War Relief Updates - December 16, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. On December 14, the long-awaited container for which we have prayed so much finally arrived at the church in Ternopil, Ukraine. Let me say a heartfelt “Thank you” to all of you who joined us in praying for this load of aid and supplies to reach its destination after so many delays along the way. May God be glorified as this aid goes out to needy ones across multiple cities in the coming days!

2. Vadim, the military brother of one of our Ukrainian associates, has been in Bakhmut, probably the area of most intense fighting with many casualties daily on both sides. We were able to provide him with some extremely high-tech equipment, like a thermal imaging visor and a highly specialized compass. Those who delivered these items asked Vadim, “Is there anything else you need?” He immediately answered, “Our greatest need is prayer. God is the only one who can help us.” He then proceeded to tell how many in his unit who daily face death and destruction are turning to God, repenting of their sins, and trusting Christ as Savior. Praise God!

3. We are continuing to purchase generators for churches. (Today alone, another reported 76 Russian missiles were launched at Ukraine, again destroying portions of the energy grid). Just this week, BIEM purchased over $50,000 worth of generators in Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. We praise God and thank you, dear friends, for enabling us to bless people in this way.

4. Appreciation! Congregations are thanking us (and you, our supporters) for the gifts of warmth and light in their church buildings. Here’s an excerpt from one such church: “We remember you and thank you very much for helping to purchase the generator. Every time we start it, we remember you and sincerely thank you for your care…. When we told the senior members of the church that they could stay home from church if they are cold, they responded that [during Soviet times] they used to gather in the forest for worship services, so this temperature is still very good in such an anxious time.”

5. Brother Igor reports that one of the men in their Drug and Alcohol rehab program was contacted by his nephew Bogdan, who urgently wanted to join the military and defend Ukraine. Since Igor's ministry is on a Ukrainian military base, the church has many contacts and could assist Bogdan with such a placement. When Bogdan arrived, he began by visiting his uncle in the rehab center. There, during their regular sessions, he heard the Gospel, repented, and trusted Christ! He quickly concluded he needed to spend more time there to learn Bible truth and grow spiritually. So, he decided to stay even though he is not addicted to drugs or alcohol. Bogdan stated, “I came here to join the military and go to war so that I could be closer to the action. However, God has redirected me to get me closer to Him instead.”

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - December 9, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Here’s an example of divine timing: A pastor in Ukraine had picked up one of the generators taken in by BIEM personnel. He was driving it into his village to take it to the church when the village mayor flagged him down. The mayor said, "We have a big problem in the village. Nobody has any power. Is there anything you can come up with? Anything we could do?"

The pastor said, "Yes, hop in the car. I was just going to set up a generator. When I get it set up at the church, we will make it available for the entire village. There will be coffee, there will be tea, and people can come to warm up and charge their cell phones. There will somebody to talk to as well." The Lord is using similar situations to send spiritual conversations to people who never would’ve entered a church before!

2. Friends wonder about the Ukrainian people’s mood after 10 months of war and deprivations. Their national mood is amazingly resilient. Despite the cold, the missiles, and so many hardships, they remain committed to defending their homeland. In fact, despite the war, even the Kyiv Zoo continues operating, giving individuals and families a calm retreat, where they can stroll in nature while viewing the animals. 

3. Church planter Sasha Petrenko recently returned from a trip to Donetsk, where God gave him opportunities to preach to soldiers and distribute Ukrainian New Testaments and audio Bibles.  Here’s a link to a video concerning that trip: 

https://vimeo.com/779668812

4. Here’s an interesting story from Mikhail, the son of BIEM’s director for Ukraine: "For 4 years I’ve been studying at the music academy.... There are local legends among the students, the ones everyone invites to play at concerts ... because they are the best musicians. One such musician is Serhiy. He plays the viola.... We sometimes greeted each other, exchanged a few words, and parted.... During the war, all the study groups on social networks posted that this Serhiy had gone to the front and needed help. At that same time, we received aid in the form of dry army rations and various other assistance. I found Serhiy’s contact information, wrote who I am, and told him I could send aid. Of course, he did not refuse. He texted me instructions where to ship the package. While I was gathering items for him, he texted something else. He wrote that in his childhood he had attended Christian camps and went to the same church as us. But we never talked enough to know that. So, we put together a bigger, heavier parcel for him—so big the regular post office refused to accept it. We had to ship it from a special post office for large parcels to remind Serhiy of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and the brotherly love he teaches us. And then, with a man I barely knew, I had a feeling that we’ve known each other all my life. Our family thanks God for not forgetting His children and always caring about us. We’re also grateful to you for your help and love for us. God’s Blessings!"

