those traveling with him to various cities and ministries across that country.

2. Two months ago, BIEM shared a proposed project from Awakening Baptist Church in the Obolon District of Kyiv, Ukraine. Pastor Nikolai Rozhnyatovsky was praising God for new opportunities to aid and evangelize refugees from Bakhmut with help from an unlikely source—the city administration. In the following video, Pastor Nikolai gives an update on the development of this new outreach.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/responding-2

3. In 2023, we told of an especially distraught family of refugees from Berdyansk, Ukraine (in the east), who had arrived in the western city of Lviv. There, the church pastored by BIEM’s Yura Levtseniuk extended assistance and humanitarian aid provided by BIEM. The mother, Nelya, told how Russian troops had captured her daughter, whom they abused and killed and dismembered into pieces before calling the family to come and fetch what was left of her. Now we have received additional news: Eventually, 18 members of Nelya’s extended family likewise ended up in Lviv, where Yura and the church minister to them as well. Many of these 18 are attending church, and several have put their trust in Christ. Some are planning to be baptized in the next few weeks, along with other converts who were first drawn to the church through our war relief efforts. Praise God!

4. Container update! Our latest container of war relief and supplies for churches (which we shipped on March 21) has cleared Ukrainian Customs and arrived today at its destination in Zdolbuniv. Its cargo includes secondhand clothing & shoes; medical items such as disposable masks, disposable diapers, wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and walkers; household items such as blankets, sheets, pillows, and basic tools; children’s toys, foodstuffs such as rice, macaroni, canned soups, and baby formula; mixed sports equipment for children’s camps; office equipment; plus various miscellaneous useful items. After the cargo has been unloaded, the metal container itself will be transported to the church’s nearby campground, where it will become a solid storage unit for the camp. Thank you for praying for this shipment!

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - May 3, 2024

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

1. Greetings from Ukraine, where we are in the Kyiv area for the Spring session of our seminary along with two American pastors who are doing the teaching. We are thrilled that 40 students are in attendance, which is surprising considering the difficult obstacles caused by the war. Besides the blessing of intense Biblical teaching, the students enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie that always seem to develop lifelong ministry relationships. The moments when they blend their voices to praise God in song truly warm the heart. However, there was sad news yesterday—a couple of the students heard that Russia had just bombed their hometown. Before long, media broadcasts showed a video that broke their hearts. These events gave other students an opportunity to comfort them and give BIEM yet another avenue where we can glorify God by providing direct war relief. Please continue to pray that this war will end.

2. A couple of months ago, we posted a video about a proposed project to help the 8,000-12,000 refugees from Bahkmut that the Ukrainian government has evacuated to the Obolon district of Kyiv. In this district, the city administration approached Awakening Baptist Church (BIEM’s first church plant in Ukraine) and asked whether the church could help refugees in any way. After discussions, the church leaders and city administration developed a plan in which the city would bring about 100 refugees to the church every other week. There, the refugees would first hear a clear presentation of the Gospel and then would receive material aid. Today we attended one of these meetings and learned that the Lord has blessed them. Souls have come to Christ, and the church’s reputation has risen in the eyes of the community as it reflects God’s love in both word and deed. Currently, 5 of these new converts are regularly attending the services. Praise God!

3. In the city of Lviv, Ukraine, BIEM missionary Yura Levtseniuk, is laboring among locals and war refugees to enlarge the Kingdom of God by winning souls for Christ in his city. Listen to him share about God’s working here:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/enlarginggodskingdom

4. Tomorrow (Saturday, May 4), spring classes at our seminary will end. Then, for the next few days, we will be visiting places and projects where BIEM’s war-relief efforts have been directed. One stop we plan to make is in the town of Smolin, which is right next to the Goncharovsk military base where Sasha Petrenko has established a church that reaches out to both the military base and the town of Smolin. Brother Sasha just received word that Julia—a daughter-in-law of one of their church members in Smolin and was serving in the Ukrainian military—was killed in action. Sasha has been reaching out to her husband Vadim, who is in shock and despair. Please pray for this heartbreaking situation, which is another opportunity to demonstrate the love of God through our war relief efforts.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - April 26, 2024

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

1. Our container of humanitarian aid did not arrive in the Polish port as originally scheduled this past Monday. The shipping company’s revised date for arrival is April 30th. However, there is good news: Because Polish farmer protests had blockaded truck traffic into and out of Ukraine, BIEM was compelled to transport our previous container into Ukraine via railroad. (Polish farmers were protesting the import of Ukrainian agricultural products entering Poland.) But recently, those blockades have been lifting, thus allowing truck traffic to resume. Although some news outlets predict there may still be intermittent protests in the future, for now our Ukrainian brethren rejoice at this news, because trucking our containers over highways is quicker and simpler than making railroad arrangements.

