Thank you for your concern and for praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian People
1. Please join us in praising God for a generous donation from Operation Renewed Hope, which is a partner ministry based in North Carolina. Their financial gift has been designated for 2 purposes: first, for the Warm Clothing & Scripture outreach for soldiers in Ukraine. Second, the remainder of the gift will cover the cost of shipping our next container of war relief to Ukraine! As the hymn says, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow!" So, if you would like to donate gently used clothing, shoes, or motion aids such as crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs, we already have the means to ship them to Ukraine, where believers from local churches glorify God by freely sharing with refugees and wounded ones.
2. 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--praise God--because of a matching-gifts offer that was made before these donations, only $16,000 will fill the remaining need. Please help us to pray in that last $16,000.
3. The youth of the church in Ternopil, Ukraine, have sent us a video to share with you. After receiving funds from BIEM's Warm Clothing Project, the church bought each soldier they personally know the items on those men's "wish list." For the encouragement of you who gave, the youth prepared this video of themselves packing and mailing the gifts, followed by "thank you photos" of recipients after they received the gifts. Thank you for helping to demonstrate Christian love in action!
https://vimeo.com/user37287229/christianlove
4. BIEM’s Vitaly Bilyak and Sergiy Koop are now beginning another missionary trip to Kherson and Donbas. As usual, they plan to distribute food aid while also sharing the Gospel. At the same time, BIEM director for Ukraine Eugene Buyko and about a dozen other volunteers in 2 vans are making a similar evangelistic trip to other frontline areas. However, as Russian military forces grind their way westward, such trips are becoming more dangerous. Please pray for God’s protection on all these men and for Him to work in the hearts of those who will hear the way of salvation from them.
In Christ,
Sam Slobodian
President, BIEM