BIEMs of Light: April 2026
Praises – Rejoice with us!
Today another war-relief shipment of donated goods left the BIEM warehouse for Ukraine. Much of the contents is quality used clothing for refugees and other needy ones. It also contains a variety of medical and mobility items, along with household items and even toys for children. Praise God!
Our Director for Ukraine Eugene Buyko and his family have been with us for all of March. While here they represented the mission of BIEM in a variety of churches across multiple states. Plus, the whole family spent many hours helping us to sort and pack donated items for the war-relief container mentioned above! This morning they began the long journey back to Ukraine.
During Ukraine’s severe energy crisis this past winter, the generous gifts from friends of BIEM enabled us to bless scores of churches there with gifts of $1,000 apiece to aid in heating their church buildings. We praise the Lord that the number of churches aided this way has now surpassed 100. We will share more details about this in the next issue of our quarterly Challenger newsletter.
Concerning war relief for Ukraine, we have a special blessing to share. We received a donation of entire pallets loaded with boxes of adult-sized, disposable diapers—nearly 6,000 diapers! These are particularly valuable for the elderly and for severely injured victims of the war. We praise and thank God for the generosity of this donor.
Prayer – Pray with us!
Because of a mechanical breakdown on the press that normally prints our Challenger newsletters, the spring issue is delayed. It should get mailed out the week of April 6. This has delayed our news that we urgently need funds to sponsor summer camps. Out of the $65,000 needed, we currently have $5,400 on hand. Please help us pray for $59,600 for summer camps.
Our director for Central Asia requests prayer concerning a well-drilling rig he is ordering for Central Asia. The goal is to drill wells for villages that aren’t located close to water sources. May this effort open opportunities to water villages with the Gospel, too!
Our evangelist contact in Iran, Matthew, reports much persecution of Christians in recent days. Police have been arresting, beating, and sometimes killing known Christians. Please uphold them in prayer!
In the Republic of Georgia, the legal landscape continues to shift rapidly. In the past few months, at least 3 new laws effectively move Georgia into a “restricted” or “creative” access land for evangelistic ministry. Please pray for our several ministry families as they strive to comply.
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War Relief Updates - March 27, 2026
Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
1. As the church in Lviv, Ukraine, steadily reaches out to refugees with war relief and the Gospel, the church has experienced growth. It’s quite timely that last year we began a construction project to transform their building’s spacious second floor (which had been unfinished) into a large auditorium. In these next few days, the workmen are entering a phase of their auditorium construction that requires 4 laborers to work at very high heights. Because of the dangers involved, Pastor Yura has requested special prayer for their safety.
2. Yesterday, on March 26, BIEM accepted delivery of an empty 40-ft. container. On Saturday morning, a crew of volunteers will help us to load most of the war-relief goods stored in our warehouse into that container for shipment as aid to churches in Ukraine. Please pray for the safety of our volunteers as there are plenty of possibilities for accidents.
3. In this week’s video, BIEM church planter Sasha Petrenko introduces us to a brother from his church who is also named Sasha. Other church members refer to this brother—who currently serves in communications in the Ukrainian military—as “Sasha the evangelist.” Please watch and learn why our church planter says, “Sasha hardly ever calls and asks for something, but when he asks for something, we know that it is very, very important.” You will also learn how financial gifts from believers just like you enabled BIEM to bless not only Sasha himself but also the untold numbers of men in uniform who depend on him for their very lives. Here’s the link:
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/sasha
4. On Tuesday, May 24, Russia launched its most massive attack on the western Ukraine city of Lviv and other areas. According to news reports from multiple channels, within a 24-hour period, Russia launched nearly 1,000 drones and 34 missiles at Ukraine. Dozens of deaths and injuries resulted, not to mention physical destruction to properties. What was particularly unusual was that the attack occurred in broad daylight, which is a departure from the norm. Our church planters Yura and Violetta Levtseniuk live in Lviv with their children. They tell us that in recent weeks they had gotten accustomed to a lot of sirens but no bombs. Suddenly—this happened. Please pray for Yura, Violetta, and the church as they have opportunities to share the Gospel while helping those in need.
Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM
March 2026 Video Update
Dear Pastors and Friends,
As winter draws toward a close, our video for the month of March gives us one more peek into a Ukrainian winter camp. In this video, the church in Zdolbuniv brings their teen group to the campground in Derman. There, the youth had fun playing games in the snow, practicing sportsmanship, and enjoying warm meals. But more importantly, youth leaders united their hearts around the Word of God and led them in worship. All this, without the sound of missiles, drones, and explosions that plague more populous areas. As you watch, just imagine what a wonderful change of pace this camp was for teens living in a nation under constant attack. Here’s the link:
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/wintercamp2
Blessings to you!
Sam & Amy Slobodian
March Video Update
Dear Pastors and Friends,
Although the war in Eastern and Southeastern Ukraine continues to wipe out businesses, homes, and lives, for the March video we want to turn your attention elsewhere, to something more uplifting. Years ago, the mayor of a town in Ukraine visited the church where BIEM’s Anatoly Kosyanchuk preaches. At the conclusion of the service, that mayor approached Anatoly with an unexpected proposal: “If you start another Baptist church on the opposite side of town, I’ll give you the land to build on!”
In the years following that surprise offer, God has taken the Second Baptist Church in Bilogorodka from a mere idea, to an empty plot of ground, to a construction project, to a thriving congregation. Now the Lord has blessed that growing group of believers with an ordination service—one assistant pastor and four deacons! Two of those deacons are neighbors who live within eyesight of the church. Both were unsaved when the church’s construction began. But through this ministry, God has drawn them and other residents of that neighborhood to Himself!
Our latest issue of our Challenger newsletter features an article about this same special ordination service. But for our March video, we decided to let Pastor Buyko and his new assistant pastor, Roman, tell more about God’s blessing that day. You can view that video here:
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/morehands
Thank you for your prayers!
Blessings to you!
Sam & Amy Slobodian
BIEMs of Light: September 2022
Praises – Rejoice with us!
Our new missionaries in Ukraine, the Koops, operated a 3-day children’s camp in Druzhba, which they have targeted for a new church. The first day, 65 attended; the 2nd day up to 85, and the third day over 100 participated, including about 20 mothers who were asking, “Where is the church?” When those moms heard that church services will be starting soon, some replied they will come.
Praise God, attacks from Russia on Ukraine’s Independence Day were not as bad as some feared. Although Russian rockets and missiles hit 58 cities and communities on that day, the next day there was only one. Since then, it seems things have died down.
In Ukraine, the Slobodians report a wonderful baptism at the new church in Bilogorodka. Nine adults were baptized. Praise God for souls being accepting Christ in this time of war. Previously, the Russian army had come within a few miles of Bilogorodka, which is in the Bucha area.
Praise God for a fruitful trip Vitaly Bilyak took to the military front in Donbas area with a trailer full of aid. He and those with him helped civilians, wounded ones in a hospital, plus soldier friends for whom he brought much-needed supplies and requested items. Vitaly plans two more such trips in September. Pray for safety. His videos from the front include sounds of artillery and explosions.
Prayer - Pray with us!
Sources predict that the next week will be an especially dangerous time for the military cities of Desna and Goncharovsk, where BIEM missionaries have planted two churches. Both towns have already suffered attacks by missiles, rockets, and planes. More attacks are expected. Please pray for our missionaries, the churches, and the community, that lives would be spared.
Pasha Usach conducted a special one-day event for mothers and wives who had lost sons and husbands in the war. Over 50 attended. The event was a huge blessing and provided a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel, so much so that Pavel is planning another such an event. Pray that God will use these outreaches to draw souls to Christ, the source of the greatest comfort.
Plans are underway to bring the Buyko family to the United States, where they will visit churches for one month. Sophia and the three girls have already received visas; now we are working on getting the special permission needed for Eugene to temporarily exit Ukraine during wartime. Please pray that this permission will be granted, just as it was for Vitaly Yurchenko.
Some of our contacts are witnessing of Christ to Muslims in Afghanistan. Please pray for God to open eyes and illumine hearts with the Gospel.
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BIEMs of Light: August 2022
Praises – Rejoice with us!
Praise God, our personnel in Ukraine have received another 40-ft. container of humanitarian aid from us here in the United States! This is the 7th container our dedicated Ukrainians are distributing to needy places. This one went to the city administration of a region that contains several settlements that were occupied by Russian forces, so these goods will reach some of the neediest recipients.
BIEM president Sam Slobodian heads back to Ukraine on August 2. The main focus of this trip will be humanitarian aid, but praise the Lord, he will also participate in a baptism and an ordination!
Today BIEM personnel drove another 5 tons of food from Poland into Ukraine, this time for the Kharkiv region. We praise God for thoughtful donors and for those driving and distributing.
So far, we are receiving reports of young people coming to Christ in BIEM-sponsored camps in Estonia, Ukraine, and Russia. Although the Lord touches hearts in a special way through such camps every summer, we never take that blessing for granted. To God be the glory!
Prayer - Pray with us!
Despite the war in Ukraine, one of our seminary graduates is deeply burdened for a particular district in a large city in Western Ukraine that has been flooded with refugees. Many of them plan to stay. This brother has recruited others to help start a new church, and they are praying and fasting every Friday for God’s direction and provision for that goal. Please join them in praying.
A pastor named Aleksander emailed us today from the Intensive Care section of a hospital in central Russia. He has a weak heart, and their summer camps and other ministries may have taxed him too much. Let’s uphold this worthy servant of the Lord with our prayers.
In Central Asia, the manager of our Christian shelter for hurting women is named Julie. She is a big blessing—talented, yet with a servant’s heart and love for Jesus. She devotes herself to running the shelter and ministering to these women and their children. It’s a big job. Please pray for her.
In another nation of Central Asia, one church recently baptized 9 former Muslims who had put their faith in Christ. Please pray that more hearts in those regions will soften and consider their need of the Savior.
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