2. On Saturday, April 20, BIEM received a truckload of donated items from Faith Baptist Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The bulk of this cargo consisted of gently used clothing and footwear, walkers, and crutches—all items that are in great demand during this time of war in Ukraine. Currently, these boxes and bags of clothing are in our warehouse, where volunteers will sort and pack them tightly for shipment on our next container of war relief. It’s always difficult to answer the question, “When are you sending your next container?” because shipments depend on how quickly we receive enough donations to fill one. However, we can say that a truckload such as this one certainly shortens the amount of time needed to make a full load! 

3. Ever since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, part of BIEM’s war relief has gone to aid elderly refugees. Many of these people lived alone on a tiny, monthly pension and didn’t have family to help them. Here, BIEM’s Pavel Usach shares one of the ways that his church actively takes elderly believers under its wing in Hlyns’k, Ukraine, using the aid that you friends provide through BIEM:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/aidingelderly

4. On April 20, BIEM posted a video titled “Papa Survived the Bombing. Mama Didn’t.” That video was a brief account from Ukrainian believer Sergei Gaidarzhi, who survived the Russian bombing of his apartment building in March that killed his young wife Anna and 4-month-old son. Since that bombing, Brother Sergei was invited to the U.S., where he met and shared his tragic experiences with House Speaker Mike Johnson and others. In fact, many people credit Sergei’s personal testimony for swaying some who had previously opposed aid for Ukraine to change their mind. If you haven’t yet seen that video, it’s available for viewing here:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/papasurvived

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - April 19, 2024

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

1. On April 17, around 9:00 a.m. local time, the city of Chernihiv, Ukraine, was pummeled by multiple Russian missiles. According to CNN, buildings that were struck included a hospital, a hotel, and an institute of higher education. Reports indicate at least 18 were killed and 78 others injured. Chernihiv is the capital of the Chernihiv region, where BIEM has church planters who are shepherding ministries on two key military bases. These men and their churches request prayer—their military contacts state that more attacks on the region are being planned, some targeting their locales. Please uphold our brethren in Chernihiv with prayers for God’s protection.

2. In October 2023, a BIEM shipment of war-relief items included over 10,000 cans of powdered baby formula, a commodity that is in great demand in Ukraine but is extremely expensive there. That shipment continues to bear fruit. People who hear of our shipment are contacting our missionaries for help. These connections provide many opportunities to share the Gospel. For example, Vitaly Yurchenko in Chervona Sloboda reports that a family with an infant that recently fled from their home near the war front to the Kyiv area contacted him based on information the family had gleaned in a chat group. As Vitaly worked out the details of providing them with baby formula, he found them very open to the Gospel, too. One big factor in their openness is the fact that, immediately after they evacuated, a bomb exploded in their garden, destroying much of their home. Had they not fled when they did, they would’ve been killed. These parents see God’s mercy in this and are now attending church. Some members of that family have put their faith in Christ!

3. It would be impossible for BIEM to share details of every Ukrainian death caused by the Russian war on Ukraine. However, here’s a glimpse into a very special one: Anna Gaidarzhi—a wife, mom, and daughter of a pastor in Odesa, Ukraine. Because she served as a volunteer at BIEM’s annual Bible Quests, Anna was known and loved in churches all over Ukraine... Please watch this touching video, “Papa Survived the Bombing. Mama Didn’t.”

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/papasurvived

4. Our container of war-relief supplies and ministry items for churches that we shipped on March 21 is scheduled to arrive in the Polish seaport of Gdynia on Monday, April 22. Then begins the huge challenge of transporting it into Ukraine. Please pray that our Ukrainian brethren can work out all the transportation details quickly to avoid the storage fees that occur when containers remain in the port beyond a few days.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - April 12, 2024

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

1. Our most recent shipment of humanitarian aid for Ukraine departed on March 21 and, praise the Lord, friends have been donating toward our next shipment. This week alone, several friends of BIEM have stopped by the office to donate gently used clothing and other items. Plus, a women’s ministry in Indianapolis donated a vanload of feminine products and brand-new ladies’ undergarments, a gift of about 2,500 items.

