War Relief Updates Email - April 29, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1.  It was a blessing to visit our brethren in Ukraine since our last weekly update. The customary Slavic brotherly embraces were definitely more pronounced than before since many of our folks are living day to day with the real possibility of it being their last day on this earth as Russian bombs and missiles continue to strike in many parts of the country. We are thankful to God that none of our Ukrainian missionaries have been hurt thus far. However, when we arrived, we were sad to hear that Alexander, one of our seminary students, was killed doing volunteer work in Kharkov. He was 21 years old. Please pray for the Shevchenko family.


2.  After arriving in Krakow, Poland it took 3 ½ hours to drive from Krakow to the Ukrainian border, a couple of hours for the border crossing, then another 3 ½ hours to reach Ternopil, our first stop. There were many checkpoints on the road. In Ukraine, we were fortunate to find a gas station along our way so we could get fuel. Gas stations limit you to 20 liters, which is about 5 gallons. Pasha has a special permit that allows him to fill up because he delivers aid. Pasha also had a permit to cross the border to pick me up. Most of our men cannot do this because Ukraine does not permit men between the ages of 18 and 60 to leave.

3. From Ternopil, we drove to a warehouse where we loaded vehicles from a container full of humanitarian aid donated by a businessman in Indiana. We brought 5 large vans, a big truck, and an army of volunteers. We used every square inch of space to take everything! The 6 vehicles then headed to Kyiv, Desna, Chernihiv, Lviv, Ternopil, and Borschiv. The churches in these places are packed with refugees, including from Bucha and Mariupol. The churches rejoiced to receive this aid.

4. Next, we traveled to Lviv, where brother Yura and his church are ministering to refugees. The church is packed with them. The auditorium is wall-to-wall mattresses that get piled up before services to make room for chairs. A good number of refugees are from Mariupol, perhaps the most heavily attacked city in Ukraine. They were fortunate to get out alive. We asked one of them to give a testimony, which we have posted on our website under “View Video Updates.” Shortly before the nightly evening service, the sirens began to sound. This was very concerning since Lviv had recently been hit with several missiles. Brother Yura said that we would go ahead with the service rather than move to a bomb shelter stating, “If God cannot protect us, no bomb shelter can.” I must confess I thought it would be better to move the service to a bomb shelter, but this was my first actual experience with such an event while brother Yura and his people seemed “battle-hardened,” telling us that this was now routine, and they no longer get very alarmed when sirens sound.

5. From Lviv we traveled to Borschiv then back to Ternopil, where we had an Easter service on April 24 since their calendar has Easter a week later than ours. Last, we made our way to Zdulbuno for their second day of Easter services on Monday, April 25. The Easter services were wonderful. Zdulbuno had not been targeted by Russia until early that morning when two rockets hit about 3/4 of a mile from where we were staying. No one was hurt. They missed the railway and ended up hitting a nearby electric station. There was damage to nearby buildings, and where we were, the windows rattled, mirrors fell off the wall and we lost electricity.  Sirens sounded again during the Easter service, but just like in Lviv, the church service proceeded as if nothing unusual was happening!

6. At every stop, we were moved and inspired by our Ukrainian families and other volunteers, whose sacrifices and dedication are making it possible for BIEM to deliver hundreds of tons of aid and to reach many for Christ. The church in Borschiv was so packed with refugees that pastor Sergei and his wife Victoria spent two weeks sleeping in their car to make more room for refugees! We praise God for your prayers and support!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - April 22, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1.  Greetings from Ukraine.  It was so wonderful to see many of our brethren face to face.  Usually, there are a lot of brotherly hugs exchanged with our Ukrainian brethren.  This time it was even more so because of these difficult times.  It took more than 10 hours to get from the airport in Krakow, Poland to our destination in Ternopil, Ukraine.  This is twice as long as normal but the frequent checkpoints, traffic jams caused by the checkpoints, and the long border crossing made it a lengthy trip. Praise God, we made it without major incident.  Thank you for praying!
   
