War Relief Updates - January 13, 2023

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1.     Praise God for the good attendance at our Winter Seminary Session in Kyiv. Despite weeks of intense Russian attacks preceding the session, and despite the drones, missiles, and bombs that much of the country was enduring, our Ukrainian brethren decided to go ahead with classes. Many prayed that students would be able to overcome logistical obstacles to attend. We are glad to report that 22 registered students did attend. Plus, some others audited the courses, which brought the total attendance to 30.

2.     In another answer to prayer, we are relieved to report that in the areas where we’ve been traveling—in both Western and Eastern Ukraine—there have not been any new attacks from Russia. Sirens did sound one time, but that later proved to be the result of Russian planes taking off from a base in nearby Belarus. These planes later returned to base without crossing into Ukrainian airspace. Air raid sirens go off in Ukraine whenever Russian planes lift off from Belarusian airfields because there have been so many bombing attacks on Ukraine from Russian planes operating out of Belarus.

3.     In July, the Institute for Religious Freedom issued a report that Russian military activities had destroyed or ruined over 270 churches and “religious sites” in Ukraine. Although the IfR has not attempted to update exact figures, this was their conclusion in December: “We can foresee that in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, where hostilities are still ongoing, the scale of destruction of religious buildings will continue to increase. At the same time, this does not exclude the dangers to religious communities in western and central regions of Ukraine: as a result of missile strikes by Russian troops, even an Orthodox Church in Lviv was damaged. So, given the clearly unlawful methods of warfare that Russia is using, we can surely state that every religious community in Ukraine, regardless of its religious affiliation and regional location, is in danger to a certain degree.”

4.     Everywhere we go, Ukrainians express concern that Russia is preparing another invasion targeting Kyiv and will soon launch a second mobilization (this time aimed at conscripting 500,000 more men). Please pray this will not happen. Most analysts in the West do not believe such a scenario will take place, but here in Ukraine this is what their military and intelligence authorities are predicting.

5.     In direct response to the threat mentioned above, Ukraine is ramping up its military numbers by conscripting thousands more Ukrainians. BIEM personnel have felt the effects directly. An attempt at conscription was made upon Sergei Skripnik, our missionary in the western city of Borschiv. He was apprehended by a group of men who wanted to take him directly to a military recruiting station. It seemed to Sergei that the way they were going about it was illegal, especially when they refused to show him any identification. At that point, his wife began to film the incident on her phone. Her action prompted these aggressive men to abandon their efforts to conscript Sergei. Also, Igor Fomichov pastors the church in the military city of Desna and sits on the city council. At the last council meeting, military officials showed up and issued draft notices to Igor and all the men on the city council. This has happened in at least one other city. Please pray for Igor. You can imagine how concerned he and his family are, as well as all of us at BIEM. Compelling Igor into military service would be counterproductive to Ukraine, considering the immense amount of aid he has provided to both civilians and the military alike. In fact, the Ukrainian military bestowed medals on him and two others in his church in recognition of the huge help they have been. His conscription would also be a significant blow to our ministry efforts in that area. Pray that God would be gracious to the Desna church and keep their pastor in his place.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

January Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

When God united the hearts of Sergiy Koop and Karina Bilyak, he took two missionary-minded individuals and created one dynamic husband-and-wife team. (Karina shares that she had dreamed for years of marrying a missionary!) Together, they are now in the early stages of church planting.

Although this missionary couple has been with BIEM for just a few months, they have targeted a specific, heavily populated district (called “Friendship”) for their church-planting activities. In addition, the Lord has given them a team of dedicated volunteers and led them to a convenient location, which they have fixed up and are now using for various types of outreach. Please watch the following brief video to gain a vision for their zeal and enthusiasm in God’s work:

https://vimeo.com/788000765

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

War Relief Updates - January 6, 2023

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Among their personal friends and contacts, BIEM’s missionary family the Kellers spearheaded a separate drive to raise funds for generators in war-torn Ukraine. In 2 months, they raised another $85,000 for generators, the first of which are already in use. Initial locations to receive generators include a church in Makalevichi (Zhytomyr region), an evangelistic Christian coffee shop in Pryluky, a Christian children’s club, a church in Mukachevo, and a repair brigade for Ukrainian military vehicles. May God be praised for this help.

2. Commenting on his recent delivery of war relief items to Bakhmut, the area of most intense fighting, Vitaly Bilyak says, “I had 122 boxes, each containing 26.5 lbs. of groceries. The cost of each box was around $17. Almost everywhere, people asked for flashlights, power banks, and batteries for flashlights. I had about 10 warm blankets, but that was negligible. We left Bakhmut in almost total darkness. We were glad we had served people and shared the Gospel. We prayed with people and for people.”

3. BIEM missionary Sasha Petrenko recently made yet another trip to carry Scriptures and war relief to Donbas. He states, “God blessed me to make another trip to our military in Donbas, thanks to the BIEM mission. It was a blessed trip in which I saw and felt the protection and mercy of God. I could go and distribute New Testaments, also New Testament recordings on audio players, and give the men the necessary things so they can be as comfortable as possible. We delivered warm clothes, food, and propane tanks with which they can cook their own food in the trenches, etc.”

4. One item from last week’s updates was a prayer request for me, since I was soon heading to Ukraine with a pastor from Indiana. I requested prayer for safety and a smooth border crossing since lines at the border were then 8-13 hours long. God has already in large part answered those prayers since we were able to cross the border in less than two hours. Furthermore, Putin announced a halt to the bombings this weekend in observance of the Orthodox Christmas, which is on January 7. Therefore, traveling in Ukraine over the weekend should be safer if Putin honors his statement. Please keep praying since I will remain in Ukraine throughout next week.

5. Our first stop was in Lviv, where church-planter brother Yuri is doing a great work. They have housed and fed over 4,000 refugees. One family just arrived from an occupied area, but minus their 27-year-old daughter, who was in the military and was murdered by the Russians. The Russian military then arrived at their home and told the family they could come and retrieve the body of their daughter. When they arrived, they were shocked, horrified, and heartbroken because her body had been cut into many pieces. We might soon post a video of the mother (Nelly) sharing their story in one of our upcoming war relief videos.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

BIEMs of Light: January 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• A Baptist church in a Muslim country? Yes! In Central Asia, we have a number of house churches, even some with buildings. The government often seeks to close them or persecute the believers, but God continues to protect, sustain, and use them. Pastor Almond’s church is 30 minutes from our Women’s Shelter. On Sundays, ladies and children from the Shelter are driven to the worship service, where they interact with believers. This often leads to a decision to accept Jesus as Savior!

• BIEM’s Vitaly Yurchenko and family experienced a close call when one of the Russian rockets bombarding Kyiv flew within 200 meters of their home. Although the rocket was intercepted midair, the resulting explosion shook their house. Fragments damaged nearby houses and cars. We praise God for His mercy and protection.

• Our team in Central Asia just returned from evangelistic trip #14.  They distributed 38 food bags, each with a Gospel tract. They were able to share how Jesus was born to be our Savior. An influential father received Christ, and we think several others will also. Earlier, the team was allowed to give boxes of candy to 150 Afghani refugee children at school. For the first time, those kids heard the story of baby Jesus, who would be King and save people from their sins. Praise God!

• At our Bible Institute in Central Asia, 25 Afghani students are soaking up God’s Word and extremely actively sharing their faith with other Afghanis. May God bless their testimonies with fruit!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In mid-January one of our BIEM directors will be involved in transporting Bibles in a restricted-access land. Please pray for his safety and the safe delivery of this precious cargo.

• Despite the war, our brethren plan to hold the winter session of the Kyiv Seminary starting on January 9th. Please pray that students will be able to attend regardless of the cold and logistical challenges involved during this time. Also, please pray that no bombings or other interruptions will halt this session.

• Sam Slobodian and Kevin Gaugler (a BIEM board member) plan to travel to Ukraine this week to participate in the Seminary session in Kyiv. Please pray for their safety and for smooth border crossings. (In recent days, incredibly long lines have developed at the border crossings between Ukraine and Poland.)

• In Ukraine a team will soon be heading to an area of much fighting. A team leader requests prayer for safety, saying, “It’s not calm there, constant shelling. And for the ministry itself. We will be taking food and construction materials, and we will hold a service and a program for children.” May God bless.

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War Relief Updates - December 30, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. Last night, BIEM’s Vitaly Yurchenko and family experienced a close call when one of the Russian rockets bombarding Kyiv flew within 200 meters of their home. Although the rocket was intercepted midair, the resulting explosion shook their home. Fragments damaged 10 nearby houses and many automobiles. Please continue to pray for the safety of our Ukrainian missionaries and their families.

2. Despite the war, our brethren plan to hold the winter session of the Kyiv Seminary starting on January 9th. Please pray that students will be able to attend regardless of the cold and logistical challenges involved during this time. Also, please pray that bombings will not interrupt our session and that the threatened invasion from the Belarussian border to the north will not take place.

3. Sam Slobodian and Kevin Gaugler (a BIEM board member) plan to travel to Ukraine next week to participate in the Seminary session in Kyiv. Please pray for their safety and for smooth border crossings. In recent days, long lines have developed at the border crossings between Ukraine and Poland. This situation has resulted in lines of 10-13 hours to cross in either direction. Please pray for this situation to improve.

4. On Christmas Day, one BIEM missionary wrote, “Praise God, today one man trusted Christ in the Ukrainian village of Nastashka at the service. They have lights due to the generator we took to them. Thank you for your prayers and support. God’s name is being magnified!”

5. On November 22 in the city of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region, the Russian military kidnapped the deacon of the Evangelical Christian church. He was father of many children and known in the region for his charity, sensitivity, and positive Christian example. Anatoly Prokopchuk was born in 1970, and his son Oleksandr was born in 2003. On November 26, 2022, their bodies were found bearing signs of extreme torture, mutilated beyond recognition. Pray for the comfort of wife Iryna Vitalyivna, a daughter, five sons, three daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Revelation 6:10, “And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: how long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and avenge those living on earth for our blood?”

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

War Relief Updates - December 22, 2022

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

Dear Friends of BIEM,

1. On Thursday, Vitaly Bilyak completed the trip back home after ministering to people’s needs in the region of Bakhmut. He delivered food, clothing, and candles. Most importantly, he used this opportunity to preach the Gospel and to distribute New Testaments to people surviving in homes near the battlefields. He thanks everyone who prayed for this trip.

2. A few days ago, BIEM missionary Bruce Tuttle wrote from Ukraine, "Our men – including a number of our graduates – return from the heavily afflicted zones close to the front, and they are sober and broken-hearted. I had to miss the last trip but expect to travel with them early in January. For that trip, we expect to remain over a Sunday and preach in a church service. We hope to be able to spend nights in heated homes or buildings, but that is not always the case. One of our graduates who is regularly taking similar journeys into another critical area reported that on his last journey at least 3 people repented and put their trust in Christ. That makes all the hours and difficulties of travel, and all the dangers, worthwhile, doesn’t it?!"

3. Despite the war and interruptions in power and water, many of our church plants are conducting special Christmas meetings to bring in people from the community to hear the Gospel, receive gifts, and obtain New Testaments. These special outreaches will continue through January 7 – their traditional date for Christmas observance - because they celebrate both Christmases.

4. BIEM’s Field Director for Central Asia shared that some of the Central Asian missionaries have asked him to withhold a good portion of their support funds and instead direct them to specific Ukrainian war refugees who are in need so they can pray for them and keep up with how they are doing. A couple of such needy families have been identified and helped on their behalf. Please pray that they would be saved. What a blessing their salvation would be to the Central Asian brethren who sacrificed out of their meager funds to reach people for Christ!

5. In the Druzhba district of Ternopil, Ukraine, new church planters Sergiy and Karina Koop recently held a special event commemorating International Bible Day. In order to reach neighbors - especially the many refugees in the area - they hung a banner, printed flyers, and went door to door inviting people. The Lord blessed their efforts with many people that day. The Koops had already delivered food aid to some refugees in the area, and they will be delivering more to needy ones they have now contacted. May the Lord bless their ministry as they seek to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of refugees and the local residents.

Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM

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

December Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Yesterday I asked Vitaly Yurchenko—who is both a church planter and Rector of our Seminary in Kyiv, Ukraine—to send us a video update that we could share with all of you. At the time of my request, even I wasn’t picturing the reality that he must shoot such a video by candlelight. I hope that you will spare 2 minutes to watch this short clip, where Vitaly discusses the current situation in his country and then more specifically their hopes for a winter session of the Seminary. Here’s the link:

https://vimeo.com/777413088

At the conclusion, Vitaly expresses sincere gratitude to all of BIEM’s supporters for your financial sacrifices and daily prayers for Ukraine. Please accept my thanks also for continuing to stand with us and to help us use every opportunity—in season and out of season, in times of peace and times of war—to serve others and to glorify God and proclaim the Gospel.

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

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

BIEMs of Light: December 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• For years, a young man named Misha from a pastor’s home in Ukraine delayed giving his heart to Christ. Drafted, he found himself repeatedly thrust into battles, barely escaping with his life while men all around him were cut down. Many prayed, and Misha at last trusted Christ!

• We requested prayer for our 40-ft. container of aid, which got stuck in Gdansk, Poland. Praise the Lord, that container is finally released and bound for Ukraine. The downside is that the delay cost BIEM an additional $1,400 for extended storage—all because of someone else’s error, not ours.

• You prayed for Igor Fomichov during his visit to the U.S. God answered! In multiple states, people listened with great interest and promised to pray. Also, God answered other prayers and let Igor speed through the border back into Ukraine, a process that once took 9 hours.

• This week alone, BIEM has been able to purchase a dozen more generators for Ukraine. Churches are using them to create warming centers, places where locals can go and warm up during blackouts. There, visitors will also hear the Gospel. We plan to provide more as funds become available.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• BIEM personnel continue to make aid & evangelism trips to battle zones in the east and south of Ukraine. Today, Vitaly Bilyak is driving to Kherson. Sasha Petrenko will soon be headed to Donbas. Please pray for God’s protection on our missionaries and for the salvation of souls.

• Although Ukrainian engineers and electricians work around the clock to restore the power-generating system Russia is targeting, millions remain without power. Please pray for quick, successful repairs and for churches to seize these opportunities to glorify God by helping others in His name.

• From Central Asia: “We had our first person come to faith in Christ through our Afghani literacy school…. The semester exam is being able to read John 3:16 from the Dari Bible then explain it and write it in Dari. As she was studying…one woman called our teacher and said, ‘I get it! Jesus is the Son of God! He’s the Sacrifice that appeased the wrath of God against me. How can I accept him?’ She repented and asked Jesus to save her! Pray for her. She was threatened with death for daring to learn to read and write; now she’s afraid she’ll be killed if Muslims learn she accepted Christ.

• Our partners in Ukraine feel it imperative to hold a January session of the Seminary despite the war. Please pray for conditions to allow it and for students being able to attend despite hardships.

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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

November Video Update

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Greetings to you in the precious name of Jesus Christ! The link below will connect you to our video update for the month of November. BIEM’s director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, just completed six weeks in the United States with his family. They spoke in churches and schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, and the state of Washington. See the link below for a few final words of appreciation from the Buykos at the end of their visit:

https://vimeo.com/765053627

By the way, as the time for the Buykos 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.” We are grateful to the Lord for giving our ministry such dependable and dedicated coworkers.

In Christ,

Sam & Amy Slobodian

BIEMs of Light: November 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• BIEM’s Eugene Buyko and his family completed 6 weeks of speaking in churches and schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, and Washington state. We asked you to pray for these meetings, and God blessed. See this link for a few words of appreciation from the Buykos: https://vimeo.com/765053627

• News from Central Asia: “Ruhollah, who was a Shiite extremist, was caught, tortured by the Taliban for months, escaped, got into Pakistan, and was caught and deported…. He trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior this morning. He is still in Afghanistan, and his life is in danger; but praise God, his eternal destiny is now sealed by the Holy Spirit.”

• Tim, a BIEM missionary now in Ukraine, reports that, despite drone attacks, over 250 youth from all over Ukraine—including from war zones—attended a 3-day youth rally. Their songs of praise to God were a stark contrast to the hum of drones backed by air raid sirens.”

• In Ukraine, civic authorities awarded our Rock of Salvation Baptist Church with a Certificate of Gratitude for active assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and to the local population during the Russian occupation of Chernihiv. By God’s grace, this church’s good works shine for His glory!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Russian missiles and drones have damaged up to 40% of Ukraine’s energy grid. BIEM had already provided generators for a good number of churches in Ukraine (our main hubs for distributing aid). But now we plan to supply more generators to churches. Please pray for those believers reaching out to neighbors with Christ’s love as temperatures drop.

• Our missionary Igor Fomichov is now in the U.S. visiting supporting churches. Pray that God will use him and his testimony, not merely to inform people about the dire situation in Ukraine, but also to bless them and motivate them to prayer and an ever-closer relationship with the Lord.

• Our most recent 40-ft. container of humanitarian aid arrived at the port in Gdansk, Poland, on October 23. The paperwork for its delivery to Ukraine is complete, but the shipper hasn’t moved it, possibly because its transport was negotiated at a cheaper rate than commercial cargo. Please pray for its delivery to Ternopil, Ukraine.

• Please don’t grow weary of praying for the war in Ukraine to end. We rejoice at reports of lost souls accepting Christ because of the war, but we pray for an end to the killing, atrocities, and destruction.  

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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