BIEMs of Light: April 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• We have previously mentioned the missing soldier Oleg, the brother of BIEM church planter Sasha Petrenko. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Oleg went missing. For about two years the family didn’t know whether Oleg was even alive. But now Oleg’s name has appeared on a list of prisoners who are to be released in the next prisoner swap. Praise God for this wonderful answer to prayer!

• On March 21, our latest 40-foot container of humanitarian aid and supplies departed for Ukraine! (However, this praise is also a prayer need: Polish farmers continue to block truck traffic at the Ukrainian border in protest over lower wheat prices, for which they blame Ukraine. Supposedly, both Poland and Ukraine are making progress concerning regulating food imports, but a final agreement is not in sight.)

• Thank you for praying for Igor Fomichov and Pavel Usach during their travels in the U.S. in March. They spoke in supporting churches in multiple states and played active roles in loading our container of humanitarian aid and assisting us with the paperwork. Now home in Ukraine, both express appreciation for everyone they managed to see and for all those who donated clothing and other items for Ukraine.

• A Central Asian family that came to Christ has a little girl named Dunya. It turned out that little girl suffered from a hole in her heart. Could the believers help? Yes! Praise God, Dunya underwent surgery and is now a happy, healthy, little girl with renewed strength!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• On March 10, BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak came under attack on an evangelism & aid trip in Donbas. A Russian drone targeted his car with a grenade. Shrapnel exploded the car’s right and rear windows and punctured his tires but, praise God, Vitaly was unhurt! Vehicle repairs are estimated at $5,000 due to all the shrapnel holes in the car’s body. BIEM would like to pay that cost. Please pray for that need.

• BIEM now has a waiting list of churches in Ukraine hoping for stackable auditorium chairs. We have sometimes been blessed with donations of such chairs, which have been a great blessing to our church planters. However, the war has increased church attendance. Please pray for the Lord to send us more chairs (even ones that need repairs) that we can put on the next container.

• In Central Asia, a young lady named Nagina is a new believer. Her mother gave her a choice: “Islam and me, or Jesus, your church, and the Bible Institute.” When she chose Jesus, her mother threw her out of the home. She declared she had lost everything but had gained new life and love in Christ.

• Some funds have begun to arrive for the summer camp ministry. Of the $60,000 needed, we have received $4,084. We have no idea which friends can help, but God knows! Please pray that He will prompt those of His people to take an interest and to provide.

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BIEMs of Light: March 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• By God’s grace and your generosity, BIEM received $165,000 for our project to provide warm clothing and Scriptures for Ukrainian servicemen in active battle zones. This amount enabled us to respond churches’ request to provide for 1,650 soldiers known by their members. May the Lord use these gifts to soften hearts and to these servicemen’s eyes to their greatest need—Jesus Christ!

• A BIEM missionary in Central Asia wrote, “One of our Afghan leaders just led a family of 6 Afghanis to faith in Christ!” Less than 24 hours later, that same missionary wrote, “Four more Afghanis, 2 men and 2 women, were just led to faith in Christ by 2 faithful college-age girls who started and lead a women’s Bible study for one of our Afghani refugee church plants.” Hallelujah!

• In Ternopil, our new missionaries the Koops are thrilled that God provided a friend who is licensed in the technical aspect of electrical and plumbing work. By providing such a friend, who donated his time and expertise, the Lord greatly stretched the dollars you friends gave for construction materials to aid the Koops in the first phase of preparing their rough shell of an apartment.

• We rejoice that our most recent shipment of humanitarian aid and supplies is being distributed to churches for their outreaches to their own respective communities. Praise God! Thanks for prayers!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• We have scheduled BIEM missionaries Igor Fomichov and Pavlo Usach to visit America for 3 weeks in March. During this time, they will speak in churches and share firsthand about ministry in Ukraine during the war. Please pray for God to bless both the speakers and listeners during these meetings.

• From one of our missionaries in Central Asia: “One of our Afghan leaders just led a family of 6 Afghanis to Faith in Christ. Praising God with His angels….” This is just one of multiple reports of former Muslims trusting Christ. Please pray for more such spiritual fruit in those lands!

• This is the time of year when we begin preparations for Christian summer camps for kids and teens. Funding all our camps in multiple countries will require $50,000. Such dollar amounts seem huge to us, but not to God. He will send us caring Christians to help with finances. Might you be one? 

• BIEM plans to ship another 40-ft. container of supplies in the last half of March. Please pray that all goes smoothly with packing the container that we hope to purchase and deliver to Zdolbuniv, where it can serve as a permanent place to store items for the new Christian camp and church there. 

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BIEMs of Light: February 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Praise God, we have surpassed $100,000 in gifts for our warm-clothing-for-soldiers project! But please do not stop giving. Although we have filled requests from 33 churches (representing 1,200 soldiers), applications keep arriving. As you give funds, we will fill requests through February. What a blessing to provide warm clothing plus New Testaments to souls in harm’s way! On March 1st we will share the final figures.

• We praise the Lord for this message from one of our men in Central Asia: “Hello, thank you for all your prayers. Just led 2 Afghanis to faith in Jesus, and one more is very close. The family of God continues to grow here. Rejoicing in the God of our salvation.”

• Oleg, the brother of BIEM missionary Sasha Petrenko, has been a prisoner of the Russians for nearly 2 years. For the first time, he was permitted to phone home. He told his daughter he is alive and well. While we rejoice that Oleg alive, we pray he will be allowed to return home.

• In another corner of Central Asia, there is a particular city for which one BIEM worker has prayed for 13 years. In January, a coworker led 2 people to Christ there! As far as he knows, these two are the first believers in that city. Praise the Lord! May they be the first of many.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• This first week of February the winter session of our Seminary in Kyiv is taking place. Since the Russian military continues to target Kyiv, please pray for the safety of the students, workers, professors, and Sam Slobodian, who is there as well. Praise God, despite the war, over 30 students have come for this session. They request prayer that they don’t get conscripted into the military since each student has been called to ministry. Many are already in ministry.

• Our long-awaited container has now arrived in Vyshneve, which is near the capital city, Kyiv. Although the container is geographically closer to our people, they still can’t receive it due to a huge amount of paperwork that must be done. Please pray for God to help speed this process.

• In Western Asia, one of our church planters reports that newcomers in civilian clothes now appear regularly at Sunday services, but it is clear these are police or other government observers. Please pray for our missionaries’ safety and ability to continue serving in country.

• In the town of Nizhylovychi, Ukraine, recent improvements continue on the house that was purchased in 2023 for renovation into a church building. These include a new well and a new, heated floor among other updates. Sadly, the home of a mom and daughter who began attending last summer burned down on January 24. Please pray for them and how believers might help them.

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BIEMs of Light: January 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In Central Asia, 3 Afghanis trusted Christ as Savior at a Christmas service. Children participated by reciting Scripture verses, which pierced the hearts of many. Praise God!

• In the country of Georgia, Bruce Tuttle excitedly shares that a special course designed to deepen pastors’ understanding of Scripture is set to begin next week. “We have prayed for and waited for an opening to begin this training for months.” Praise God for a chance to serve other pastors!

• Also, in the nation of Georgia, our missionaries the Hoblitzes’ write, “It is a joy we cannot adequately express in words, that we are within relatively short flights for people who cannot be baptized in their closed countries, to find us and come here to follow our Lord freely and openly in believers’ baptism.” Amen!

• Concerning Afghani refugees who have fled to Central Asian areas where BIEM has workers, our field director recently messaged to say, “Praising God together with our Afghani church plant and the angels. Two more Afghani men came to faith in Jesus Christ this morning.” A follow-up message praised God for a woman who had likewise placed her trust in the Savior!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In a short amount of time, we have received applications identifying over 600 Ukrainian soldiers for whom church volunteers have committed to deliver the $100 worth of warm clothing that we are providing through our warm-clothing-for-soldiers efforts. It appears we will have no problem reaching 1,000. However, donations for this project are currently at $44,000, so another $56,000 is needed. Please pray that God’s people will provide and that He will be glorified as soldiers receive these gifts in His name.

• The winter session of BIEM’s seminary in Kyiv, Ukraine, is scheduled to begin on January 29. Praise God, new students have enrolled. However, as of the New Year, Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv have increased dramatically. Some areas are experiencing shortages of electricity and natural gas. Please pray that the session will go smoothly and not be hindered by any shortages.

• In western Asia, police showed up at the Sunday, December 31, service of our church planters there. Please pray that our workers will be allowed to continue ministering.

• Some good news is that our container has finally crossed from Poland into Ukraine, where it is waiting at Customs. Despite news that the new regulations for such shipments were postponed 6 months, that does not appear to be the case for ours. Please pray for our Ukrainian director, Eugene Buyko, as he plods through many wearying steps to fulfill the new stricter requirements.

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BIEMs of Light: December 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Praise God for a wonderful answer to prayer! As you will recall, we at BIEM were concerned about the strict, new regulations governing humanitarian-aid shipments to Ukraine. Those new regulations were scheduled to begin on December 1. Despite our best efforts, due to the Polish truck drivers’ strike, our container of supplies did not reach Ukraine by December 1. However, the December 1 date has been postponed by 6 months! Thank you for praying.

• In the military city of Desna, Ukraine, the public-school administrator was impressed by everything the local church is doing to aid and bless soldiers during this time of war. So much so that he reached out to our missionary-pastor Igor Fomichov and invited him to speak before the whole student body and share what the church is doing. On November 29, Igor did speak to the entire school. He not only explained what the church is doing but why they are doing it, thus giving glory to God. Igor also used the occasion as a wonderful opportunity to present the Gospel, which is bound to produce fruit.

• We thank the Lord for the 22 years of service David and An Abernathy have given in the fields of Central Asia. On December 10, a special retirement service in their home church will honor them and praise God for the many ways He has used them to expand our Muslim outreach over these years.

• Concerning Afghani refugees who have fled to Central Asian areas where BIEM has workers, our field director recently messaged to say, “Praising God together with our Afghani church plant and the angels. Two more Afghani men came to faith in Jesus Christ this morning.” A follow-up message praised God for a woman who had likewise placed her trust in the Savior!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• This past weekend, our latest Ukrainian coworker visitors arrived in the US to travel with BIEM and bring personal updates to churches. Please pray for safety and good meetings as Vitaly and Alona Yurchenko, along with their son Nikita, visit churches and share about the ministry and BIEM’s relief program during this time of war.

• BIEM is now launching an effort to raise $100,000 through our War Relief Fund to provide 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers with warm clothing and the Gospel for unsaved ones. Details will be in the cover letter for the Challenger newsletter now going out. Please pray God will work through this outreach.

• After Peter Rumachik passed away in 2019, BIEM received memorial gifts to build a church in the Siberian region where he had been exiled for preaching God’s Word. That building is now finished! The dedication took place on November 12, and regular services are taking place. Please pray that God will use this new location as a Gospel lighthouse to draw many Siberian souls to Christ.

• Of course, we urge you to pray daily for an end to the war in Ukraine and for the salvation of perishing souls on both sides of the conflict. Special bookmarks and prayer cards are available.

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BIEMs of Light: November 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Our Ukrainian church planters Eugene Buyko and Pavel Usach received permission to exit Ukraine temporarily and arrived in the U.S. on October 25. Both men are greatly involved in our Ukrainian war-relief efforts and will be speaking in churches to share firsthand accounts of how God is using BIEM’s aid to introduce people to the Gospel during this time of war. Thank you for your prayers!

• Because of upcoming, stricter changes in international shipping regulations for Ukraine, in October BIEM rushed to send our next container of war relief. By God’s grace, we secured a 40-foot, high cube container immediately, and we were blessed by a large group of volunteers who loaded the cargo in record time. On October 24, a driver delivered this container to the railroad depot, and it’s now headed overseas. Our hope is that these supplies will reach Ukraine before December 1, when the stricter regulations go into effect.

• We have mentioned before how Marta, the little daughter of our missionaries Yura and Violetta Levtseniuks, suffers from severe allergies. However, she is responding to treatment and her skin is losing the red splotches and becoming smoother. Thank you for prayers!

• When the Afghani Bible Institute for refugees resumed this autumn, 40 students had enrolled! We thank and praise the Lord for each former Muslim who desires to study God’s Word.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In the Kherson area of Ukraine, our people are considering holding an evangelistic winter camp for children whose parents were killed during the Russian occupation of their city. They request prayers for wisdom and divine guidance as they consider the logistics of holding such a camp.

• BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak recently completed his 13th war-relief trip to the war zone, where he and others distributed food and preached the Gospel to civilians, to active-duty servicemen, and to wounded ones in the Kurakhove hospital. Also, Sasha Petrenko and others are currently in the Zaporizhia area to deliver generators, winter coats, New Testaments, and other war-relief supplies. Please pray for spiritual fruit from all the Gospel seeds being planted in the soil of Christian aid.

• Our personnel in Central Asia urge prayers for the Afghani refugees, who are often trapped in hopeless lives, where they are frequently trafficked or abused. May God redeem those souls!

• Although our church planters, the Koops, managed to buy an apartment in the target area of their city, the apartment is totally unfinished—just bare, rough walls and floor. Please pray for the Lord to provide funding to finish that construction so they can take up residence there.

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BIEMs of Light: October 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• On October 1 the church in Bilogorodka, Ukraine, used their pool to hold yet another baptism for souls saved during the war. Joining them was a congregation from Lubyanka. The Lubyanka church normally baptizes in nearby lakes or rivers, but landmines from the Russian occupation plague their shores. So, two congregations baptized their converts, together. Praise God for working in souls!

• One of the neediest churches we have helped with war-relief is in Lubyanka (mentioned above). While occupying that area, Russian troops ransacked buildings to haul away anything of value. After BIEM sent that church a 40-foot container of supplies, the church demonstrated Christian love by distributing to the needy. The church gained 10 new attenders. Some have trusted Christ. Praise God!

• In September, Vitaly Bilyak traveled here from Ukraine. After many wonderful services in U.S. churches, is on his way home to Ukraine. To see a brief video expressing his gratitude and farewell thoughts, visit BaptistInternational.org and click View Video Updates. Thanks for prayers!

• BIEM Board Chairman, Pastor Greg Wahlberg, recently traveled to Tajikistan and taught in our Afghan refugee Bible School. It was an amazing time. Through that experience, God has led him to join the Central Asia team as BIEM’s representative for that region. Praise God!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Belarus, BIEM church planter Nikolai Ryzhuk held an evangelistic event on the theme of Harvest. Although no unbelievers made a public profession, the Gospel seed was planted. He says, “Let’s pray to the Lord that the Word and singing that sounded will work in the hearts of the listeners.”

• BIEM missionaries in the nation of Georgia have been overseeing the translation of biblical resources into the Georgian language: “With the help of (4) national translators, we have been picking away at this project for some time, and by recent counts have over 50+ commentaries, devotionals, textbooks, evangelistic resources and curriculums already translated.” However, each translation must be edited linguistically and theologically. Please pray for more experienced individuals who can help!

• Praise God for growth in Nizhylovychi, where the new church established through our war relief recently had 39 in attendance. They meet in a leaky old tent while the building purchased for the church undergoes renovations. A cement floor is being installed over heated tubing, which is the most economical form of heating there. Please pray they can move out of the tent before winter.

• In October we hope to bring Igor Fomichov to the U.S. to speak in churches, followed by Eugene Buyko. Please pray that these Ukrainian pastors will receive the permission needed to exit Ukraine.

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BIEMs of Light: September 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In recent days we’ve received a flurry of wonderful updates from Central Asia, especially concerning refugees: “We just baptized 13 Afghani believers! God gave safety even though many police were around….” “Great and mighty is the Lord our God!” One more sinner has come to repentance just now. I was talking to J__ and shared my testimony…. Today he knelt and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.” “I just received word that our Iranian brother, Matthew, led 2 men to Christ, and they are preparing for baptism. Please be in prayer for them as the persecution there is constant.” Praise God!

• On August 25, the last summer camps came to a close. What a blessing that kids and teens heard the Gospel, and learned lessons from God’s Word. They learned songs of praise to the Lord, and some have made the step of putting their faith in Christ. Thank you for giving and praying!

• Praise God that both the Desna and Bilogorodka churches have completed a special outreach project that provided $12,000 of medicine to women in their area whose husbands and sons were in battle.  The best news is that in both churches some of these ladies now regularly attend services.

• Our August BIEMs requested prayer for Sam and Amy Slobodian, who were then in Ukraine. In addition to serving in camps, Sam says, “We were able to participate in two baptisms. One in Ternopil, and the other in Smolin, a town near the Goncharovsk military base. In both locations, those baptisms included converts who were reached through our war-relief distribution efforts.” Thanks for the prayers!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Currently, we have our missionary Vitaly Bilyak visiting BIEM from Ukraine. We praise God that he has been allowed to exit the country once more and is already visiting supporting churches to preach and give updates in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

• For September 10, the Ryzhuks in Belarus are planning an evangelistic outreach based on the theme of The Harvest. They request prayer for God to touch hearts and draw souls to Himself.

• As many of you know Bruce Tuttle has joined his son Micah Tuttle in Tbilisi, Georgia. Together, they hope to launch a school for training nationals for the ministry similar to what Brother Bruce oversaw in Ukraine. There is much to pray for concerning this. Please pray the Lord’s guidance and that He would provide the students, the funds, and a meeting place for such an outreach.

• In Central Asia, a young girl who has come to Christ is suffering from holes in her heart that need immediate corrective surgery. A surgeon in the U.S. has agreed to perform the operation for free. BIEM personnel managed to obtain a visa to the U.S. Please pray the flight and surgery go well.

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BIEMs of Light: August 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• BIEM missionary Charles Hoblitz in Tbilisi, Georgia, had an opportunity to share the Gospel at a government meeting to discuss freedom of religion. Many foreign ambassadors and Georgian government officials were present! Charles said he felt God had created this opportunity in the same way He allowed Paul to share Christ with Roman officials.

• Many camps are experiencing higher than expected turnouts of children. In one village, the local town council had denied a request to hold a camp for its children. But then the council reversed that decision, deciding instead that its citizens needed something positive to take their mind off the war!

• From Lviv, Ukraine, Yura Levtseniuk shared this about their church: “The Lord blesses us with guests and preachers. At one service, 6 unbelievers repented, and 3 renewed their relationship with God. We have people preparing for baptism. The Lord is reviving our church in a wonderful way!”

• Occasionally we mention Misha, the nephew of BIEM missionaries. He has been serving on the war front in eastern Ukraine. He and 10 men were sent to hold a hill. A mortar round hit 5 yards away. Shrapnel missed him, but sand blasted his face. By God’s grace, and to the amazement of his commander, Misha got all 10 of his team out alive, although several were wounded. He is currently in a hospital to recover. Thank you for prayers for him and for many others.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• On July 26, Sam and Amy Slobodian left for Ukraine, where they plan to assist with 3 children’s camps. Besides helping with camps, they will be surveying some of our war-relief distribution efforts. Because of Russia’s escalation of bombings across Ukraine, please pray for the protection of all involved and for the Lord to work in the hearts of the campers.

• In a recent brief video, “In Their Own Words,” BIEM missionary Vitaly Keller answers the question, “Is war relief still needed for Ukraine?” You can watch it by visiting www.BaptistInternational.org and clicking “View Video Updates,” but the bottom line is “Yes, aid is still needed!” Please pray for more people to send gently used (or even new!) clothing items to BIEM so we can ship more to Ukrainian churches to distribute as they reach out to their communities with aid and the Gospel.

• Last month, we requested prayer for the Lord to move His people to provide the $50,000 needed for summer camps. He supplied it all! Now please pray for God to work in the hearts of campers.

• In July BIEM Board Chairman Greg Wahlberg traveled with our Field Director for Central Asia into a number of those regions. During the trip, 11 born-again Afghanis were baptized, and 9 others graduated from our Bible institute there. Please pray for God to embolden and use these Afghanis for His glory! Pray, too, for more Afghani refugees in Central Asia to put their trust in Christ!

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BIEMs of Light: July 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In June, both Eugene Buyko and Igor Fomichov of Ukraine were with us in the U.S. During those weeks, both men were able to preach and bring updates to multiple supporting churches. They also assisted with physically packing our latest container of humanitarian aid and in preparing its paperwork in dual languages. Love offerings from their visits to churches contributed wonderfully to our War Relief fund. Thank you for praying for these men’s visits!

• In June, the Lord provided a third member to the home of our newest missionaries, Serhiy and Karina Koop! They have named their firstborn daughter Karolina (pronounced kar-oh-LEE-nah). Serhiy expresses thanks for prayers for a safe delivery.

• In Central Asia, a special family camp ministered to 60 Afghani refugees, at least 25 of whom came as unbelievers. As the Gospel repeatedly went forth day by day, 13 formerly Muslim souls came to Christ! May the Lord help them to stand firm in their newfound faith since these decisions will not please Muslim friends and family members

• Our missionary Sasha in Western Asia is planning a baptism in July, which is special because the candidates are teens who have accepted Christ despite their Islamic surroundings.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• The same Sasha mentioned above in a predominantly Muslim nation is also planning two evangelistic events for his area. Sasha says, “Please pray for these projects, that there will be no obstacles from the authorities or anyone else.”

• This item is a combination of praise plus a prayer request: Praise the Lord, summer camps are underway in multiple countries, and churches will continue holding them throughout July and into August. However, at this point, of the $50,000 needed, we have received $29,283, meaning $20,717 has not yet come in. Please join us in praying for those funds to operate the camps.

• Please don’t let “out of sight, out of mind” apply to our recent container of humanitarian aid, which is well on its way to Ukraine. Please pray for smooth and safe passage through the port in Poland and then overland as it is trucked into Ukraine.

• In July, BIEM’s Sam and Amy Slobodian plan to assist in camps in Ukraine, including near Kyiv, the capital. However, Kyiv remains a key target for Russia’s air attacks—Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, cruise missiles (X-101, X-555, “Kalibr”), and Shahed drones. Please pray for their safety and the safety of all the campers and camp workers.  Most importantly, please pray for the Holy Spirit’s working in hearts during these camps.

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BIEMs of Light: June 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• On June 1, our next container of war relief and supplies for churches in Ukraine rolled away from BIEM’s warehouse, on the first leg of its journey overseas. Our staff and volunteers packed the cargo as tightly as possible, even to the point of hand-stuffing plastic bags of donated clothing for the needy into small airspaces between cardboard cartons. So, we praise God for each item that will bless those overseas, for each donor who made this shipment possible, and for the volunteers who lent their muscles to assist in loading!”

• In Central Asia, one of our missionaries reports that an Afghani refugee girl has placed her trust in Christ. Even before our missionary shared with her about Christ, a friend of this girl had been faithfully sharing her faith. Now her mother and brother seem to be drawing closer to salvation. Her father is no longer with the family. He was beheaded by the Taliban.

• The ministry Operation Renewed Hope has joined in helping BIEM by supplying funds for new outreaches in 2 separate locations to provide medications for stress-related illness for wives and mothers of soldiers who are currently serving in the Ukrainian military. Along with the medications, believers will share the Gospel, just as we do with food distribution. We trust this effort will yield spiritual fruit.

• From Belarus, BIEM missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk joyfully reports how the Lord provided ideal weather for outdoor evangelism involving multiple churches. May the Lord water the Gospel seeds that have been sown in many hearts!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Regular BIEM’s of Light readers will recall how our previous container of war relief experienced repeated complications and delays on its trip to Ukraine. Please pray for a smooth passage for this one.

• This month, as well as in July and August, BIEM-sponsored Christian camps will be held for children and teens on our mission fields. Donations for camps have been trickling in. Currently, we have $10,259 of the $50,000 needed. Please join us in praying for the remaining $39,741. And pray doubly for God to open the hearts and minds of youth as they hear His Word taught.

• Our new church planters, the Koops, rejoice to have 7 new believers preparing for baptism. One of those is Sasha, whose parents initially forbade him to attend church. At the same time, however, the Koops still haven’t managed to find an apartment they can rent in the neighborhood of their church plant, and Karina is due to give birth any day. Please pray for God’s blessing in both!

• Pastors Eugene Buyko and Igor Fomichov from Ukraine are with us through most of this month and are traveling to churches for the purpose of raising War Relief funds. Meetings have been scheduled in Indiana, Minnesota, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Florida, and Montana. Please pray for fruitful results.

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BIEMs of Light: May 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Our director for Central Asia sent this exciting message: “When our [evangelistic team] came back from the border, two men asked for a ride. Today, after those two had finished up their business, they came back to our men and asked to know more about Jesus. Both men trusted Christ as their Savior today!”

• We received this message concerning Misha, a nephew of BIEM coworkers in Ukraine: “Thank you for praying for Misha. He had 28 bombs dropped near his trench last night. At one point his machine gun malfunctioned. He left his trench to get a tool and call home. As he did, one bomb hit the trench, the 14 others in the trench died…. So many going to hell…. Pray for these men to come to Christ before death.”

• When Sam Slobodian visited Ukraine in March, that trip included a chance to participate in baptizing new believers who have come to Christ during the war. It also held a special service primarily for local widows, including some who were made widows because of the war. In general, the Ukrainian people remain much more open to hearing spiritual truths than prior to the war. We praise God for such opportunities!

• At the new church in Ternopil, a woman named Ludmila is not saved but is eager to learn more. Although an atheist, a family member told her, “One thing about those Christians I’ve learned from my many years of medical practice is that there is a huge difference in how Christians die compared to the rest of us. Christians die peacefully and with no fears … while all other people who die—along with their loved ones—experience a tremendous amount of anxiety and fear!”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Desna, Ukraine, renovations are urgently needed to the unfinished building that was purchased to use as the next Christian rehabilitation center. Stress is causing more men than ever to become addicted to alcohol and drugs. Please pray for funds and hands to bring that building to completion soon.

• The new church in Ternopil plans to hold its first baptism for several people who have come to Christ! However, please pray concerning a young man named Sasha. He wants to be baptized but family members are vehemently opposed. Please pray for their attitudes to soften.

• BIEM’s Bruce Tuttle has transitioned from his ministry in Ukraine to the Republic of Georgia, where he ministers with his son Micah. Bruce says, “Please pray that our gracious and wise Lord will open doors for us, that we will demonstrate godly patience … and that He will continue to call out men and women who are hungry to learn and grow, and men who will be the next leaders and church planters.”

• In Kyiv, our missionaries, the Buykos, saw 2 Russian missiles hurtle over their house. Eugene saw one of them destroyed in mid-air while the other continued. Please continue to pray for God’s protection on all our BIEM personnel.

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BIEMs of Light: April 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• As you We had requested prayer that Vitaly Yurchenko and Vitaly Bilyak be permitted to exit Ukraine to speak in supporting churches. Praise God, both received that permission, and those meetings yielded generous offerings for the ministry. Thank you for prayers!

• Across the nation of Belarus, there are many small Baptist churches with only a handful of members. For those believers, feelings of being unconnected and isolated are not unusual. In March, funds from BIEM enabled a conference for pastors of such churches. They came together, got acquainted, fellowshipped, listened to God’s Word together, and made new connections. Already these men see the need for such gatherings no less than once per year. 

• Our newest missionaries, the Koops in Ternopil, Ukraine, shared this news: “After seven active months of various kinds of ministry, we reaped our first fruit. Olga repented at the Bible study group today. She came to us through an invitation to our Bible Day and has been with us ever since. Today she accepted Jesus into her heart and declared she wants to be baptized! We are witnessing that God works with people even during war! Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for our ministry. Blessings to you.”

• Although the earthquakes in Turkey have caused much destruction and misery, we praise God that BIEM has missionaries not far away who could go and distribute humanitarian aid in the name of Jesus Christ!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Central Asia, please pray for ministers code-named River, Arthur, and Philip. They are gathering 40+ youth for a 3-day conference. Pray the secret police do not find them or interrupt them. Of course, pray for some more to come to faith in Christ. The persecuted church there is growing rapidly!

• Please pray for our Afghani church plant. They have been extremely active in sharing their faith. The Taliban knows they exist and are going house to house, trying to find and crush them. They request prayers for wisdom to find a safe place to meet on Sundays to worship the Lord. Three brothers who were captured some time ago are still missing. Meanwhile, God continues to save souls!

• With the advent of spring, our churches in Eastern Europe begin to think about summer camps. Although the war in Ukraine complicates planning in that nation, the souls of children still need the Gospel. Please pray for church leaders as they make decisions concerning each camp. Please pray, too, for finances. (If you would like to help, please designate your gift “Summer Camps.”)

• Many of you have met Eugene Buyko, BIEM’s director in Ukraine. Please pray for God’s comfort for all the Buyko family at this time—his 50-year-old brother Andrei died from a ruptured aorta. 

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BIEMs of Light: March 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• As you know, we at BIEM have been doing what we can to provide war relief for Ukraine. Praise God, we have now distributed more than one million dollars of war relief aid! Look for more details in our upcoming issue of our newsletter, The Challenger. (You can also view videos about distributions on our website – BaptistInternational.org – by clicking “View Video Updates.”)

• With your help, BIEM was able to purchase $250,000 worth of electrical generators for Ukraine. These provided crucial light, heat, and electricity for cooking, phones, and other applications. Praise God!

• The economic sanctions placed on Russia have the side effect of creating complications for BIEM as we endeavor to deliver funds there for ministry. But God has provided ways, for which we thank Him.

• Our relief activities, which include sharing the Gospel and distributing New Testaments, have created an opportunity to plant a new church with a core group of believers in Nezhylovychi. (This is slightly west of Bucha, and likewise suffered atrocities during the occupation.) Now a basic building for the new church is available to purchase for $10,000. Although this is also a prayer request, it’s a huge reason to praise the Lord, who goes before us and opens doors of opportunity!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In December, we shared how Misha, the nephew of a BIEM missionary couple, survived numerous battles and put his faith in Christ. He is being sent to the frontlines in Bakhmut, alias “the meat grinder.” The family asks, “Please pray for him to stand strong in Christ and to return safely after the war.”

• A year into the war, we rejoice that souls come to Christ, but our hearts break at the countless tragedies and continuing destruction. Continue praying for the salvation of souls (on both sides of the border), and please continue giving to our War Relief Fund to glorify God through acts of Christian compassion.

• On March 1, Sasha Petrenko plans to lead another relief distribution trip to Donbas. There will be three vehicles loaded with food, warm clothing, batteries, and other supplies going nearly to the war front for soldiers in need. Please pray for their safety and for God to open hearts to the Gospel.

• In last week’s update, we shared that an opportunity to plant a new church has arisen in a town near Hostomel. This opportunity is more fruit from our relief activities, which include sharing the Gospel and distributing Bibles. Now a building for this new church has become available to purchase for $10,000. Please pray for these funds to come in so we can proceed with this project.

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BIEMs of Light: February 2023

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In answer to prayer, the January session of Kyiv Theological Seminary went very smoothly. Not only were enrolled students able to come, but 8 others attended to audit the classes. In connection with that session, BIEM’s Sam Slobodian and Board member Kevin Gaugler had no significant delays entering or leaving the country.

• Two Christian men were flying to team up with BIEM’s Director for Central Asia to evangelize and teach in Muslim lands. However, these two missed a flight and got “stuck” at Istanbul Airport. But God’s ways are divine: While waiting, one of the travelers led 3 Iranians to faith in Christ!

• We had hoped to schedule Vitaly and Olena Yurchenko to visit supporting churches in February and March, but with increasing restrictions in Ukraine we didn’t know if that were possible. Praise the Lord, they have received permission to exit their country for a limited time!

• At the women’s shelter in Central Asia, a woman named Jasgul returned with her 3-month-old child. The baby was born with a hole in his heart, and she requested prayer. Julie (shelter administrator), Pastor Almond, and another Christian sister prayed over the child. When Jasgul took the baby back to the doctor, he was shocked—the baby was healed, with no indication of a hole. Praise God!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In recent evangelistic-aid trips almost to the battlefront, Vitaly Bilyak and Sasha Petrenko had opportunities to preach, to distribute New Testaments, and to share aid items among both civilians and members of the military. May God water the Gospel seeds these men have planted.

• Traditionally, many churches in Eastern Europe celebrate Christmas on January 7. In January such churches had opportunities for Christmas evangelism. In Belarus, BIEM’s Nikolai Ryzhuk said, “Our church building was completely packed with people. When I asked if anyone was in a church service for the first time in their lives, 5 families raised their hands.” May God work in these hearts!

• So far, praise the Lord, none of our BIEM personnel in Ukraine have become casualties in the war. Although a 21-year-old Seminary student was killed while helping evacuate citizens from Kharkiv, and we grieve with that family, as of this writing, no actual BIEM missionaries have become casualties. Please pray this will continue to be true as our people share the Gospel and distribute much-needed humanitarian aid.

• Please pray concerning our new missionaries, Sergiy and Karina Koop. Although they have zeal and energy for this exciting new work in a heavily populated area, a major portion of their support needs to be raised. By law, the Koops can’t exit Ukraine, so they can’t visit the U.S. to raise funds. We will soon send out information about them hoping this will bring in their support. Please pray that churches and individuals will catch a vision for taking them on for support even without a personal visit. (Please contact us if you yourself would like information about them.)

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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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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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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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BIEMs of Light: October 2022

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• According to the Institute for Religious Freedom, as of July over 270 churches, synagogues, and other “religious buildings” had been destroyed by shelling in the invasion of Ukraine. So far, none of the churches built by BIEM have been destroyed. Since a good number of our churches are along the route the Russian army took towards Kyiv, this is remarkable. Praise God!

• This just in from overseas: “Praise God, a 50-year-old Afghani man put his faith in Jesus Christ last night in our refugee ministry in Central Asia.” Thanks be to God!

• Brother Tim, one of our missionaries based in the United States, will be making his 11th aid trip to Ukraine for the purpose of distributing humanitarian aid. These trips involve purchasing food and other needed items in Poland and then driving them across the border into Ukraine. These trips (which do not include our other container shipments) have provided over 50 tons of aid to Ukrainian churches that are distributing these goods.

• We thank God that the hardships and needs in wartime have galvanized many believers to step into ministry roles they never imagined in peacetime. This includes teens who are volunteering to serve God and neighbors through their local churches’ refugee ministries.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Last month we requested prayer that our director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, would be able to visit the US for several weeks with his family. The Lord answered that prayer. The Buykos have blessed numerous churches with personal updates from their homeland. Please pray that BIEM will be able to bring additional Ukrainian missionaries to the US so they, too, can report directly to supporters.

• Please uphold in prayer our newest church planters, Sergiy and Karina Koop, as they continue to reach out to refugees and others in the Druzhba district of Ternopil. May God bless their ministry with more souls for the Savior!

• Churches in Ukraine continue to assist refugees who have been uprooted due to the war. Sometimes this involves evacuating them from occupied territories, which is quite challenging. Many displaced persons are hearing the Gospel for the first time as they seek food and shelter. Please pray for more to see their spiritual need and to accept Christ as Savior.

• Please pray for the war to end soon. Several of our church planters express concern that, the longer the war lasts, the less likely it is church members who have evacuated to the west will return.  

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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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