2. The Ukrainian legislature has proposed a much-anticipated law concerning mobilization for military service. Many Ukrainians were hoping this proposed law would limit military duty to 36 months. However, the final wording contains no such provision. Ukrainian lawmakers suggested they may revisit this issue later. However, this bill would make it harder to avoid mobilization. For example, the bill mandates carrying a military registration document that must be produced when requested by authorities, and there are penalties for not having registration. No changes in law would cause clergy to lose their exemption from combat service, which we hope will remain the case, since our pastors are involved in distributing humanitarian aid. At this point, the proposed law requires the speaker’s signature followed by the president’s signature, after which it becomes official law in 30 days.

3. Along with several others, BIEM missionary Sasha Petrenko takes monthly trips to the war-torn areas of eastern Ukraine. Using aid provided by BIEM, his church in Smolin, Ukraine, prepares packets of food and purchases useful items like chainsaws (to facilitate cooking and heating). Of course, whether Sasha ministers to the military or to civilians, he always takes the Word of God, which is necessary for the saving of souls. By clicking the following link, you can see which kinds of items this congregation is sending to encourage men at the front:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/preparingfood

4. Some of you may remember Sasha, a soldier who appeared in a video with Vitaly Bilyak during one of his trips to the war front to distribute aid and share the Gospel with civilians and the military. Newly saved, Sasha wanted to be baptized in Ternopil, which would require him to wait until he received a leave. However, Sasha was told that no leaves were being granted because there were no replacements available to take the place of those due for leave. Still, Sasha and the Ternopil church have been praying that he would somehow receive permission to go. Recently Sasha’s commander woke him at 2 am and told him to pack to go to Ternopil because Sasha had been promoted and needed to take care of matters at the military offices there. So, Sasha ended up spending two weeks in Ternopil, allowing plenty of time to be baptized and to fellowship with his brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise God for answered prayer!

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - April 5, 2024

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

1. BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak is safe at home after surviving a drone attack while delivering aid and sharing the Gospel at the war front near Kherson. Praise God, Vitaly was unhurt! However, his vehicle sustained $5,000 worth of damage due to the exploded glass, tires, and extensive shrapnel holes in the car’s body. We here want to pay for the repairs needed on his personal vehicle. Any gifts towards this need would be greatly appreciated.

2. Some of you may remember how, during the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we evacuated some families from Bucha, the site of horrible atrocities committed by the Russian occupying force. This area is only 3 miles from Brother Vitaly Yurchenko’s church in Chervona Sloboda, so the congregation received and aided many refugees who were fleeing the area. After Bucha was liberated, the Lord enabled us to start a new church in that region in Nizhylovychi as a result of the war relief we were pouring in through our brethren. The Kyiv Post produced the following video about that area, and we believe you will find it both interesting and heartbreaking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9ieUX0wspM

3. In our video update for this week, BIEM’s Ukrainian missionary Pavel Usach shares how God used war relief and two senior sisters to open their doors for church services during the war in Ukraine. They began with just themselves, but God multiplied the number of people coming for worship to 70! Truly, where 2 or 3 are gathered in the Lord’s name, there is He in their midst:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/oneplusone

4. You might recall that we had requested prayer concerning a missing soldier Oleg, the brother of BIEM church planter Sasha Petrenko. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Oleg went missing. For about two years the family didn’t know whether Oleg was dead or alive. But now Oleg’s name has appeared on a Russian list of Ukrainian prisoners who are scheduled to be released in the next prisoner swap. Praise God for this wonderful answer to prayer! Please keep praying that the next prisoner swap will take place soon and go smoothly so Oleg can finally return home.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - March 28, 2024

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

1. A new, proposed Ukrainian law would eliminate the exemption that clergy currently have from being conscripted to serve in the war. If this proposal actually becomes law, it would very likely impact BIEM’s Ukrainian national missionaries. The conscription of any of our Ukrainian missionaries would impact our war-relief efforts, since they are heavily involved in evangelism connected with distributions of aid. Please pray that this measure is defeated in the months ahead.