   

2. It took us 5 hours of driving before we could find a gas station with fuel.  Gas stations limit you to 20 liters which is about 5 gallons.  Pasha, who picked me up at the airport in Krakow, has a special permit like a lot of our other guys which allows them more fuel because they are delivering aid.  Thankfully, he was able to fill up. Since Pasha has 4 young children, he is allowed to leave Ukraine. Not so with most men between 18 and 60.
   
   

3. You may have heard on the news that President Biden has announced an expedited process has been developed for up to 100,000 Ukrainians to get to the USA without going through Mexico.  The details are not available yet, but the program is to start on April 25.  Please pray that this will actually happen.

4. On Wednesday we drove back to a warehouse at the border to load up a container full of humanitarian aid donated to us from a businessman in Indiana. We brought five large vans and a big truck. It took every square inch of space we had to fit everything.  It was a HUGE load which our folks were so glad to receive.  Praise God for such abundant provision.
    

5. In Ukraine, they celebrate Holy Week according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar which means Easter falls on April 24th this year. Thirty minutes before the Good Friday service was to start in Lviv, the air raid sirens sounded.  Many were concerned since a recent bombing in Lviv resulted in several casualties.  However, Pastor Yura said “We are going to continue with our service no matter what.  If God does not protect us no bomb shelter will!”  No one left and God protected us all.  Praise God!
   

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - April 14, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Many of you have heard how severely damaged the city of Chernihiv is. All the bridges to the city are destroyed including pedestrian bridges. The only way to get aid into the city is by boat with the assistance of the military who will only assist residents of Chernihiv. Thankfully, one of the members of our church there is a deputy which would be similar to a city council member. His active participation has enabled our people to bring in a number of vans full of aid. Yesterday, they were able to bring in 5 vans full. Tomorrow more will be on their way.

2. Praise God we are glad to be able to continue reporting that none of our people have been injured and not one of our buildings has been hit. Since many of our churches are along the path the Russian army took down to Kyiv from the Belarussian border, the fact that none of our people were hurt and not one of our church buildings was damaged is truly amazing and evidence of God answering prayer. That does not mean that there were not some close calls. We have a picture of Sasha, our church planter near Chernobyl, standing in front of a heavily damaged elementary school. The apartment building he lives in with his family is right next door! You may have seen the picture of him standing next to an unexploded bomb embedded in the road right by his church. Praise God for his mercy, God is definitely answering your prayers.

3. There has not been any movement from the US consulate in Krakow, Poland in regards to giving Ukrainians emergency visas for the United States. We have many still waiting for this even though we have gotten some in through Mexico. Yesterday, the news reported that the United States is going to do something soon to enable Ukrainians to get visas through the consulates in Poland. Please pray that this does happen.

4. The Lord willing, I am leaving for Ukraine on Monday. We covet your prayers as we concentrate on organizing and expediting our relief efforts. I look forward to sending you the next update from Ukraine.

5. Our people, all of Ukraine, and much of the world are very concerned about the huge battle that is predicted to take place along Ukraine's eastern border with Russia. Please pray that Ukrainian forces can push the Russian army out of Ukraine. Also, pray that our country and Nato would give them the armaments they need.
   

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

April Video Update

Watch this video on Vimeo by either clicking on the following link or by copying and pasting it in your browser:

https://vimeo.com/695815490

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Warm greetings in Christ! This month's video update comes from the many we have posted on our website. You can view these by clicking on the "View Video Updates" section on our home page.

In case you do not already know, we have added a new email update called Ukrainian War Relief Updates. This will keep you updated on events in Ukraine and informed on how to pray. Thank you for your continued support and prayers as we lift up our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.

You can subscribe to this new mailing by clicking on the following link: https://www.baptistinternational.org/urgent-war-updates-sign-up

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

BIEMs of Light April 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Last week we surpassed $300,000 in war relief aid directed to Ukraine. We praise God for each gift, and we rejoice in the many souls that are hearing the Gospel and being saved as the result of these efforts. Thank you for your prayers, concern, and help!