5. Thanks to gifts from people like you, BIEM has now distributed more than $800,000 of war relief aid to over 100 churches in Ukraine! And even though the war continues to create needs, each of those dollars represents a life that has been touched and helped in the name of the Lord. THANK YOU to each of you who is helping us to minister to others for the glory of God!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - December 2, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, more than 7.8 million Ukrainians have fled their homeland to seek refuge in other countries. Although some have returned to Ukraine, their government is encouraging refugees not to come back before spring due to the increased strain their presence would place on the crippled power grid. Unfortunately, the situation is prolonging the division of countless families, with members inside and outside Ukraine.

2. Despite the war, our brethren are planning a seminary session for our students in early January. They feel that continuing to hold regular seminary sessions is crucial for students despite the difficulty of doing so during wartime. So, plans are underway for early next month, including American pastors returning to teach in Ukraine for the first time since the war began. Please pray for these plans. In this week’s War Relief Video, Vitaly Yurchenko mentions the Seminary. You can view this at the following link:

https://vimeo.com/777413088 

3. Let me share this insight from Bruce Tuttle, one of our missionaries in Ukraine:

“I had breakfast with Pastor Igor this morning. A couple of times I had to choke back tears as he told me of a foray into eastern Ukraine, from which he returned only yesterday. Igor drove his large truck, filled with both metal and concrete roofing panels, plastic sheeting for temporary replacement of shattered windows, wood for reconstruction, tons of potatoes, other foods, candles, etc. Three other men (one of whom is another of our graduates) made the trip as well, with 2 large vans also loaded with products.

“Wherever they went, there was great devastation and many impassable roads. They did not dare to leave well-traveled roads and lanes for fear of encountering land mines. They wear bulletproof vests or flak jackets (some of rather dubious quality). Our men are venturing ever more closely to the front lines of battle, to reach people who are experiencing such losses, and such helplessness and hopelessness. Igor told me of one giant of a man, about 42 years old, whose wife and children left him. This fellow has only recently repented and trusted Christ. Because of the war, he has neither work nor money. Beside all of that, his home has been destroyed by bombs. The man sat and wept.” 

4. The Gospel puppet theatre BIEM has sponsored for several years has been a very effective ministry. The puppet team has had numerous opportunities to share the Gospel in public schools, orphanages, churches, prisons, and even at city functions. However, the war has caused an issue that needs to be resolved. Before the war, Kyiv was mostly Russian speaking. The war changed that as residents quickly shifted to the Ukrainian language to distance themselves from the invaders. So, although the soundtracks used by the Gospel puppet theatre are in Russian and everyone understands them, the population’s shift to Ukrainian has been so profound it’s no longer publicly acceptable to use those soundtracks. Therefore, this ministry is facing a huge challenge in translating and re-recording all their Russian soundtracks into Ukrainian. This is no easy task, especially during a time of war and frequent power outages. Please pray that the Lord will aid the puppet team in this task so that their ministry can resume and minister to souls.

5. For months, our brethren in Ukraine have been praying for 3 specific Baptist churches in Kherson. During the occupation, the Russian military looted church property then seized the actual church buildings. Two were converted into barracks for their soldiers. Now that Kherson has been liberated, God has answered their prayers and all three pastors and congregations have their buildings returned and are once again worshipping and serving in them.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - November 23, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Last week we mentioned that a local newspaper in South Dakota interviewed us to publicize the meeting there with brother Igor. Not only did that interview make the paper, but it turned out to be the front-page story. The publicity was so successful that there were more visitors than church members present to hear brother Igor. Here is a link where you can view this news article:

South Dakota Newspaper Article

2. This message from Ukraine, which we just received, is typical of the personal updates we’re receiving: “Our relatives just called, their region is being hit with missiles. Their infrastructure is taken out, no water, sewer, heat, or electric, sounds like this may be the case in Kyiv as well.” Our own check of independent news agencies confirms that Ukraine’s power grid has been destroyed on a “colossal” scale, with nearly no thermal or hydroelectric stations left unscathed.”

3. On Monday, November 28, Vitaly Bilyak plans to make a trip into the liberated city of Kherson with both food aid and Bibles to distribute. Although he and church members have made multiple trips to the eastern front, this will be his first to the southern city of Kherson. He requests prayers for God’s protection and guidance throughout this trip. (P.S. In the past week, he successfully transported from Poland the 3 generators ordered for Ukraine.)

4. Thanks to the new generator the Ternopil church now has, that congregation is planning to create a “warming center,” which they will advertise in the community. Anyone who is cold and needs a place to warm up can come in for relief from the frigid temperatures. In turn, this center will give church members opportunities to share their salvation testimonies and the Gospel with such visitors.