2. On March 21, BIEM shipped another container of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, where churches will use its contents to assist refugees and others who are in need because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. This shipment also includes many items for children’s ministry, such as 10 complete sets of flannelgraphs for Bible lessons and equipment for children’s camps. In our video “Another Container Departs for Ukraine” coworker Pavlo Usach shares his thanks and explains why such supplies are so crucial:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/anothercontainer

3. In connection with #2 above, the container of war relief and supplies for our church planters’ ministries is scheduled to arrive in Poland in early May. From there, normal procedure is for the container to be hauled into Ukraine by truck. However, Polish farmers continue to block truck traffic at the Ukrainian borders in protest over the lower wheat prices they are experiencing, for which they blame Ukraine. Supposedly, both Poland and Ukraine are hailing progress concerning regulating food imports, but a final agreement remains “elusive.” Please pray that this matter will be resolved soon so it will not slow or block the transport of our humanitarian-aid container into Ukraine.

4. On the morning of Wednesday, March 27, our Ukrainian missionaries Pavel Usach and Igor Fomichov left our BIEM office and flew out of Indianapolis on their way back to Ukraine. We are happy to announce they arrived in Poland without incident. From the airport, they headed toward the Ukrainian border and managed to cross into their own country at about 9:30 p.m., according to their local time. Although both men wished they could have had more time to visit American churches and bring updates, both are also relieved to hurry back to their families during these trying times. They express appreciation for everyone they managed to see during this trip and for all those who donated clothing, medical supplies, and other items for ministry in Ukraine that they personally assisted in loading onto the container.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - March 22, 2024

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

1. BIEM’s next container of humanitarian aid is on its way to Ukraine! This is an especially heartfelt cause for praise because the shipping company had originally dropped off the wrong container. Our loading time was cut in half because it took them a day and a half to swap out the wrong one for the container that we had purchased. But we thank the Lord for local volunteers who came and contributed their time and muscles, enabling us to have this cargo packed tightly and ready to roll when the driver showed up at 8:50 a.m. on March 21. Praise God!

2. On Sunday, March 10, BIEM’s missionary Vitaly Bilyak came under attack while conducting his 17th evangelism & humanitarian-aid trip in the Donbas region. Shortly after preaching in a packed-out church, he was driving to his next destination and slowed down as he approached two bombed vehicles by the roadside. Precisely as he was passing those vehicles, a Russian drone targeted his car with a grenade. Watch a video of that incident as Vitaly explains how it happened here:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/amiracle

3. Igor Fomichov and Pavlo Usach are temporarily with us in the U.S. and are doing a wonderful job in sharing firsthand with churches how God is using war relief from BIEM to reach souls for Christ in Ukraine. We have had meetings in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. We still have meetings in Michigan before these men return to their homes in Ukraine. However, we request in advance your prayers for their return trip on March 27. In protests to protect their own produce markets, Polish farmers have been blocking crossing points on the Ukrainian border with Ukraine. Please pray our men will be able to cross the border into their homeland without delays.

4. Please continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Even though the situation now receives little attention from our American media, the war still continues. Just this very morning (March 22), in a massive missile and Shahed drone bombardment on Ukraine, Russia damaged Ukrainian power plants and caused blackouts for more than a million Ukrainians. A BBC report stated there is no power in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. The Ukrainian president stated that the overnight attacks consisted of 90 missiles and 60 Shehed drones. (The number of Russian projectiles fired at Ukraine is already over 1,000 for March alone.) Please do not be weary in praying for an end to this aggression.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - March 15, 2024

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

1. On Sunday, March 10th, BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak was busy with his 17th evangelistic-aid trip to Ukraine’s war-torn Kherson region. Shortly after he drove away from a packed church where he had preached to hundreds of people, Vitaly’s car came under attack by a drone. Evidently, the drone operator attempted a drop a grenade on Vitaly’s clearly civilian car. The blast beside the vehicle shattered the rear and right-side glass windows, punctured Vitaly’s tires, and punched shrapnel holes in the car’s body. Despite all the damage to his vehicle, praise the Lord, Vitaly himself was unhurt! Soldiers manning a nearby checkpoint on the road heard the blast and drove over to see what was happening. Although Vitaly ended up driving a distance on flat tires, the military assisted by summoning a tow truck with a flatbed trailer, which hauled Vitaly and his vehicle to a place where he could buy replacement tires and plastic sheeting with duct tape to cover his windows. Vitaly understands that many of you pray regularly for his safety as he makes these hazardous trips, so he thanks everyone who upholds him this way. Your prayers are valuable!