• The generosity of contributors made the purchase of a large generator possible. The purchase proved timely because almost as soon as it was bought, a rocket hit the power grid supplying electricity to the church in Bilogorodka, which is feeding refugees. This generator was exactly what was needed to keep the church’s refrigerators running while repairs were made. See the video “Power to God’s People” in the “War Video Updates” section of our website.

• A group of 9 refugees (wives and relatives of our missionaries) for whom we requested prayer as they entered the U.S. via Mexico have arrived safely. Thank you so much for upholding these 3 women and 6 children in prayer. The husbands remain in Ukraine. 

• One of our American missionary couples, the Smiths, have just returned from Poland where they assisted other missionary efforts among Ukrainian refugees. They made two trips into Ukraine with 5 tons of food and medication, organized Ukrainian church services in a Polish church near Warsaw, and assisted other refugees with lodging and other needs.

Prayer - Pray with us!

• We have a smaller group we might try bringing into the U.S. through Canada. Please pray for God’s direction in this matter. Canada, Mexico, and a host of European countries are receiving Ukrainian refugees easily while the United States has not yet made provisions for Ukrainian refugees to enter the United States easily.

• Although the city of Chernihiv has been heavily bombed, the large apartment building in which we have remodeled a portion for a church has not been hit. Once again, we are glad to report none of our people have been injured, and none of our church buildings have been hit. These are answers to prayer, so please keep praying!

• Please pray for both believers and unbelievers as Ukraine goes through incalculable stress from the war on a massive scale. Countless wives and children have fled the nation (including our missionary families) while the men remain behind to fight, minister to others, or simply continue working as they keep as many businesses, utilities, and public services functioning as possible. Children are witnessing horrific sights. May God comfort and heal as only He can.

• Please pray for an end of the killing and destruction

War Relief Updates Email - April 8, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Our group of 9 Ukrainian refugees that were planning on getting to the United States through Mexico succeeded without major problems. They are now with family in the Seattle area. Thank you for praying.

2. Most of the families of our national missionaries that were in Krakow, Poland have since moved on to Germany, and other nearby European nations. Krakow is so overrun with Ukrainian refugees that housing is a huge problem. They are better off in the nearby nations which are just a few hours’ drive back to Krakow. They are still hoping for appointments for US visas from the Consulate in Krakow, Poland. Meanwhile, we have many in Western Ukraine that for now, do not want to leave Ukraine. We have a good number of churches in Western Ukraine that are assisting them.

3. Our folks continue to haul tons of aid from Western Ukraine, Romania, and Poland into the area of Kyiv and north of Kyiv which have been devastated by the Russian army (who are no longer in the city). We have many churches in those areas which were hit hard. Miraculously, none of the church buildings we’ve built have been hit and none of our missionaries or missionary families have been injured. Praise God for such a wonderful answer to prayer.

4. Today our national missionary in Lviv received a large group of refugees from Lugansk in Donbas that had been in hiding without electricity, gas, and running water for nearly two months until they were recently able to leave and head west. Yura said they were so glad to get showers and eat a normal meal. Please pray for these people to be saved as Yura shares the Gospel with these people.

5. Tim and Luda, an American BIEM missionary couple, have returned from Poland where they were assisting Ukrainian refugees, preparing shipments for aid for Ukraine, and helping other missionaries in the Warsaw area start Ukrainian language services. After being home for a few days they have now departed for Poland once again to do more of the same.
   

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - April 1, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Our group of 9 refugees heading for the United States through Mexico is currently on their transatlantic flight.  Please pray for them as they need to pass through customs in Mexico when they arrive for their connecting flight in Mexico City which will take them to Tijuana.   We have trustworthy Christian people well known to our folks that will pick them up at the edge of Tijuana and assist them in crossing the border.  The line at the US border is currently 30 hours.  They have a vehicle that they will use to transport them from Tijuana to Sacramento.  This group of 9 all have relatives in the Seattle area who will receive them in Sacramento and drive them to Seattle.  Please continue to pray that all goes well. 

