Praises – Rejoice with us!

v     BIEM’s most recent container of humanitarian aid and Christian literature was shipped at the end of June. We praise the Lord for prompting hearts to give the needed amount for shipping! If all goes as planned, these supplies should arrive in Ukraine in August.

v     Children’s worker Natasha Muravyova decided to witness to adults in an eye hospital in Pavlovskaya Sloboda. She presented the surgeon with a Bible, shared her faith with patients, and offered to pray with them. She was also able to follow up by visiting one interested patient at that lady’s home following eye surgery.

v     Two of our church planters (Dr. Sasha Shestov from St. Petersburg, Russia, and Pastor Iosif Pop from Fetesti, Romania) enjoyed wonderful receptions at the churches they visited during their recent visits to the U.S. All love offerings from these services will be extremely helpful in supplying equipment and building materials for their ministries.

v     Also in St. Petersburg, Russia, Charles Hoblitz reports that 24 students from China accepted Christ during a recent camp! Five of those have returned to China following graduation, and Charles encouraged them to find a house church where they can serve the Lord in China.

 Prayer – Pray with us! 

v     On June 24, BIEM’s founder, Dr. Peter Slobodian, passed away and is now with the Savior whom he served most of his life. Although it is always comforting to know that a loved one has gone to a heavenly reward, the staff and board of BIEM would appreciate prayers for Peter’s wife Mary and the rest of the Slobodian family at this time. 

v     As mentioned in our recent newsletter, July is the month when BIEM workers will be operating most of our summer camps. Please pray for energy and insight for our camp staffers as they seek to reach children’s hearts with the Gospel. Please also pray for the Holy Spirit to soften the listeners’ hearts and to make them receptive to the Word. 

v     Last month’s “BIEM’s of Light” mentioned that the commander of the Desna Military Education Center had rescinded permission for the church in Desna to rent the auditorium in which they had been meeting. Because the building belongs to the military, Vitaly Sychov appealed to the Ministry of Defense in Kyiv. There he received assurance that they would make arrangements to permit him to rent the building for the church. Please pray for this situation to be resolved for God’s glory. 

v     In Tandarei, Romania, Iulian Stoian and Dorin Dodu have been evangelizing children through a Good News Bible Club and visiting homes to reach adults. They ask us to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as they make contacts and form relationships with people who need the Lord. Also, they are preparing converts for believers’ baptism.