July Video Update

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

https://vimeo.com/727908170

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

War Relief Updates Email - June 30, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. This last weekend, all over Ukraine there was a huge increase in Russian bombings and missile attacks. Each attack hit civilian targets, including a horrific bombing of a packed shopping center in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. The fiery inferno that resulted has made it impossible to identify or even count all the victims.

2. During this attack, which targeted Ukraine with over 50 missiles, 20 missiles struck Desna, which had previously been hit by 4 that killed 87. Brother Igor, our national missionary there, tells us these missiles hit both civilian and military areas and that it’s an absolute miracle no civilians were killed. The number of casualties on the military side of the base is unknown at this point. The residents are in shock and great fear. Many choose to spend nights outside the city, either in nearby villages or camping in the forest. 

3. Residents of Goncharovsk (the next military city to the north where our missionary brother Sasha is based) also live in great fear of being targeted again. A previous attack destroyed the elementary school next door to the apartment building where Sasha lived with his family. He and his family now stay in Smolin, the nearby town where they have an almost-completed church building. Many residents of Goncharovsk gather there to seek refuge. Please pray for both Igor and Sasha as these circumstances provide wonderful opportunities to share Christ with people who are ready to listen.

4. Since many of these missiles were launched by Russian aircraft in Belarusian airspace, there is much concern that Belarus may join the Russian attack. This would immediately endanger Western Ukraine, where we have several church plants heavily involved in war relief efforts. Please pray that this does not happen.

5. Praise God, we have now distributed over $600,000 in War Relief funds to almost 100 churches that serve as distribution centers!

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates Email - June 24, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. After Vitaly Bilyak received a special visa to leave Ukraine (which requires him to return within 30 days with a significant amount of humanitarian aid, including medicine and medical supplies for wounded soldiers), he was able to travel with me into Poland. There, we left with friends his vehicle and trailer, which he will need to fill with this aid upon returning. In the US, he reunited with his family, which we previously evacuated to the US. He had not seen them for nearly 4 months. The whole family is now with us, and we are traveling to meetings in churches in Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania to bring first-hand reports on our war relief efforts. Please pray for these meetings.

2. Continue to pray for the Buyko family’s July 8th interview at the US Consulate in Krakow, Poland. They hope to come to the United States under the “Unite for Ukraine” program, which allows up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to enter the US.

3. Praise God, a 6th full container of humanitarian aid, which has been provided by friends in the US, is due to arrive at the Polish border this coming Tuesday. Please pray for its safe transport all the way to the Kyiv area.

4. When Vitaly Bilyak returns to Ukraine with his vehicle and trailer filled with humanitarian aid, among the items he needs to bring is a long list of medical supplies and medicines for a regional hospital that provided the documentation for this trip. Praise God that brother Jan Milton of Renewed Hope Ministries is providing these medical items.

5. We have now provided aid for close to 100 churches across Ukraine. In turn, they are distributing food, clothing, and medicines to those suffering from the war.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates Email - June 16, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. In our last weekly war relief update, I mentioned that we planned to visit Fastiv (about 1 hour southwest of Kyiv) to survey the damage to one of our churches from a nearby bombing. One of the bombs landed 50 meters from the church, which is less than 200 feet. Turns out that windows on the inside were also shattered. (For example, the large windows that separate the church auditorium from the nursery area.) Praise God, we can fund the cost of replacing the doors and windows. We are also thankful that the other Fastiv church was spared, though they could see and hear the missiles passing overhead. Fastiv is a huge railroad center, so the Russians were probably targeting the railway center or the power grid. They missed both, since the missiles destroyed only storage buildings. We were able to see the damage, and someone actually gave us a video of the bombs exploding, which was filmed from a passing train. We will include these on one of our upcoming War Relief Videos we post on our website.

2. Praise God, we have passed the $500,000 mark in war relief aid that has been put into the hands of our people distributing aid in Ukraine. We are so grateful for those who have contributed so generously. Everywhere I stopped in Ukraine, people asked me to pass along their deep appreciation for the help that American believers are providing. It is making a huge impact for the glory of God.

3. Last week we mentioned that a couple of our men (Vitaly Bilyak and Eugene Buyko) received special documents allowing them to leave Ukraine even though they are of military age and did not have enough young children to exempt them from the law requiring they stay. This special permission is connected to humanitarian aid, and they must haul a significant amount back with them. So Vitaly and I traveled together across the border in his car hauling a trailer marked Humanitarian Aid. He must fill and haul it back in on his return trip. Even though we had documents in hand, it is the border guards who ultimately decide who can pass. Praise God that, after a 3 1/2 hour wait, they let Vitaly and I through. We traveled together on our flights to the US from Krakow, Poland. Vitaly’s family is among those we evacuated to the United States through Mexico. After not seeing each other for more than 3 months, it will be a sweet reunion.

4. While I was in Lviv with Vitaly, three Russian missiles flew toward his home city of Ternopil. All three were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses, and pieces from two of them landed in empty fields. The third that went down and rained debris on a brick factory, severely damaging the factory. There are a lot of military installations in that area; the Russians were probably targeting them. Praise God that the Ternopil church has not been hit even though it is less than 100 feet from a railway, and those are also frequent targets of Russian attacks.

5. On July 8, the Eugene Buyko family has an interview at the US Consulate in Krakow, Poland, to determine if they will receive visas for the United States under the “Unite for Ukraine” program. Please pray for the interview to go well so that Eugene’s wife Sophia and 3 daughters will all get visas. Their son Mikhail must remain in Ukraine along with Eugene.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates Email - June 10, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Greetings from Kyiv! It is a wonderful blessing to be back in this amazing capital city, though at the same time it is heartbreaking to see all the destruction we saw in so many places on the way here. Since Kyiv had not been bombed for a month, some men in the Kyiv area were contemplating letting their families return. However, because Kyiv was bombed on Sunday, those plans have been put on hold.

2. Last week, we mentioned that a fifth container of donated goods was delivered to a church in Fastiv which is southwest of Kyiv. BIEM has two church plants in this city which is a key railroad center. Recently Fastiv was also targeting by Russia bombs. One of our churches there which operates a very successful drug and alcohol rehab center, was so close to the bombing that most of the windows and some doors were blown out. Tomorrow or the next day we plan to go there to survey the damage.

3. Pastor Igor’s family did return to Desna since his wife Alexandra had to return due to her position working for the Ukrainian military. Please pray for their safety. Since last week’s horrific bombing that killed over 80 people in Desna, many of those who have stayed spend nights camping in nearby forests fearing that the city will once again be attacked.

4. Two of our men obtained special permission to leave Ukraine since they assist with distributing humanitarian aid. However, they must return with humanitarian (including medicines) within a specified time framework. Eugene Buyko was able to visit his family, which had been evacuated to Germany, and Vitaly Bilyak is planning to visit his family, which we were able to get to the United States through Mexico.

5. Keep praying for the Keller family, for whom we applied for refugee status via the “Unite with Ukraine” program that the United States announced. We applied shortly after the program was announced but still have not heard anything. Similarly, another family connected with our ministry, the Debelinskys, have been waiting in Germany 3 months for a visa.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

June 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/717531414

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

War Relief Updates Email - June 3, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Praise God, in Ukraine we have now received our 5th full, 40-foot container of humanitarian aid from friends in America. Our brethren are distributing its contents among the needy. While the 4th one was delivered to our church in Bilogorodka (in the Kyiv area), this 5th one was delivered to our church in Fastiv. Both locations are areas of great need.

2. These containers are only part of our distribution efforts. Our folks are also delivering an amazing amount of aid using vans and SUVs, which often travel in caravans. As our brothers and sisters distribute this aid, their Christian love in action has greatly lifted the testimony of these churches, which have become distribution centers. Now the communities around these churches have a newfound appreciation for these churches, which will certainly open hearts to the Gospel.

3. These churches have also reached out beyond their immediate communities to towns and villages farther away. Our folks in Kyiv have traveled as far as the Belarussian border to distribute aid to places others have overlooked. One of our churches was near an undisclosed location where special military units of the Ukrainian armed forces were stationed to ambush the 40-mile-long caravan of Russian military hardware heading towards Kyiv. When Pastor Igor heard that these Ukrainian soldiers were hungry, he used funds provided by BIEM so he and men from his church could take food to those soldiers. Not only did their actions spark new, high respect for Igor’s church in the eyes of the military, but the military presented Igor and two men from his church with beautiful medals and impressive citations!.

4. I will be traveling back to Ukraine next week. On my previous visit, I stayed in the western part of Ukraine. On this trip, I plan to visit the Kyiv area. Please pray for safety and that I can be an encouragement to our people in Ukraine.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: June 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Recently, one of our BIEM missionaries entered a Central Asian nation (predominantly Muslim) with a bag full of Bibles. When Customs officials saw the x-ray scan containing the Bibles, they began arguing back and forth. While they debated, our missionary snatched up his bags and headed out the door. Moments later, they followed him and searched the crowd but didn’t spot him. God provided an opportunity to take in every Bible!

• Afghans who fled the Taliban are coming to Christ in Central Asia! Plus, BIEM has organized a school to teach refugee children school subjects, which includes reading the Bible in their language. A Bible institute is also in the planning stages and is well on its way to being operational.

• In Ukraine, in addition to hundreds of tons of aid we have distributed using vans, SUV’s, and small trucks, we have now received 5 forty-foot containers of humanitarian aid, which we transported to churches that serve as distribution centers in needy parts of Ukraine. Praise God for the compassionate friends in the USA who have provided these goods and for our Ukrainian brethren who distribute them!

• Although the world’s attention is on Ukraine, we still have people ministering for the Lord inside Russia. We praise God for souls recently won to Christ in Siberia!

Prayer - Pray with us!

• On Easter Sunday, one of our churches in Central Asia was raided by police, who arrested the pastor. The church was fined $200, which BIEM paid. We rejoice that the punishment was relatively light, but please pray for Pastor River and his congregation as they serve God in a land that is hostile to Christian activities.

• BIEM’s evangelistic outreaches overseas depend on our ability to transfer funds to those lands. The sanctions on some countries have a side effect of blocking our normal methods of transferring funds. Please pray that the Lord will show us effective workarounds.

• On June 6, BIEM’s president Sam Slobodian plans to travel to Ukraine, including to Kyiv. Please pray for safe traveling as he visits our missionaries and makes plans with them.

• Friends often say, “Pray for Ukraine.” But don’t pray only for the life of that nation. Pray for the salvation of the countless souls who are hearing the Gospel in conjunction with our aid efforts.

War Relief Updates Email - May 27, 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, just a few hours after a container of humanitarian aid was unloaded in Desna, the city was bombed and that there were 8 fatalities. That figure has been revised by the government to 87 fatalities. Folks in Desna now say the real figure is even higher. This was the largest military loss for Ukraine to date in the war, according to an article by Fox News which you can access at this link:  

https://www.foxnews.com/world/ukraine-reveals-worst-military-loss-of-russia-war

2. Purchasing fuel is becoming more difficult. Yesterday our church planter Sasha Petrenko had to wait in line for over 12 hours to buy fuel for delivering humanitarian aid. The cost of fuel is now $8 per gallon in many places.

3. BIEM missionary Tim S. is in Ukraine for the third time to assist with humanitarian aid shipments. The first time, he went with his wife Luda. The second time he went alone. This time Sarah, his oldest daughter, is with him. Please pray for their travels and for God to bless their efforts.

4. We have now received a 4th full container of humanitarian aid, which has arrived in Bilogorodka in the Kyiv area. This is in addition to nearly 100 van loads of goods distributed to needy areas.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

May 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/705504223

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

War Relief Updates Email - May 20, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Earlier we had mentioned that a third container full of humanitarian aid from the United States was headed to Desna, Ukraine, which is in the Chernihiv area. This shipment arrived on Tuesday. Just hours after everything was unloaded, Desna came under bombardment by the Russian Air Force. At least 8 people were killed, and many were injured. Please pray for the families affected.

2. Praise God, none of our missionary families have been injured, and all our church buildings have escaped serious damage, though some have suffered damaged windows due to nearby blasts.

3. We have more information about Alexander Sevchenko, our seminary student who was killed in Kharkov. Alexander had joined a volunteer group that was bringing in aid and evacuating people from an area on the outskirts of Kharkov. On one such mission his group did not return. Later, all their bodies were recovered, and it was apparent from their injuries that they were killed by shrapnel from artillery fire. Evidently, they got caught in the crossfire of one of the many battles taking place in and around Kharkov.

4. In Ukraine we have now received 3 full 40-foot containers of humanitarian aid from the United States. Each container involves organizing a crew to unload the contents onto a semi-truck when they arrive in Yagodyn, Ukraine, which is right on the Polish border. In turn, these trucks travel across Ukraine to areas in need that are very far from the Polish border. Praise God that He has touched the hearts of many people whose combined efforts make this possible. There are those who provide the goods that are shipped; there are those who enable all the logistics of getting these goods to Yagodyn; there are those who labor hard to unload the arriving containers, load them onto the receiving semi and then unload everything at the destination. Next, many are involved in distributing these goods to the needy, which includes sharing the Gospel and handing out Bibles and tracts. We are also thankful for the Ukrainian Christian businessmen who have provided trucks and drivers to us for no charge. They requested only that we cover the cost of fuel, which is considerable. These huge trucks require an immense amount of fuel, which in Ukraine is now $6 per gallon and climbing. Ukraine is the size of Texas, so these trucks and all the other vehicles we have crisscrossing Ukraine are covering huge distances. Then there are people like you, who read these letters and give towards these needs. Praise God for amazing opportunities to help the suffering and to share the Gospel. We thank Him for the many who are taking part in our relief efforts for the glory of God.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates Email - May 13, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Pray for our displaced BIEM personnel who have been scattered across various places in Europe. We have folks in Poland, Switzerland, Germany, as well as a good number in Western Ukraine. Those who were displaced from the Kyiv area are contemplating and praying about returning since the situation in Kyiv has improved after the Russian army withdrew. However, this is not an easy decision since rocket and missile attacks continue.

2. One BIEM missionary family (Vitaly & Alexandra Keller) likely will not be able to return to Ukraine for ministry purposes. Since Vitaly has Russian citizenship, the current anti-Russian climate will likely necessitate a change of field for the Kellers. Please pray for wisdom and direction in this matter.

3. Pray as well for our application for BIEM to be a sponsor for the “Uniting for Ukraine” program. This would enable us to sponsor Ukrainian refugees who want to come to the United States. With the likely upcoming change in mission field, the Kellers especially are considering their need to come to the United States to touch base with supporters they have not reported to for years.

4. Praise God, BIEM has surpassed $400,000 directed to Ukraine for our War Relief efforts. This has purchased hundreds of tons of aid, plus covered the cost of transporting and distributing this aid. It has also enabled the evacuation and care of many hundreds of refugees.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates Email - May 6, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. We still have not solved the issue of getting Ukrainian refugees into the United States, although we did manage to bring a number in through Mexico. Recently our US government once again announced that it will admit 100,000 Ukrainian refugees in expedited fashion through a program called "Uniting for Ukraine," which was set to begin April 25th. Though that sounds great, in reality it is not so wonderful. This program requires a sponsor to fill out a form, which we have examined. This required form is a monster, requiring extensive financial information and documentation from potential sponsors committing to financially support the invited refugee, including financial disclosures regarding bank accounts of the sponsor. To make matters worse, we understand that in adopting this new program the US is shutting down the previously open door for Ukrainian Refugees to enter through Mexico. Those who did enter through Mexico were allowed to enter the US with minimal documentation and were afforded some government benefits. It seems that those who theoretically enter through the "Uniting for Ukraine" program would not be entitled to the same benefits. Please pray for wisdom in this matter.
   

2. Praise God, we have now received 2 full containers of humanitarian aid from friends in the United States. The first was distributed to 6 locations we mentioned in last week’s update. The second we trucked to a partnering church in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. This is a very needy area, so the church was so glad to receive this shipment and is sharing the goods throughout that area.
   

3. We rejoice to now be receiving a third full container on Monday. This shipment will go to our church in Desna in Chernihiv Oblast, which has been devastated by Russian forces. The Russians have withdrawn from this area but planted a lot of mines. Please pray for this shipment and for Pastor Igor, who will be distributing the contents of this 3rd container throughout this area.

4. These 3 full containers are only a part of our massive distribution efforts that continue to take place as our people continue their heroic efforts to alleviate the suffering of those in need in Ukraine. You can view videos about many of these efforts on our website under "View Video Updates." Our website is: BaptistInternational.org
    

5. Obviously, due to the war, summer camps for children will not be possible in every part of Ukraine. However, BIEM’s director for Ukraine and our workers in that country steadfastly declare they will hold summer camps wherever possible. In such trying times, Ukrainian children need camps and the Gospel lessons more than ever. Designate such donation “Summer Camps.”
   

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

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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.

BIEMs of Light: May 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Central Asia, our personnel continue to win souls among Afghanis who fled from the Taliban and their nation. One of our workers writes, “In our Afghani work, we had 3 more Afghanis trust Christ as Savior today. Praising God; He is always good. In trials and sufferings, He still is glorified.”

• At the end of April, BIEM’s president Sam Slobodian was able to enter Ukraine via Poland and to meet with many of our coworkers and friends and make plans face-to-face. The emotions and brotherly hugs were more emotional than usual due to the difficult times.

• Miraculously, none of the church buildings we’ve built in Ukraine have been damaged, and none of our missionaries or missionary families have been injured! Praise God for answered prayers!

• Thanks to your generous donations to our War Relief fund, our personnel continue to provide aid to needy Ukrainians, both inside and outside the borders. Food purchased in Romania, Poland, and western Ukraine is trucked into Ukraine and received with great joy and appreciation. Along with the food, our people share the Gospel at every possibility.

Prayer - Pray with us!

• Please pray concerning a church in Central Asia that the police raided at the end of their Easter service on April 24. Our missionary pastor persuaded the police to arrest only him but not the church members. Pray for God to protect and defend these believers.

• The U.S. has announced an expedited plan for enabling Ukrainian refugees to enter the country. Please pray that this plan will truly be implemented and operate smoothly. 

• With the situation in Ukraine in constant flux, please pray for divine wisdom for us and our coworkers as we must make regular decisions concerning how, when, and where to minister.

• Our closing prayer request comes from a BIEM missionary in central Ukraine: “Please continue to pray for the multiplied thousands who grieve over the loss of loved ones and friends. Please continue to pray that families who have been scattered will soon be able to be reunited. Please continue to pray that our God will be glorified in this conflict and in the lives and ministries of His people! Please pray for God’s blessings upon those who have sacrificed to help us here!”

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

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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

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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

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BIEM's of Light: Monthly Prayer and Praise sheet

Video Updates: Monthly Ministry Updates  from Sam Slobodian

Pray for Urgent Needs: Urgent Prayer Needs

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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