5. At the brand-new church they are planting in the Druzhba district of Ternopil, Serhiy and Karina Koop are planning an event for next week called “The Day of the Bible.” This outreach is geared to attract visitors, but the Koops hope especially to reach refugees who need to hear the Gospel.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - November 18, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Today Vitaly Bilyak is returning to Ukraine through Poland after being in the United States for 6 weeks. During this time, he was speaking to churches that were eager to hear firsthand from Ukrainian brethren who are doing so much to distribute aid and preach the Gospel to needy ones in Ukraine. He traveled to Poland from the U.S. with 4 suitcases packed with aid. In Poland he will stock his SUV and trailer with more items purchased in Poland, including three generators. Please pray for his travel home, especially for a quick and smooth border crossing from Poland into Ukraine.

2. This Sunday, Igor Fomichov and I will be speaking in a church in South Dakota. Yesterday a local paper interviewed us, and that article is slated for publication tomorrow, on Saturday. Please pray that this media exposure will bring people into the church to hear Igor tell his story and as he shares what he and other BIEM personnel are doing in distributing aid and sharing the Gospel.

3. In last week’s War Relief Updates, we asked you to pray for Misha, the unsaved nephew of one of our BIEM missionaries in Ukraine. Despite a Christian upbringing, this young man had continued to reject the Gospel and had often been in dangerous battles. Update: this past week, Misha finally trusted Christ as Savior! Thank you for praying!

4. Today Ukraine’s Prime Minister stated that 50% of Ukraine's power grid is down due to Russian missiles and drones. With temperatures dipping to freezing, countless citizens are without power. BIEM has purchased generators (mostly in Poland) for churches and our people. Prices of generators have nearly doubled in the last week. 

5. Some of our Ukrainian pastors have relatives in the Ukrainian military. Based on the information they hear, these brethren are greatly concerned about another potential Russian invasion from Belarus. Along the border with Belarus, Ukrainian troops are on high alert. Several of our churches in western Ukraine have made contingency evacuation plans for their people in case this does take place.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - November 11, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

https://vimeo.com/770028246

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - November 4, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. This message just arrived from a BIEM missionary: “Praising God this morning for his protection over my brother-in-law Slava. He was hauling humanitarian aid to the war zone and was planning on parking his truck and sleeping in it at a truck stop near Poltava. The curfew hit before he could completely finish that trip, so rather than risk it, he pulled off and slept. The truck stop he had been planning to go to was bombed and leveled. He would have certainly died. Thank you for your prayers for our family and Ukraine. Our God is always good.”

2. In Ukraine, Russia’s continuous missile and drone attacks are taking a toll on the population not often mentioned in the media. Our personnel there see a sharp increase in the number of people struggling with drugs and alcohol. Our Christian rehabilitation centers are having to turn away the increased numbers of men wanting to enter those programs for help with these addictions.

3. Recently I’ve been in churches and conferences with two of our visitors to the U.S., Vitaly Bilyak and Igor Fomichov. When one U.S. church learned about the need for large, thousand-dollar generators for their churches due to Russian attacks on the power grid, that church took immediate action. They donated enough to purchase such generators for both churches at once! Although many more generators are needed, this is a wonderful start. We praise the Lord for moving in His people here to meet the needs of His people there.

4. In mid-October we requested that you pray concerning our next 40-ft. container of humanitarian aid, which was then approaching Poland. The container arrived in Gdansk, Poland, on October 23 but has yet to be transported to Ukraine. The cause for this delay might lie in the fact that transport for this aid was contracted at a cheaper rate than for commercial cargo. But whatever the explanation, please pray that this container will be trucked into Ukraine soon.

5. In the Kyiv area, a woman who is not a Christian came to church to pray for her son. He’s a doctor operating near the front lines. His unit had 6 civilian cars that came under fire. Five cars were set ablaze. The sixth car, which had been used to evacuate the wounded, remained intact, but the tires and rims were shot up. Local believers and BIEM chipped in to buy new rims. BIEM’s Vitaly Yurchenko donated tires he had at home. These items were taken to the front, where the amazed son expressed thanks for the help, even stating he would visit the church after the war!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 28, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

https://vimeo.com/765053627

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 21, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

https://vimeo.com/762324545

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 14, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - October 7, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Praise God for those who are being saved during the war in Ukraine. Brother Sasha shared with us the story of Tolik, who lives near the church in Smolin. Many church members had witnessed to him in the past, but because following Christ would require leaving his lucrative (but illegal) fishing business, he resisted. The war changed all that. So, Tolik has received Christ and no longer conducts illegal activities. Please pray for Tolik to grow in his new Christian life and that he would find an honest source of income.

2. Brother Igor shares a wonderful story about something that happened while distributing War Relief near Desna. His group was visiting the home of an elderly lady needing aid when her son Ruslan, a major in the Ukrainian army, showed up drunk. Ruslan has a long history of battling alcoholism and in the past had been a devoted member of the Communist Party. He was so touched by the church showing compassion to his mother that he grabbed the Christian literature from the box of aid for his mother and declared, “These are good people. Maybe they can help me with my alcohol problem.” The whole family began to attend the church in Desna. Ruslan trusted Christ and is growing in the Lord. Praise God!

3. Despite the Ukrainian military making significant progress in pushing Russian troops farther east, Russian President Putin continues to bomb all over Ukraine so that no one is safe. For example, this just in from one of our missionaries in Bila Tserkov: “At around 2 a.m., Russian drones dropped 6 bombs on our city. Apparently, they were grouped in an area between my home and the large park in which I often take long walks. Their target was a military installation in that part of the city. The news here says that while 1 person (just one!) was injured in this attack, no one died. That is remarkable evidence, once again, of God's mercy and grace toward us! Thank you, sincerely, for your prayers on our behalf.

4. So far, three of our BIEM church planters have received special permission to travel to the United States to speak in churches that are interested in hearing directly from national pastors who are not only in the middle of the conflict in Ukraine but who are also instrumental in distributing aid connected with sharing the Gospel. Vitaly Yurchenko was first, followed by Vitaly Bilyak. With us now is Eugene Buyko and his family, except for their 19-year-old son who had to remain in Ukraine. Igor Fomichov might be the 4th since he is in the process of applying for the same exception. Please pray that he can receive this special permission.

5. Some friends ask about churches inside Russia. The churches with which BIEM has connections continue to serve the Lord during this time of war. As usual, BIEM helped to sponsor evangelistic children’s summer camps in several locations inside Russia. We want souls there to come to Christ. For their part, our brethren in Russia express sorrow concerning the war and pray for peace to be restored. The believers there with whom BIEM has connections are historically pacifists. Even in Soviet times, they were persecuted for not bearing arms or not swearing to defend the USSR. When possible, many opt for alternative service. The war does affect them economically. The Russian economy is shrinking, making it difficult or not possible to purchase things they could get before the invasion. Though due to sanctions we must be creative yet legal, we continue to find ways to get funds to our supported nationals in Russia.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 30, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

https://vimeo.com/755575261

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 23, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 16, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Praise God, the Buyko family has made it safely from Ukraine to here in the United States. However, Pastor Sasha—who drove them to the Polish border and was planning to deliver them to the airport in Warsaw—was not allowed to enter Poland even though he had made two similar trips recently. Border guards did allow the Buykos to drive Sasha’s car to the airport so they could make their flights. But Sasha himself had to wait at the border for Yura, another of our Ukrainian pastors, to come and get him. Such are the adventures of border crossings these days.

2. The Buykos will be in churches in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Missouri. Please pray that God will bless these meetings. They have a lot to share as brother Eugene is heavily involved in our War Relief distribution efforts. Their church is in the Bucha region, where the Russian army committed many atrocities that have been reported on our media. Eugene put Sofia and the girls on a train heading west after rocket shells were landing in their yard and their house was shaking from rocket blasts. Plus, stories of Russian soldiers abusing women not far away were spreading like wildfire. The train was so packed that officials ordered all passengers to leave their suitcases behind. Abandoned suitcases littered the train station. Sofia and their daughters had to stand the whole trip, pressed shoulder to shoulder with the mass of other passengers. Of course, Eugene and Mikhail stayed in Kyiv, where God has greatly used them.

3. Bruce Tuttle reports that there has been a very noticeable decline in bombings and sirens in their area. Perhaps it is because the Russian army is having difficulty in the South and East, where Ukrainian forces have been successful recently in pushing the Russians back. Whatever the reason, they are thankful.

4. One of the men in brother Sasha’s church (which is on a Ukrainian military base) was awarded a medal by President Zelensky for his efforts in leading his brigade in defending Chernihiv. He was also promoted from major to colonel. His testimony is featured on this week’s video update, which you can view at the following link. 

https://vimeo.com/750481035

5. Praise God that we have been informed by Operation Renewed Hope that they are in the final stages of securing and delivering $30,000 of much-needed medicines to Ukraine. Of that, $10,000 will go the hospital where Vitaly Bilyak has connections and will be used by the Christian doctors at that hospital for wounded soldiers.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 9, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

https://vimeo.com/747742946

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - September 2, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

https://vimeo.com/730450599

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 26, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

https://vimeo.com/743204368

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 19, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 12, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - August 5, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

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

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

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

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

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

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM