BIEMs of Light: July 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Last month we mentioned that our Bible Institute in Central Asia needed at least $4,000 to operate through the next session. God heard our joint prayers and moved in hearts to supply funds to meet that need. May He be praised!

• As BIEM aims to ship another container of war-relief supplies to Ukraine, we thank the Lord and you friends for the many, many clothing donations we have received in recent weeks. We are also thankful for various groups who have come and donated time to sort, fold, and pack these donations!

• A Ukrainian congregation we call “the forest church” reached so many for Christ they outgrew their palatka (the light-frame meeting place). BIEM was able to help with an expansion project. About the same time the church requested help to buy chairs, a church in Wisconsin offered BIEM 150 auditorium seats. The thrilled forest church said they would accept all 150. Another praise—a Christian brother in Wisconsin volunteered to truck these chairs to BIEM for shipment! 

• One of the most-requested items from Ukrainian soldiers connected with our churches are tourniquets. These are life-saving devices every soldier should carry. Sadly, not all tourniquets are reliable. Soldiers regularly request those made in the USA. During the war, we have supplied over 1,000 high-quality tourniquets. Thanks to you donors, we recently were able to purchase 100 more!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• The first summer camps overseas have begun. Praise God, we have received most of the $77,000 goal for funding these camps in multiple countries. Will you say a prayer for the $3,000 still needed to reach our goal? Please also pray for young hearts to turn to the Lord through these summer camps.

  In Belarus, Valery Ryzhuk—the 49-year-old brother of BIEM church planter Nikolai Ryzhuk—has passed away from cancer. Because Valery greatly helped in ministry, his absence leaves a huge hole, both in the church and at home, with his wife and children. Please pray for all of them.

  Vitaly Bilyak, who was drafted into the Ukrainian army, received permission from his commanding officer to travel to the USA to be at his son’s wedding. However, Vitaly also needs a new visa and other documentation to exit Ukraine. Please pray the process goes smoothly so that he can travel.

  Our church planter Yura Levtseniuk in Lviv, Ukraine, suddenly has a heavy load of ministry. He was already in the middle of building program. Then his pregnant wife Violetta had a medical issue that put their baby’s life in danger. She’s now home, but on bedrest, so Yura must tend the house and kids. Plus, he’s supposed to minister in summer camp the first Monday in July. Please pray for all these responsibilities.

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BIEMs of Light: May 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In April our church plant, Choose Life Baptist Church in the Druzhba district of Ternopil, ordained their first-ever two deacons. May God bless this young church with numerical and spiritual growth!

• At the end of April, a ladies’ conference was held in Central Asia. Praise the Lord, two Turkmen women placed their faith in Christ!

• In April, our missionaries the Kellers in Armenia spent much of the month engaging in street evangelism. After extensive talks with an Iranian woman, the woman not only brought her kids to church but accepted Christ, too! The Lord also gave countless other opportunities to share Christ.

• In the Republic of Georgia, some local men had begun introducing unscriptural teaching in church. Thankfully, although the situation was difficult, the false teaching was identified and addressed, and those men no longer have access to the pulpit.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Next week, BIEM president Sam Slobodian and a couple of American pastors will take a trip to Ukraine. Their focus will be our Spring seminary session. Their itinerary will provide ample opportunities to view firsthand BIEM war-relief efforts taking place in various areas. They would appreciate your prayers as they travel.

• Praise God, in the past month you friends have pushed our in-hand Summer Camp funds from $5,400 to $43,000. This is exciting progress! Please help us pray for the remaining $22,600 needed during this final month before the summer camps begin.

• A church in Zaporizhia that belongs to the Brotherhood of Independent Baptist churches of Ukraine (with which we partner) suffered a direct hit by Russian munitions and suffered major damage. We will share more details as we strive to aid this church. Please pray for these believers.

• On May 1, one of our men in Central Asia requested prayer as his team of men begin a 5-day evangelistic push into a largely unreached region of their country. Even one of their self-printed Gospel tracts could land them in prison. Pray for their safety and for the lost to come to Christ.

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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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BIEMs of Light: March 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Vitaly Bilyak had hoped to buy a replacement car from outside of Ukraine. His status as a member of Ukraine’s armed forces exempts him from paying import duty (up to 100% of the car’s price), which is a huge savings. Thanks to the Lord and BIEM supporters, that wish is now fulfilled! Sergiy Koop managed to pick up the vehicle in Latvia and deliver it to Vitaly. Thank you for prayers!

• Praise God for sending warmer temperatures to Ukraine. Snows are melting, which is a tremendous relief after the bitterly cold temperatures of January and February.

• Of course, huge portions of the Ukrainian electrical grid remain in ruins. Rolling power outages will be the norm for some time. Meanwhile, 97 churches have sent BIEM thank you’s for the aid we provided to heat their church buildings. We, in turn, thank you for donations to our War Relief.

• When Sergiy Koop traveled to Latvia to pick up the car for Vitaly Bilyak, he spent the night at a Ukrainian church. He showed them photos of his little Toyota Yaris packed with war relief, etc. The church responded by purchasing a fairly recent model minivan worth around $20,000! Sergiy still needs to raise $10,000 to pay customs duties, but praise God for this unexpected provision!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• BIEM’s Director for Central Asia has received word from an evangelist named Matthew inside Iran. Although Matthew is saddened by the number of Christians killed by the Iranian regime, he rejoices because he has more freedom now to witness openly than ever before. He requests prayer for himself and other Iranian believers, that God would use them to reach more Iranians for Christ!

• As she continues deputation, missionary candidate Dana Keller says, “God is already doing wonderful things—and I truly believe this is only the beginning. At this point, I still need to raise the remaining 35% of my monthly support in order to move to Ukraine and serve there full-time.” Will you say a prayer for Dana’s remaining support to be pledged?

• About 10 days ago, a graduate of our Bible Institute in Central Asia spent hours witnessing to a high-ranking man in the Taliban. He left him with a call to repent and the film King of Glory to watch. Please pray that God grips his heart and that he comes to faith in Jesus.

• Today, our Director for Ukraine Eugene Buyko and his family were permitted to exit Ukraine on a trip to BIEM in the U.S. Here, the family will speak & sing in churches, plus help extensively to prepare our next shipment of war relief for Ukraine. We praise Lord for a smooth border crossing!

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BIEMs of Light: February 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In January, 11 students graduated from our Bible institute in Central Asia! Also in Central Asia, last month, several Afghani refugees and one Iranian refugee repented and accepted Christ as Savior!

• For the first time, the summer campground developed in Derman, Ukraine, has now housed a winter camp. Children and teens ages 10 and up got to escape the missiles and drones hitting Kyiv and spent a week in snow-clad beauty, where they participated in winter activities but also grew in their faith! See a video summary here:

  https://vimeo.com/user37287229/wintercamp

• During and following this past Christmas season in Turkey, our workers coordinated several free events that were especially geared toward sharing Christ with unbelieving Turks. We praise God for all those curious Muslims who attended. May the Lord continue to draw those souls to Himself!

• God continues to give our missionaries in Armenia, the Kellers, opportunities to evangelize both Armenians and other nationalities. Through street evangelism, they introduced 2 Iranian men to Christ!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Evangelist Matthew (supported through BIEM’s Central Asia work) ministers in Iran. He states 3 of his disciples have been killed. He himself was beaten. Matthew says government forces are going to homes of known Christians and beating them. Believers are scattering. He urges prayers for believers in Iran.

• This winter BIEM is conducting a special project. Ukraine’s power grid has been taking a beating from Russian missiles and drones, leaving millions of citizens struggling to keep warm. Countless citizens are without electricity for many hours each day. We have received many requests from partnering churches for help with heat—funds for wood as well as fuel for generators. So far, we have sent $1,000 dollars each to 60 churches seeking to provide warm havens for desperate people in need. Because we have dozens more such requests, please pray for funds for this vital cause.

• One of our church plants in the Republic of Georgia has lost 2 workers: one left the country to get married, and the other relocated to work in 2 village ministries. The church requests prayer for suitable helpers, specifically “a full-time driver who is very capable in all things tech and children’s workers.”

• There are no updates regarding Vitaly Bilyak’s court case to have his conscription reversed. Nevertheless, Vitaly continues to share Christ. Since the commander assigns Vitaly to transport soldiers and officers in his vehicle, this duty provides excellent opportunities to share the Gospel. Please pray that, despite the lack of progress with the legal proceedings, Vitaly will remain encouraged in the fact that God is with him and using him.

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BIEMs of Light: January 2026

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In December, BIEM’s Field Director for Central Asia reported that one of our workers had a chance to do a presentation on the meaning of Christmas to an Afghani school. Over 400 students, teachers, and administrators heard. Later, three teachers attended a service and trusted Christ!

• From the director of the orphanage in Velike Polovetske, Ukraine: “I’d like to express my great gratitude to our American friends who have been taking care of us for so many years.... Thank you for your charity, for your concern for orphans, children deprived of parental care, as well as children from low-income families. I wish you all earthly blessings. May God always protect you….”

• In December we announced that our War Relief Fund had reached the required amount of $100,000 needed to receive the same amount in matching funds for 2025. Now more good news—another gift of $100,000 was made available to match war relief gifts in 2026. Praise God!

• Church planter Sasha Petrenko has now conducted his first wedding in the church in Smolyn. Sasha included the Gospel as part of the ceremony. For some unbelievers, it was the first wedding reception where they saw no alcohol or fighting! May the Lord use even this ceremony to draw people to Himself.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In December, our church planter Sergiy Koop made an evangelistic trip to Ukraine’s east. “The most important thing I am taking with me is Bibles. Because Christmas is not just a holiday, it’s a reminder of Christ’s coming into this world....” Please pray for salvation decisions among those he visited.

• Mikhail, the son of our director in Ukraine, reports that pastors there receive many phone calls due to the war. Even strangers call, talk, request prayer, or ask about God or the Bible. He urged us to pray for their pastors who minister to these people.

• Central Asia: Evangelist Ruslan took gifts into a juvenile detention center and was telling the kids the real meaning of Christmas. Several of the detainees asked to know more about Jesus. As Ruslan was sharing the Gospel, police came and arrested him. During questioning, he said, “I wasn’t even telling them yet that Jesus is their only hope of eternal salvation and that they must repent of their sins and trust Jesus as their Savior... The police said, “Stop! He’s trying to evangelize us now.” They fined Ruslan about $1,500 but released him. Please pray the Gospel puts down roots and springs into eternal life.

• The next session of our seminary in Kyiv is in January. Please pray for both the instructors and students, that God will give them a blessed and safe class time.

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BIEMs of Light: December 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Throughout November, Vitaly and Olena Yurchenko have been in the USA and speaking in churches across multiple states. On weekdays, they’ve accomplished much work in BIEM’s warehouse for our next container. They leave us on December 4 for Atlanta, where they will spend a few days with relatives before returning to Ukraine. We praise God they could be with us!

• Praise God, the first church building that BIEM financed in Russia is now too small for its congregation. On their own, the believers bought a neighboring property, demolished the dilapidated house on it, and have poured the concrete foundation for a new, bigger church building. (This will be the second addition since the original building.) May God draw even more souls to Christ there!

• BIEM personnel in the Republic of Georgia often have opportunities to share the Gospel with college-age young people. They report that they recently baptized 4 new believers. Praise the Lord!

• In Lutsk, Ukraine, the Baptist church celebrated the 24th year since they established their Tabitha Foundation, a ministry in which BIEM has long had a part. It’s an evangelistic outreach to disadvantaged kids but also feeds needy adults, particularly war refugees. May God be praised!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• From BIEM’s Director for Central Asia: “Praising God, we had a family of four Afghanis trust Jesus as Savior today! Please continue to pray as our men and women continue in personal evangelism.”

• In Turkey, BIEM missionaries held special events—a public baptism, which turned into evangelism as vacationers watched and asked questions. They also organized 2 Thanksgiving events, where 60 people heard praises lifted to God Almighty. Please pray for more Turks to put their faith in Christ!

• In Ukraine, our Sergiy Koop shared how he had spent several days with a brother in Christ who was home on leave. That war-weary soldier needed a change from the horrific warfront. Sergiy says, “God used this time to support him, to give him strength and hope, which are so lacking after years of war. Thank you to everyone who prays for our defenders. They need it more than we imagine.”

• This month of December, especially the Christmas season brings a wonderful opportunity for evangelism.  With BIEM's help our churches are all planning special Christmas outreaches which bring in many from the community at large.  Children's Christmas programs, musical concerts as well as meetings for elderly and widows are all being planned all with a focus on the Gospel.  Please pray that God will bless these efforts with a harvest of souls.

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BIEMs of Light: November 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• If all * For the past month, the visiting Buyko family has had wonderful church services in several states. On weekdays, they’ve accomplished a tremendous amount of work in BIEM’s warehouse and helped load our latest aid container. They fly home on Nov. 4. We thank God they could be with us!

• As an addition to the Praise item above, this month for the first time BIEM can offer a beautiful, professionally produced CD of the 3 Buyko sisters singing Christian songs in Ukrainian and English. Learn more about that CD on our website: BaptistInternational.org/shop.

• Our recent Challenger featured a camp for disadvantaged kids from Kherson. To further help the Kherson church reach out to this community that was so severely ravaged by Russian occupation, BIEM’s Pasha Usach solicited potato donations from his area. Could BIEM help transport potatoes to Kherson? Yes! As it turned out, the potato donations filled a huge semi-truck! Pasha and volunteers personally delivered this valuable cargo. Praise God!”

• On October 21, our third container of war relief for 2026 left BIEM to begin the journey to Ukraine. We praise and thank God for each pair of shoes, each coat, each garment, blanket, walker, chair, table, wheelchair, and the medical supplies friends donated. Because of you, ministry is happening!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Our missionaries in Armenia managed to hold 2 children’s camps this summer. Vitaly says, “Each week in Yerevan I disciple a small group of Armenian brothers who dream of planting new churches.” Please pray for this couple in their outreaches and as they improve their grasp of Armenian language.

• In answer to prayer, BIEM missionaries Vitaly Yurchenko and his wife Olena will arrive later in November for a month-long visit. Like the Buykos, the plan is for them to represent BIEM by speaking and singing in churches and sharing live updates. Please pray for smooth travels.

• Vitaly Bilyak, the BIEM church planter who was suddenly drafted into the Ukrainian army, continues to serve both God and country. Although he still hopes for release from military duty so he can resume ministry in his church, he continues to hold services and witness to the soldiers around him. His commander has come to trust him and gives him jobs like driving soldiers to the hospital for treatment.

• Our missionaries to Central Asia, the Smiths, are facing multiple health issues, which are affecting their ministries. Please uphold this family in prayer!

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BIEMs of Light: October 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• If all goes as planned, on October 2 we expect to receive the Buyko family at our BIEM headquarters. They will spend a month with us—speaking and singing in churches, helping to process the donated clothing and other goods in our warehouse, then assisting with the paperwork.

• In September, 46 students attended our Seminary session in Ukraine. This good number is encouraging, considering numerous recent aerial attacks. Praise God, although the air-raid sirens blared in nearby Kyiv, our seminary classes in Bilogorodka were undisturbed.

• After almost a year in Armenia, our church planters there rejoice in God’s working: “We host an international Bible study. Some nights you hear Armenian, Russian, Iranian, Filipino, and English flying around all at once. Google Translate gets quite a workout! But it feels like a glimpse of heaven—people from every tribe and tongue worshiping together…. One Armenian woman shared, “I never used to talk with people from other nationalities. But now I’m learning how to love them.”

• BIEM’s calendars for 2026 are now printed and look great! Praise the Lord for friends with expertise in design and printing who make these possible. This month, friends on our mailing list should receive one in the mail. (If you’re not on our mailing list but want to be, please let us know!)

Prayer – Pray with us!

• October 18 is our next container-loading day. Please pray for donations of much-needed items such as lightly used clothes & shoes, walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and household items, plus funds to ship them. Also, pray for volunteers as we load these items to bless Ukrainians in the name of Christ!

• Update on Vitaly Bilyak: We requested prayer for our missionary-church planter Vitaly, who was conscripted into the Ukrainian military. Legal efforts to reverse his conscription have not yet yielded results. Meanwhile, Vitaly has had wonderful opportunities to give spiritual counsel to evangelize and even to conduct services in a tent! Please uphold him in prayer.

• Please pray for BIEM’s new missionary, Dana Keller, who continues to raise support to minister among orphans in Ukraine. (Due to the war, there are a lot!) To contact her write to danakellerru@gmail.com.

• Please pray for Aygerim, a girl in Central Asia who trusted Christ at camp 8 years ago as a 12 year old. She has endured much persecution. Her mother asked her to come visit. When she did, her mom had an imam waiting to force her back into Islam. Details are unclear, but she has not slept for a week, was not eating, and is a wreck. She’s in the hospital now. Pray that she will recover in all ways.

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BIEMs of Light: September 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Vitaly Bilyak was enroute to the USA to speak in churches and promote the work of BIEM when he was spontaneously conscripted into the Ukrainian army. Although we would prefer Vitaly be allowed to return to his home and church for ministry, including war relief, he has had countless opportunities to share Christ with others conscripted at the same time. May God work in those men’s hearts! To receive weekly email updates on news related to BIEM’s War Relief, subscribe here:       

  https://www.baptistinternational.org/urgent-war-updates-sign-up

• The most recent container of war relief shipped by BIEM has now arrived at its destination in Desna, Ukraine. We praise God for this smooth delivery, which will help and bless so many!

• BIEM’s director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, has received permission from Ukrainian authorities to temporarily exit the country with his family for the purpose of coming to BIEM and visiting churches on behalf of the ministry. We are thankful and praise the Lord for this development!

• Our last summer camps have now wrapped up. Many reports tell of youth who accepted Christ as Savior through the camp ministry. Praise God for working in hearts through these vital outreaches!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• While in Ukraine, Sam Slobodian met with a group of pastors who suggested two different locations as prime possibilities for new church start-ups. Exciting though church-planting is, please pray for wisdom and direction from the Lord as all of us consider these possibilities.

• Some time back, BIEM announced that a source has offered (for the second time!) to match funds for BIEM War Relief Fund up to $100,000 until December 31. Currently, we are at about $30,000 in donations, which have been matched up to $60,000. Would you join us in praying for the Lord to prompt others who are able to provide the other $70,000, which could also be matched?

• The Brotherhood of Independent Baptist Churches in Ukraine, along with BIEM, are pursuing legal efforts to get Vitaly Bilyak’s conscription reversed. His service in evangelism and war relief make him more valuable as a pastor than as a soldier. Pray that he will be exempted from military service.

• Although BIEM has shipped 2 weighty containers of war relief to Ukraine this year, the needs remain great. We would like to ship another one in October. Please pray for God’s people to donate much-needed items such as lightly used clothes & shoes, walkers, wheelchairs, canes, household items (blankets, towels, etc.) plus funds to transport these items overseas. Thanks for praying!

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BIEMs of Light: August 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• The container of aid we shipped on May 30 for the church in Obolon (north side of Kyiv) has safely arrived. Thanks for praying as the church works through all the necessary paperwork.

• In Central Asia, more Muslims have become former Muslims after accepting Christ! In recent days a Tajik man and an Afghani couple have placed their faith in Jesus. Praise God!

• Recently a lawyer informed BIEM that a couple who had been longtime supporters of BIEM had gone into eternity and willed their house to BIEM as a final donation. The house hasn’t sold yet, but we thank God for such friends of BIEM who aid our various ministries even in their Homegoing!

• At a campground in Western Ukraine, the church in Lviv held special meetings for about 200 women made widows during the war. We thank God for the opportunity to bless and encourage hurting ones while sharing Jesus Christ. It’s a sad reality that Ukraine is becoming a nation of widows.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Desna, Ukraine, the church building recently suffered damage when a Russian drone targeted a nearby electrical substation. The blast blew out windows and did other minor damage. Even before this attack, with BIEM’s help the church was already putting on a new roof. Now they have extra work to do at a time when so many construction workers are away, serving in the military. Please uphold this congregation in prayer.

• This month, Sam & Amy Slobodian will be in Ukraine to work in children’s camps, among other ministries. In light of the greatly increased number of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine in recent days, please pray for safety for them and for all the kids and leaders of these summer camps. Of course, please continue praying for life-changing decisions among the children in all our camps!

• The container of aid that we shipped on June 20 for Desna, Ukraine, is still enroute. Pray for its safe arrival and for wisdom for that church when the believers distribute the contents and evangelize.

• BIEM missionaries and volunteer church members continue to organize roadside evangelism and other Gospel outreaches. Please pray for their safety and for the salvation of souls. To see brief videos of various evangelistic activities, please go to BaptistInternational.org and scroll down theHome page to click “View Video Updates.”

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BIEMs of Light: July 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• In the month of June, BIEM shipped not one but two containers of war relief to Ukraine. A huge percentage of each shipment consists of donated clothing and medical supplies, but they contain other helpful items, too. Contents will be distributed by our churches in Obolon and Desna. Praise God!

• Hallelujah, we received 100% of the donations needed to fund this summer’s camps for children and teens. In fact, the first camps have started. We praise God and thank you missions-minded friends!

• Recently, another Christian ministry delivered to BIEM 4 pallets stacked high with boxes of adult disposable diapers. Because the pension for a retired Ukrainian is only about $30/month, a box of these is invaluable for those who need them. We praise the Lord for directing this aid our way!

• Our newest church planter, Sergei Anokin, was with us for a few weeks. He’s planting a church in Bucha, where Russian forces committed atrocities. Because he sheltered 170 residents in a church, the UN asked him to testify when they initiated war-crime procedures. Sergei’s presentation in churches was riveting. You can view one here:

  https://vimeo.com/user37287229/anokhin2

Prayer – Pray with us!

• “K___” embraced Christ after fleeing Afghanistan but was arrested and sent back. He said, “When we go back to Afghanistan, the temptations are great... Satan will throw all his power at us to deny our faith and walk away from God to find ease. I was tried as never before in my life, but Jesus held me through the pain, storms, hunger, sicknesses, and beatings. He was closer than any relationship we can ever have.” Please uphold such new believers in prayer.

• In the country of Georgia, constantly changing laws are creating challenges for ministry. Please pray for our Gospel workers to have vision, wisdom, and discernment as they go forward in faith.

• In Belarus, our missionary Nikolai Ryzhuk and another brother spent weeks visiting small, far-flung churches of just a few members. In addition to encouraging believers, they have led souls to Christ! Please pray for the encouragement of tiny churches and for more souls to come to the Lord.

• A couple years ago, we were able to purchase land in Western Ukraine for a Christian camp. With the help of BIEM friends, a camp building with a bomb shelter is also under construction there. Please pray they can complete this extremely difficult challenge before camps begin at the end of July.

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BIEMs of Light: June 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• We praise God and thank you friends that we have received 100% of the funds needed to host camps this summer. So, no need to send more funds, but please continue to send up more prayers for the Lord to bless and protect all the camps throughout summer.

• On May 30, a 40-ft. container of clothing, medical supplies, and other forms of aid for Ukraine departed from our BIEM warehouse. Today, the next empty container was dropped off. This week, this will likewise be filled with aid for another area in Ukraine. Praise God for all the needed, donated supplies!

• After a “dry spell” of no Muslims embracing Christ in our Central Asia ministries, on June 8 eight people from various ethnic backgrounds placed their faith in Jesus! Praise God!

• Starting this week, Christian camps are starting in the “-stan” countries of Central Asia. Of course, Christian camps are forbidden, so this is also a prayer request for God’s protection.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• In Central Asia, civil authorities still seek to persecute Christians. Recently, plainclothes police visited the neighbors of one of our church planters to dig up dirt against him. However, Muslim neighbors declared that pastor is a model citizen! Pray for protection.

• The Gospel puppet theater run by the church in Chervona Sloboda, Ukraine, often receives repeat invitations from school, churches, hospitals, and others. So, they are searching for fresh plays with recordings in Ukrainian. They request prayer for God to work in hearts.

• Displaced Afghanis who have trusted Christ in Central Asia are in difficult straits: they are not accepted where they are but returning to Afghanistan and as believers, it will mean persecution and possibly death. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for them.

• Our newest Ukrainian church planter is Sergii Anokhin, who is planting a church in Bucha, Ukraine, which was brutally occupied by Russian forces. Russian atrocities committed in Bucha made international headlines. Sergii was interviewed by 15 international organizations and eventually testified before the UN in Belgium. Please pray that we would be able to raise the support needed for Brother Sergii. If you would like to support Sergii, please contact us.

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BIEMs of Light: May 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Praise, God, the spring session of the Seminary has 51 students! Once again, we are thrilled to have new students. This is a record number for us during war time. Pastors from the U.S. are teaching Genesis and Christology; a Ukrainian pastor is teaching World Religions.

• BIEM has passed the 2-million-dollar mark for War Relief donations. Thank you for your generosity! Our missionaries and national pastors say they simply could not do the same level of evangelism and aid if not for aid from you American believers. Sadly, Russia continues to destroy, but weary believers still show God’s love in words and deeds.

• Hallelujah! In Central Asia, a man who has heard the Gospel multiple times finally placed his faith in Christ yesterday. Praise God for opening his eyes to the Truth.

• Our church plant in Druzhba, Ukraine, has now held their 3rd service in the new location God provided. Pastor Sergiy says, “We are grateful to God for answering our prayers, because we are very comfortable here. There is a lot of space, and it’s a very good location.”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Pray for K_____, who had fled Afghanistan, found faith in Christ, but then was deported back to Afghanistan. Because he follows Jesus, his family rejected him. Non-believers try to hunt him down. He does simple jobs to survive. He says, “Don’t worry about me. I have tasted the Water of Life. I’m a solid follower of Jesus. No one can ever take that from me.”

• The Lord has opened an exciting door to plant a new church in Bucha, Ukraine, where Russian occupation forces brutally slaughtered over 2,000 in the streets. This would be our second church planted in the Bucha region. The first one, Nizhylovychi, also suffered horrific atrocities. Please pray for all details to be worked out. Praise God!

• Summer camps are now right around the corner. Our target amount to run the camps is $60,000. Praise God, $49,700 has come in. Please pray concerning the $10,300 still needed.

• During Russia’s April 24 attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine, one missile exploded near where BIEM’s own director for Ukraine lives with his family. Adults and children were injured with at least 13 killed in the attack. Many are missing. In the following video, Eugene Buyko’s son Michael pauses his aid work to give this on-the-spot report:

  https://vimeo.com/user37287229/missing

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BIEMs of Light: April 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• When the church plant in Ternopil, Ukraine, outgrew their rented storefront, church members were shocked to learn a place the size they needed would cost $1,300 monthly. (They pay $200/month now.) But God answered led Pastor Serhiy to a businessman who agreed to lease a spacious, facility only 5 minutes from their current location for $350 monthly! Praise God!

• BIEM’s new missionary has begun church visits for deputation. She shares, “It’s incredible to walk into a church and feel instantly embraced, cared for, and supported. It reminds me that God is building a big family — one that is united in the purpose of serving and glorifying Jesus Christ. I’m also deeply grateful for your financial support, which will allow me to bring the Good News to Ukraine and serve some of its most vulnerable people – orphans.”

• Concerning BIEM aid, pastor Anatoly Kosyanchuk in Shevchenkove, Ukraine, says, “We sincerely thank you for giving us walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, and other things for the disabled.… We give them to those who need them. Some return theirs after recovery; others pass them to other people in need. This is how it works. We are all grateful for this help.”

• In answer to prayer, our missionary Sasha – who ministers in a Muslim land – was able to visit the U.S. and speak in churches in multiple states. He is now back on his field!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Still an urgent prayer request: Although Ukraine now exempts clergy from military duty, permission for them to travel outside Ukraine have not resumed. BIEM has scheduled church planters to speak in U.S. churches in April, so please pray they will be granted exit permits.

• In Russia, a church started by one of our missionaries received a visit from government security services. They drew up an interrogation report, took photos, and looked for signs of “extremism.” The church requests prayer for their protection.

• Our director for Central Asia shares this: “Please pray for a girl named Shokhsanam. She is Uzbek. She was beaten by her brother again. Her brother is Muslim. She went to a camp in Samarkand for 2 days. Her nose is bleeding every other day almost. She has concussion. Her brother and his wife forbid her to attend the House of Prayer [church services].”

• Please pray for our Spring Seminary session starting later this month in Kyiv, Ukraine. Sam Slobodian will be going along with pastors from Minnesota and Indiana. Conducting these sessions during a war is quite challenging. Keep praying for this war to end.

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BIEMs of Light: March 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Our latest container of war relief arrived in Fastiv in February, and the church there has been distributing its contents, both locally and through churches in other towns. May God be glorified through this aid!

• In February we requested prayer for our plans to bring one of our missionaries in a Muslim country here to speak in supporting churches and bring updates. God blessed, and Sasha has arrived safely. During March, he will speak in churches in North Carolina, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

• Last week, men from Prairie Creek Baptist Church in Kingman, Indiana, delivered an auditorium’s worth of pews to BIEM. These pews will go to Awakening Baptist church in Kyiv. That church has been meeting in the basement while constructing their auditorium. Nearing completion, they had no idea how to provide seating. They rejoiced to see photos of the pews and thank God for this answer to prayer!

• Last winter, we provided 1,650 Ukrainian soldiers with $100 worth of warm clothing and New Testaments. Not just any soldiers but soldiers directly connected with members of our churches. In repeating the project this winter, we shared how we had received applications representing 1,076 soldiers and needed $16,000 to meet this need. Praise God, we received $16,890! The extra $890 will go toward additional applications that have since come in.

Prayer – Pray with us!

• After studying in John, one of the newest Afghani students in the Central Asia Bible Institute realized his faith was only a head knowledge about Christ. The next day, he gave testimony in front of 80 Afghans that he had previously not been born again but was now fully trusting Christ. Through tears, he challenged the church to not play games with Jesus but to truly know Him.

• Last year we shared the remarkable story of how the Lord used two elderly ladies to re-establish a church that had been closed and largely destroyed under Russian occupation in their town. Our missionary Pavel Usach requests for prayer for one of those ladies. Her health has suddenly deteriorated, and she can no longer walk. Please pray for Anna.

• BIEM director for Ukraine, Eugene Buyko, and others drove to within 10 miles of the fighting in Donbas. They set up a roadside kitchen, where they offered free hot soup and New Testaments. God gave Eugene many spiritual conversations. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work via His Word.

• As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its 4th year, please continue to pray for a fair conclusion to the aggression. If you’re interested, We have free postcard and bookmark reminders that list ways to pray. 

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BIEMs of Light: February 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• The 40-ft. container of humanitarian aid that we shipped for the church in Fastiv, Ukraine, is expected to arrive this week! Hallelujah! But now the believers must navigate a daunting amount of paperwork to verify this is, indeed, humanitarian aid and not business.

• Last month we requested your prayers as Sam Slobodian traveled to meet up with our national Russian missionaries. Due to security concerns, they decided to gather in a neutral country. Now we are happy to report that those travels and meetings went smoothly. Thanks for your prayers!

• In January, our Kyiv Theological Seminary held its first session for 2025. Despite the ongoing war, over 40 students attended. Of those, 14 were newly enrolled students! Praise God for sending us more workers for the harvest of souls.

• The Lord gave an unexpected opportunity to missionary Sergiy Koop when the owner of their apartment building invited him to administer the building. Sergiy writes, “This role is interesting because every week I talk with various new people who request help with their apartment issues. I like it because I can be an example of a Christian who does his job well. They ask if it’s true that I’m the pastor of a Baptist church. Because of this, I have opportunities to share the Gospel with them. It always inspires me!”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Concerning the Warm Clothing project, BIEM has received applications representing 1,076 soldiers, whom Christian loved ones wish to bless. The total cost of supplying that number with warm clothes and Scriptures is $107,600. However, $75,000 has already been received, which drops the amount needed to just over $32,000. Yet, because a generous donor has been matching these donations, only $16,000 would fill that need. Please help us to pray in that last $16,000.

• One of BIEM’s church planters in a Muslim country hopes to come to the U.S. for 4 weeks at the end of February to speak in supporting churches and bring updates. Please pray for those plans.

• Later this week, Vitaly Bilyak and Sergiy Koop plan to make another missionary trip to Kherson and Donbas. As usual, the plan is to distribute food aid while also sharing the Gospel. But as Russian forces grind their way westward, such trips are becoming more dangerous. Please pray for God’s blessings.

• The church in Lviv, Ukraine, requests prayer. Thanks to a generous donation by a friend of BIEM, they can now install venting in the ceiling, which is high above the auditorium floor and requires scaffolding to reach. Please pray for the safety of the members doing this work and a job well done to pass inspection. 

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BIEMs of Light: January 2025

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• The Lord has answered our prayers concerning our missionary pastors possibly getting conscripted into the Ukrainian army. On December 26, Ukraine amended regulations for the mobilization of conscripts. They introduced provisions to exempt clergy members from military duty! Hallelujah!

• We previously shared that Eugene Buyko, who pastors the church in Bilogorodka, Ukraine, had reported that his congregation’s war-relief distributions had attracted many visitors to their services and that several had become regular attenders, including 3 refugee families. Praise God, the number of new families has grown to 6!

• Praise God for a generous donation we received to construct brick walls for the first floor of a building under construction on the campground in Derman, Ukraine, which is also the location of a new church. Despite the time of year, there were enough breaks in the weather that this phase could be completed before the really harsh winter sets in.

• When our missionaries, the Petrenkos, attended the opening of a monument in remembrance of fallen soldiers, they experienced bittersweet memories of young men who had accepted Christ at their tent camps. In fact, there are other instances of fallen soldiers who first learned of Jesus in our summer camps. Thank you for helping us reach youth for the Lord!

Prayer – Pray with us!

• The Republic of Georgia’s new president is known for anti-Western sentiments. Please pray that Georgia’s leadership will not hinder Western-based missionaries serving God in that nation.

• The next session of our Seminary in Ukraine will take place in January. Please pray for the safety of all who will be traveling to it during wartime and that these classes will deepen the students’ understanding of God’s Word and how to minister better.

• Due to security concerns, we at BIEM cannot communicate directly with our national missionaries in Russia. This month Sam Slobodian plans to meet with them in a neutral country. Please pray for all the logistics to work out and that this rendezvous will go smoothly.

• Like last year, for each accepted application, BIEM plans to provide $100 for local church members to buy warm clothes and Scriptures for loved ones in the Ukrainian military. So far, we have applications for over 500 soldiers, with more coming in. Please pray that this project will not only warm bodies but also point souls to the Savior. Remember, thanks to a generous donor, gifts to War Relief will be matched up to $100,000, so any gifts in this area will be doubled.

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BIEMs of Light: December 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• We had requested prayer that Igor Fomichov be permitted to exit Ukraine temporarily to assist BIEM with its next container and to speak in churches! Praise God; he’s now here!

• Connected to the praise item above is another cause for praise. Thanks to the generosity of all you friends, BIEM now has enough donations of clothing, shoes, and medical items to ship another 40-ft container of war relief to Ukraine. This is our 3rd for 2024. May God bless it with swift passage!

• In November, our newer church planter Sergiy Koop had the joy of baptizing 2 new believers!

•  BIEM church planter Anatoly Kirilko declares, “Greetings from Nizhylovychi! We celebrated the Harvest Festival in our church and thanked God for all the blessings He sends even though such a brutal war continues in the country…. We had wonderful fellowship, sermons, much inspiring singing, and lastly a festive dinner. Thank God that He takes care of us in every way.”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• From our Director for Central Asia: “Our 5 Iranian believers were beaten severely. As they were enduring beatings, the others sang hymns and praises to God to encourage the ones being beaten. As they were being beaten and singing, the Iranian police looked at each other and said, “What are we doing? These men aren’t violent. They’re even praying for our country as we beat them.” The police stole the men’s money and documents, then dumped them on the street, telling them to keep their religion to themselves. Their faces are so swollen they could barely speak, but they rejoice to suffer for their Savior who suffered so much more for them. Please pray as they plan Christmas evangelism.

• As Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, church members are among those being taken into the military. Please for their safety but also for their Christian witness to fellow soldiers.

• Our church planters the Kellers have relocated to Armenia, where they face multiple challenges in the cultures, language, and religion. Vitaly says, “Pray also that we can clearly see the area where God wants us to serve. We don’t want to spread ourselves too thin by trying to do everything, but instead focus on what will be most effective.”

• Concerning Belarus, news outlets report fresh repression in advance of elections. If reports are accurate, there has been a wave of searches and arrests, with a sharp increase in citizens arrested on accusations of treason. Please pray that churches are not targeted, especially our Belarusian church planters.

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BIEMs of Light: November 2024

Praises – Rejoice with us!

• Praise the Lord, friends of BIEM continue to donate slightly used clothing and shoes for shipment to Ukraine as war relief. Plus, we have accepted 150 stackable chairs for churches in Ukraine. Thanks to your donations, we plan to schedule another shipment before the end of this year.

• When 5 of our men were recently arrested for evangelizing in Central Asia, we requested prayer. We praise the Lord that, although our men were fined $25 apiece, they were not beaten. They were released with the warning that next time they are caught witnessing they will get 15 days in jail.

• Despite the horrors of war, our churches in Ukraine are celebrating Harvest, a day of giving thanks. BIEM missionary Yura Levtseniuk says, “We also pray for your country…. You are a blessing to us, and you are a wonderful instrument in the hands of the Redeemer!” 

• In Nizhylovychi, Ukraine, where BIEM purchased a house to use as a church, Anatoly Kirilko says, “We’re extremely grateful to BIEM for help on renovations. Thanks to you, we have a nice kitchen and bathroom. It was a great blessing during the camp and afterwards. May the Lord bless you.”

Prayer – Pray with us!

• Our Afghani Bible Institute now has 32 students. Our Director for Central Asia says, “This is the easiest group we have worked with, largely due to our graduates being involved in the Institute’s discipleship and leadership. Please pray for us as we endeavor to continue the Institute.... We don’t have full funding for it, so we cry out to God to supply our needs month-by-month.”

• We requested prayer concerning Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Georgia. The prayer was that election results continue permitting evangelism. The election is now past, and the ruling party remains in power. However, opposition figures—including that nation’s president—claim meddling in the election and do not accept the results. So, the outcome remains in question.

• Our new church planter, Sergiy Koop in Druzhba, Ukraine, writes, “I am especially grateful to God that I can live in this country during its most difficult times, because in this way we can truly testify to people about God’s love and grace not only with words, but also with very practical actions.” He requests prayer for opportunities to meet and talk with many more unbelievers.

• Marynka—Pastor Sergei Kostin’s granddaughter who lost a leg to Russian artillery—remains cheerful and trusting God as she gets around on a prosthetic leg. Next week she will be at a special hospital in Kyiv to continue rehabilitation procedures. Please pray for this step and for funds to cover expenses.

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