2. We have a smaller group that we are considering getting to the United States through Canada.  Please pray for God's direction in this matter.  This may take place next week.  It is an absolute shame that the Biden administration has yet to make a way for Ukrainian refugees to enter the United States easily even though they have made public statements that the United States is going to receive Ukrainian refugees.   Canada, Mexico, Poland, and a host of European countries are receiving Ukrainian refugees easily and quickly while the United States has not yet made a way for Ukrainian refugees to easily enter the United States.

3. Praise God for the generosity of contributors who made the purchase of a large generator possible.  It was a timely purchase because almost as soon as it was bought, a rocket hit the power grid supplying electricity to the church in Belogorodka which is feeding a lot of refugees.  They need their refrigerators running.  This generator was exactly what was needed to keep the church's refrigerators running while repairs were made.  You can view a video in the "War Video Updates" section of our website entitled "Power to God's People".

4. One of our American missionary couples, the Smiths, have just returned from Poland where they were helping other missionary efforts among Ukrainian refugees.  They report: 
   "Hi, we're back from Poland.  Made two trips into Ukraine with 5 tons of food and medications last week. We were able to start a Ukrainian service in a Polish church plant near Warsaw. Thank you for your prayers."

5. This week we have surpassed $300,000 in war relief aid directed to Ukraine.  We praise God for each gift, and we rejoice in the many souls that are being saved as the result of these efforts.  Thank you for your prayers, concern, and help!
   

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - March 29, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Several of the families of our church planters are now in Poland and Western Ukraine where they continue to wait for any new developments from the US consulate in Krakow, Poland. They hope the consulate will soon disclose a path for them to enter the US through an emergency visa that the Biden administration has announced but which so far has not materialized.  They are hoping that the recent announcement stating that the US will allow 100,000 Ukrainians to enter the US, will result in some directive to the US consulate in Krakow, Poland that will allow them to begin processing some of these emergency visas.

   2. Meanwhile, since there appears to be an alternate route through Mexico, we have purchased tickets for 9 of our refugees (all women and children related to our church planters) to fly from Poland to Tijuana, Mexico.   When they land there (after almost 30 hours of flights) they will go directly to the US border where there is a special corridor for Ukrainians to enter the US through a "white passport" system that will allow them to stay in the US for 1 year.  Once they cross the border, we have people that will meet them there.  Please pray the group will make this journey successfully.   They depart this Friday.

   3.  Praise God for the generosity of God's people in the United States.  Thus far we have been able to transfer $250,000 of war relief aid to our missionaries and ministry partners in Ukraine.  This is but a drop in the bucket in comparison to the need so please continue praying for this and sharing about our efforts.

   4.  One of our recent war video updates on our website featured Pastor Vitaly leading a 5-vehicle caravan of humanitarian aid they hoped to get into Chernihiv.  If you viewed that video, you know that outside of Kyiv they were momentarily stopped by the military from entering Kyiv due to a military operation taking place along their route.  They had planned to meet up with others in Kyiv who knew how to get to Chernihiv more safely by going off-road at certain places.  While they were waiting, they learned that the last remaining bridge for vehicles to Chernihiv had been blown up by the Russian air force. So, they changed plans to leave some of the aid in Kyiv as well as reserve some for those who were still able to get aid to Chernihiv through the last remaining bridge which was a pedestrian bridge accessible only to Chernihiv residents.  One of the vehicles in their caravan was driven by a resident of Chernihiv so he remained in order to get some of the aid into Chernihiv through this method.  I spoke with Vitaly today and received this update: That remaining vehicle was able to get aid to those people. Now that pedestrian bridge has also been blown up, and the only remaining access to Chernihiv to get aid in and refugees out is by volunteer residents using boats under supervision by the Ukrainian military. 