2. In Odesa, Ukraine—and far beyond that city’s limits—believers are broken-hearted. On March 2, during nighttime, pastor’s daughter Anna Gaidarzhi was sleeping with her 4-month-old baby, Timothy. Meanwhile, Anna’s husband Sergei was in the neighboring bedroom trying to get their daughter Liza sleepy. But then a Russian drone exploded into their apartment building. Sergei and Liza made it out of the chaos, but Anna and baby Timothy were nowhere to be found. Sergei waited all day for word as rescue workers dug through rubble in search of survivors. When they uncovered Anna and her baby, it was clear they had perished in their sleep. Because Anna had been a regular worker in the annual Bible Quest organized by BIEM’s Pavel Usach, believers from churches all over Ukraine knew her personally. Sergei says it’s a relief for him to know that his loved ones did not suffer.

3.  On the north side of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, Awakening Baptist Church (one of the first planted by BIEM), noticed the influx of thousands of refugees who fled from the war in Bakhmut and its surrounding area. Seeing an opportunity for ministry, the church approached the city administration and explained that they would like to reach out to these refugees with aid and the Gospel. The city accepted that offer of help and gave the church the contact information for thousands of refugees lodged there. In other words, the civil authorities are helping Christians as they exercise Christian love and reach out to the newcomers with material assistance and God’s Word! Listen as Pastor Nikolai Rozhnyatovsky excitedly shares about this new outreach, made possible in part with help from BIEM:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/responding

4. Ukraine, one of our partnering churches operates a Christian Retirement center that normally houses 8-12 people. A different retirement center in the city of Kharkiv is evacuating its premises due to constant Russian shelling in the area. (In 2022, Russian forces were driven out of this area, but they continue to attack it with bombs and drones.) Accommodating 30 more people will require some major adjustments and repairs to the church-operated facility but, praise God, this is a need BIEM is helping with from our War Relief funds. Thank you for your gifts, which will not only provide housing for elderly ones in need but will settle these newcomers in a place where they will regularly hear the Gospel and see believers demonstrating the love of God.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - March 8, 2024

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

1. In our War Relief Updates for March 1, we requested prayer that our Ukrainian brethren Igor Fomichov and Pasha Usach be permitted to exit Ukraine temporarily to come to the U.S. God has answered those prayers! Both men arrived safely in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 5, without any hindrances. Having them speak in our American churches is always a blessing, both for us and for the congregations who receive them. This Sunday, March 10, they will be speaking in churches in Raleigh, NC, and sharing what a huge encouragement and help BIEM’s war relief gifts are. May God bless these meetings!

2. Continuing the thought in #1 above, on the same day that Pasha Usach arrived in the U.S., a Russian-launched Shahed drone bore down on his city of Zdolbuniv. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted that attack not far from Pasha’s home. The resulting thunderous explosion right over a residential district struck fear into many. Such events can easily cause our visitors from overseas to wish they were back home to comfort their wife and children. May God protect the families of these men as they wait for their return!

3. In today’s video, Pastor Sergei Kostin from the Kherson area of southeast Ukraine shares his experiences of being under bombardment by Russian forces. Not only did his home suffer greatly, but his daughter and granddaughter did, too. You can view the video “We just pray this will end” here:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/wejustpray

Note: You may download a full translation of the personal testimony Pastor Sergei gave in a church at This Link.

4. Because of the devastation in Brother Sergei’s region, there is no work available.  Pastor Sergei and his son are trying to start a beehive operation. BIEM would like to help them with the cost of setting up some hives and also for continuing treatments for the daughter. These expenses will be drawn from BIEM’s War Relief fund. If you would like to help, donations will be greatly appreciated.

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - March 1, 2024

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

1. Last Friday we shared the news that Vitaly Bilyak was sent home from the Ukrainian army recruiting center thinking and hoping that this was the end of the matter. However, On Monday, February 26, he received a summons to appear at a third recruiting facility, once again with a backpack containing one day’s worth of supplies since if he was conscripted he would go directly into the army without returning home. But it seems all our prayers concerning Vitaly’s previous meetings carried over into this third interview. He was once again sent home! This time, though, Vitaly was handed an official document stating he was exempted from all 4 branches of military service. Praise God!

2. Ukrainian law states that no men between the ages of 18 and 60 can leave Ukraine while the country is at war. However, the law does provide an exception for pastors on official religious business. Obtaining such permission is a process that the Lord has enabled us to navigate several times now. So far, none of the pastors we have applied to bring temporarily to the US have been denied. In answer to prayer requested in a previous update, Igor Fomichov was granted this special permission yesterday! On Tuesday he will be traveling to the US along with Pavlo Usach, another one of our Ukrainian missionaries. Since Pavlo has 4 small children, he does not need this special permission ( men with multiple small children are allowed to leave Ukraine). However, when Igor crosses the border, the border guards do have the authority to overrule the special permission, even if it has been officially granted. The last two times Igor crossed the border, the border guards resisted since Igor is a government official (serving on the city council), and in one case Igor had to telephone and get his mayor out of bed in the middle of the night to intervene. So please continue to pray about this matter, especially on March 4th, when Igor hopes to cross the border.

3. Awakening Baptist Church in the Obolon district of Kyiv, Ukraine, was surprised on a Sunday when a contingent of soldiers appeared in their morning service. In this short video, Pastor Nikolai Rozhnyatovsky explains what happened and why the Special Forces showed up at the church:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/specialforces

4. February 29th marked the end of our project to provide warm clothing and Scriptures for soldiers. To date, we have received a total of $165,000 designated for this project. Praise God! We are sincerely grateful to all who gave and prayed. You have enabled 1,650 Ukrainian servicemen to receive warm clothing, New Testaments, and Gospel literature. BIEM has received many heartwarming words of thanks from soldiers. We plan on sharing some of these testimonies in the Spring issue of our Challenger newsletter. The Winter Issue (which will soon be out) deals with other matters since work on that began weeks ago. 

In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - February 23, 2024

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

1. Early in our war relief efforts, a part of the relief we were providing in the Ternopil region of Ukraine was distributed in the Druzhba area of Ternopil, a district where 30,000 refugees had settled. Sergiy and Karina Koop headed up this effort, which led to them getting a burden to start a new church in this area. For many months they have conducted regular children’s meetings, youth meetings, and special events in a rented facility that they remodeled in the heart of this district. All of this activity was preparing for the day when they would begin Sunday services. That date arrived on Sunday, February 11, when 34 people attended their first Sunday service. While Sergiy and Karina were thrilled, they were also apprehensive about the attendance on the 2nd Sunday, since many who attended the first Sunday were simply curious visitors. Praise God, 23 people attended their second Sunday on February 18. Following is a link to a brief video the Koops made to show the activities and events that led up to now having regular Sunday services:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/koops

2. The donations for our project of providing warm clothing and Scriptures for Ukrainian soldiers has now reached $154,000! This amount provides warm clothing for 1,540 soldiers. Praise God! We will accept donations for this project through February 29, so there’s still time to donate to this outreach if the Lord so leads.

3. In this brief video, BIEM’s Sasha Petrenko shares some of his firsthand experiences after a frontline commander invited him to spend a night near the war front.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/emotionalvisit

4. On February 22, our missionary Vitaly Bilyak—who has now made 16 evangelistic-aid trips into the southeastern war zones of Ukraine—was summoned to the military induction office. Fearing he might be conscripted into the army, we prayed for him. That day, they let him go home. But Vitaly was required to report again today, February 23. Vitaly used that opportunity to distribute New Testaments while waiting in line. Meanwhile, we at BIEM were praying the examiners would exempt him from military service so he could continue his service to the church and to others. Praise God, Vitaly was not conscripted. For now, at least, he was permitted to return home a civilian. Considering the way God has used Vitaly and his congregation to minister to thousands of refugees in the church building and to others near the front, we believe the correct decision was made. Brother Vitaly has been serving the Lord and his country in ways that make him more valuable out of uniform than in one.

5. Tomorrow, February 24, marks the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s war in Ukraine. We continue to urge believers to pray daily for an end to this disastrous conflict along with other specific prayer requests. BIEM still has on hand prayer reminders in the form of bookmarks and prayer cards. If you would like to receive some for yourself or for your church or other group, please contact the BIEM office, and we will mail them to you.

 In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - February 16, 2024

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

1. Praise God, we have passed the $140,000 mark for funds received to provide warm clothing and Gospels. This amount will provide warm clothing for 1,400 soldiers. So far, with the assistance of participating Ukrainian churches who know them personally, we have already distributed warm clothing with Gospel literature to 1,200 soldiers. So, we have funds to provide for 200 more. This aid will be distributed in the next few days. Since we will accept funds for this project through the end of February, we hope to see this figure grow. On March 1, we will announce the total amount that you friends provided for this outreach.

2. In March we plan to resume bringing our Ukrainian missionaries to the United States to speak in American churches. Even though BIEM personnel can and do speak in churches and conferences, we see that our American friends truly appreciate opportunities to meet and interact with our national missionaries personally. Next week, Igor Fomichov plans to submit his application for the special permission needed for men between the ages of 18 and 60 to temporarily exit Ukraine. Please pray that he obtains the needed document.

3. At the end of January, BIEM’s Pasha Usach and a team of 7 others traveled to the Kherson area of Ukraine to deliver aid and to share God’s Word in villages. Even though Christmas was well past, the team continued using the theme of Christ’s birth as they presented children’s programs and Bible lessons to introduce village kids to the Savior. In the following video, Pasha shares details and photos from that trip:

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/visitingvillages

4. You may remember the story of Bogdan from our past updates. He is the young man who showed up in Desna to voluntarily enlist in the military. But he had a relative enrolled in our Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center who invited him to visit. At that rehab center, Bogdan heard the Gospel and put his faith in Christ. The other brethren at the center encouraged him to stay for a few weeks to get more grounded in the faith before going off to war. He gladly accepted that advice and was blessed to learn more of God’s Word before enlisting. We have just received the sad news that Bogdan has been severely injured in battle and apparently will lose the use of his legs. Please pray for this young man, both for his physical recuperation and his spiritual well-being. In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM

War Relief Updates - February 9, 2024

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

1. One of the congregations participating in our church project for providing warm clothing and Scriptures for soldiers is Awakening Baptist Church in the Obolon district of Kyiv. (This was BIEM’s first church plant in Ukraine, right after Ukraine gained independence.) Their list of 70 soldiers they have personal contact with included members of a Special Forces unit that paid a surprise visit to the church to personally thank the congregation for the warm clothing! They awarded the church a beautiful plaque with the signature and seal of their commander, a Major General. These visiting Special Forces soldiers told the congregation that the warm clothing they had provided was the best quality the soldiers had ever received!

2. On Wednesday of this week our container was finally received and unloaded at the church in Bilogorodka, near Kyiv. The trucker who delivered it arrived the night before and asked if he could stay the night since he had to fulfill a rest requirement. A deacon gladly received him and ended up spending hours talking, which proved to be a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel at length. By morning, a good number of trucks and cargo vans from various churches that will be distributing the aid were in place to receive the contents. In answer to prayer, the temperature had warmed to nearly 40 degrees, which helped the process. We are also thankful for God’s hand of protection, since on that day of unloading, Russia launched numerous missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, during which 4 people were killed and dozens injured. Praise God for His protection of our people!

3. While making his 15th evangelistic aid trip to the war-torn Donbas region of Ukraine, BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak recorded various sights and sounds, plus his personal observations, to share with all of you who make such trips possible. At one point, a woman who put her faith in Christ during an earlier trip thanks Vitaly and others who do not forget them and bring both aid and the Gospel even though doing so is hazardous.

https://vimeo.com/user37287229/donbas-15

4. Some time ago, BIEM provided financial assistance to an 8-year-old girl named Marina. She lost a leg when her home in the Kherson area was bombed. On Tuesday, February 6, we had the chance to meet Pastor Sergei—this girl’s grandfather—and provide additional financial assistance since her growth and rehabilitation require periodically changing her prosthesis and other care. Pastor Sergei’s firsthand account of life under the Russian occupation was riveting and heartbreaking. They were eyewitnesses to horrific atrocities committed by the Russians as they mercilessly slaughtered civilians, including many children. Pastor Sergei and some other family members survived the bombing and fled with only their blood-stained clothing from carrying Marina and her mother Natalya, who was also badly wounded. This family is from one of the most severely attacked areas near Kherson, where a team of French journalists lost their lives covering the events this family lived through.

5. Today, February 9, Sam Slobodian returned to the BIEM office after ministry in Ukraine. During his time in Ukraine, Russia attacked several cities throughout Ukraine. Forty attacks on Kyiv alone included cruise and ballistic missiles and Shahed-type drones. In Kyiv, 4 people were killed and 35 injured, according to the city’s mayor. Sam says, “So once again we heard sirens just as all Ukrainians have become used to hearing since we were just miles from bombings when we were in Kyiv, as well as when we were in Dubno in Western Ukraine. We are thankful for God’s hand of protection in answer to your prayers.”

 In Christ,

Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM