Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
Dear Friends of BIEM,
1. Amy and I are back in the US. We are thankful for your prayers, which kept us safe and blessed us in many ways. On my previous trip, there were airline delays both coming and going, which resulted in unexpected airport overnight stays. Plus, Customs at the border crossing decided to check all my suitcases, which is never fun and takes time. So, on this trip we were specifically praying for two things: one, that there would not be a long line at the Polish border, and secondly that Customs would not open our suitcases. We had 8 suitcases that Delta allowed us to bring in for free. Praise God, on this trip we had no problems with connections either way, Customs did not open a single suitcase, and lo and behold, when we got to the border there was only one car in front of us. Amazing!
2. Thank you for praying for the trip that Vitaly Bilyak took to the war front we mentioned previously. We are glad to report that he made it there and back safely. This was one of the riskiest ventures by our Ukrainian men thus far. At times, it required Vitaly to wear a bulletproof vest. In some of the videos he sent, you can hear nearby artillery fire. Next week we hope to post a video about this particular trip.
3. The SUV and trailer Vitaly Bilyak traveled with was loaded with aid for three different groups of people in that area: Churches that distribute to nearby civilians who have not been able to evacuate, wounded civilians in hospitals, and military men connected with his church in Ternopil who requested specific items like wound kits, tourniquets, and military gear they are not able to get. One of them is a special forces member who had a serious need for a high-end drone, which we brought on our trip, and Vitaly was able to deliver it. When the special forces received it, they went to work right away, modifying it by turning off any lights on the unit and adapting It for military use, which includes (among other things) a program that prevents enemy operators from taking control of the drone, which has happened with drones not properly prepared for battle areas.
4. We had a wonderful time participating in a church camp in Bilogorodka. The church is in the Bucha area that was severely attacked and suffered many atrocities as was reported on our media. Once again, we heard eyewitness accounts of the horrors and terrors of being occupied by Russian troops. The church is just a few miles from where the Russian army was finally stopped and forced to retreat. Many church people who stayed through this shared how during many moments of nearby battles they thought their lives would soon be over. Praise God that the fear and terror that reigned not long ago was replaced by joy and happiness as 9 converts were baptized the Sunday after camp concluded.
5. Please pray for the Buyko family, as they hope to travel to the United States on September 15th. Even though men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine during the war, recently the Ukrainian government made a provision that allows pastors to travel to the US if it is for religious purposes conducted by a charitable entity. Last month, BIEM was able to bring one of our church planters to visit the United States under this provision. Earlier this week we started the process to obtain such permission for brother Eugene. We have obtained visas for his wife Sophia and daughters Angelica, 21; Solomia, 15; and Ivanka, 9. Eugene’s son Mikhail, who is 19, cannot come. This family is quite musical and are certainly going to be a blessing to churches in the US. Here is a link of Angelica, Solomia, and Ivanka singing.
Sam Slobodian
President - BIEM