   5.  Though most of Chernihiv has been heavily bombed, as of this morning the large apartment building in Chernihiv that we have remodeled a portion of into a church, has not been hit.  Therefore, once again we are glad to report that none of our people have been injured and none of our church buildings have been hit.  This is an answer to prayer so please keep praying.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - March 22, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Keep praying for the families of our Ukrainian missionaries who are waiting in Poland and Western Ukraine hoping to get visas to come to the United States. So far there are no emergency visas available. They are hoping that this will change when President Biden visits Poland on the 25th. They base this on the fact that when Canada's Prime Minister visited Poland, the government there quickly persuaded him to open Canada to Ukrainian war refugees. He did so, and so quickly that Canada was receiving Ukrainian war refugees in just 3 days! Pray that our government will do the same.
   

   2. We have more and more people taking trips from western Ukraine, where they buy food, medicine, and supplies, to the war-torn areas in Central and Eastern Ukraine. They return with their cars, vans, and buses full of refugees fleeing the war.
   

   3. Once again we are glad to report that none of our folks have been injured and none of the church buildings we have built have been hit. However, a bomb last night landed within 100 feet of the home of one of our families in Kyiv. An empty rocket shell landed in the neighbor’s garden. Please continue to pray for their safety.
   

   4. Last night one of our families received 37 refugees from Chernihiv who came in four vehicles. One vehicle broke down and they had to tow it which slowed them down so much that they did not arrive until 1 AM - well past the curfew. This band of refugees does not want to go to the west. They want to stay nearby so we are finding Christian homes willing to take them in that are not that far from Chernihiv but still considered safer.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

War Relief Updates Email - March 17, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Right now we have one of our former national missionaries who is fluent in Polish, English and Ukrainian working with the US Consulate in Krakow where we have about 20 family members (women and children) of our missionaries waiting to get visas. There are others from war areas under attack who have been evacuated to Western Ukraine that may join them if these 20 succeed in getting visas. Initially we thought that we would get some of these refugees into the US within a couple of weeks. However, our people working with the US consulate in Krakow have been informed that the Biden administration abruptly ended the emergency visa program for Ukrainians almost as soon as it started. The press release about Biden opening his arms for Ukrainian refugees is simply not true. Our people in Poland waiting for visas have been told that their only options are the standard B1 & B2 visas which will take much longer. The best we could hope for is the end of April. We just don't know. Once they get an appointment at the Consulate we will know more. Currently all are waiting for appointments. Please pray that they will get appointments soon.

2. Most of our national Ukrainian missionaries with young families have been able to get their families made up of women and children to Western Ukraine or Europe with most in Poland. The men all remain in Ukraine where most of their churches serve as bomb shelters where they provide food and lodging along with prayer and sharing of the Gospel. Many are being saved.

3. The areas where 3 of our churches are, have come under such heavy attack that the focus is on evacuation.

4. Several of our men are making dangerous trips from the south and west into Kyiv and north of Kyiv to bring in badly needed food, supplies and medicine. Check the War Video Updates section of our Website to view some of their efforts.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

---

Additional email Newsletters if you aren’t already receiving them:

(Click to Subscribe)

BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

We also post many written and video updates on our BIEM Facebook Page. Please feel free to visit, like and share to stay up-to-date on how BIEM Missionaries are doing.

March Video Update

Watch this video on Vimeo by either clicking on the following link or by copying and pasting it in your browser:

https://vimeo.com/686472802

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Hello from the Slobodians! This month's video update is different from our typical monthly updates which usually feature our national missionaries reporting on recent events in their ministries. We have been posting many such video updates on our website. You can watch these by clicking on the "View Video Updates" section on our home page.

Instead, this month's video update is specially designed for you to share with others. It is a 1-minute video that tells how people can help BIEM's war relief efforts along with a very brief introduction to BIEM. In all of BIEM’s history, we have never faced a crisis so enormous. The needs are overwhelming. Please share this video with as many people as you can.

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian