Mission & Mercy Ministry Update - 2025, Issue 10
Table of Contents
Prayer Focus: The Bihari People in Bangladesh
Mission Highlight & Opportunity: IFI Welcomes Students to WSU & UD
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity: International Family Night for Refugee Families
Mercy Highlight: Sewing & Craft Ministry Prepares OCC Boxes
Opportunity: Operation Christmas Child: Ready, Set, Pack!
Upcoming UBC Mission Trips: Planning for 2026 Underway
Prayer Focus
The Bihari People in Bangladesh
There are over 175 million people living in Bangladesh and according to the Joshua Project website, 98.9% of them are unreached. Our mission partners, “H and L”, serve and church plant in these least reached areas. One group they have focused on are the Bihari people. The Bihari are Sunni Muslims that originated in East Pakistan but became stranded in Bangladesh due to war between the countries. As a result, they live
on the fringes of society experiencing extreme poverty and discrimination.
As Muslims they believe that Allah will determine their eternal salvation, but that spirits determine how well they live in their daily lives. They must appease the spirits and often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.
Prayers
Pray that the Bihari people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of Kings.
We pray that the Bihari will no longer be satisfied pursuing an empty religion, like spending money on something that is not bread (Isaiah 55:1-2). Stir up their hearts to seek you, the Bread of Life come down from Heaven, so they may partake of you and live. (John 6:35, 50-51).
We ask that you give the Bihari people a new heart and put a new spirit within them. Take away their stony hearts and give them hearts of flesh. Put your Spirit within them and cause them to walk in your statutes. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
Pray that, as they have struggled to find an identity in Bangladesh for more than 50 years, they will see their identity in God’s kingdom.
Lord, we pray that the Bihari would receive you, believe in your name, and become your children, joining your family – the church – around the world. (John 1:12)
May the Bihari be among your chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, declaring the praises of the One who called them out of darkness into your wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9).Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of His power and love.
God, we know you are the ultimate Provider. You meet all our needs according to the riches of your glory in Christ Jesus. Please make a way of salvation for the Bihari people. Show them the answer to their deepest need is Jesus. We also pray for their physical needs like food, shelter, clothing, and meaningful work. We pray they would see and acknowledge you as the Giver of all good gifts. (Phil. 4:19, James 1:17)Pray for a movement to Christ to begin this decade among the Bihari.
I pray that the Word of the truth, the Gospel, which has come to us, would also come to the Bihari so that it bears much fruit and continues to spread. (Colossians 1:6)
Lord, we pray that you would multiply believers among the Bihari. Increase their joy, so they would rejoice before you, as at the harvest or when the spoils are divided. (Isaiah 9:3)
Mission Highlight & Opportunity
IFI Welcomes Students to WSU & UD
This past month, International Friendships, Inc. (IFI) hosted welcome parties at Wright State University and UD to greet new international students as they arrived for the school year. These gatherings were full of energy, good food, games, and—most importantly—hospitality. It was a joy to see students from all over the world beginning to connect and form friendships. Although the number of international students at our local universities is smaller this year, many new students are still arriving and engaging with IFI. We give thanks to God for each one and pray that He was glorified through the love and welcome they experienced.
IFI’s ministry continues throughout the year, and there are many ways you can serve. Volunteer opportunities include prayer, transportation, relationship building and hospitality, and more.
Cooks Needed! Currently, the most pressing need is cooking for Friday Night Life Group. This typically involves preparing 1–2 dishes once a month to help feed students at the weekly gathering. Would you consider joining in this ministry? Your involvement—whether small or large—helps international students experience the love of Christ in a tangible way. If you’d like more information or are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Megan Kilner at meganbethk@gmail.com.
Let’s continue to pray for the students in our community and for the seeds of friendship and faith that are being planted through IFI!
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity
International Family Night for Refugee Families
Last month, we launched the Refugee & International Engagement ministry here at UBC by serving at the International Family Night at Beavercreek Christian Church. BCC has been hosting this event for years. What began as a badminton night for church members morphed into a time of food, fun, and fellowship for refugee families from the Dayton area. The event is held monthly and organized in partnership with a student group from Cedarville University. We are excited to partner with another local church and students who have a passion for welcoming and engaging our international neighbors.
Many guests attended in September and numbers are expected to climb this fall as the weather gets colder and people seek more activities indoors. We would love for you to join us! There’s something for everyone. Play indoor sports with older children and teens, hang out with little ones, chat with moms and dads in the dining area, participate in Bible studies, or help in the kitchen. This is a great opportunity to develop relationships and share the love of Jesus!
Upcoming fall dates:
October 10
November 7
Contact Sharon Kerestes at skerestes4@gmail.com or mmstaff@ubcbeavercreek.com to find out how you can get involved!
Mercy Highlight
Sewing & Craft Ministry Prepares OCC Boxes
On September 13th, UBC hosted the Sewing and Craft Ministry Open House, the 7th such event this year. During the time together, volunteers worked on projects to prepare for Operation Christmas Child box packing in October.
Projects were completed by card makers, crochet and knitters , and sewists and included jewelry kits, fishing & knot tying instruction kits, feminine hygiene kits, stuffed animals and other small toys.
UBC will host another Open House event on October 25th from 9:30 – 12pm at UBC East. You don’t have to be proficient at sewing or other crafts to come help. We will need as many hands as possible to help pack OCC boxes. We have set a goal of 50 boxes. If you would like to serve please sign up here or just come join in the fun!
Opportunity
Operation Christmas Child: Ready, Set, Pack!
It's October! Time to Prepare Your Boxes! National Collection Week is just around the corner, which means it's time to finalize your Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! We are so excited to see the generosity of our church body this year.
Church-Wide Goal: 1,000 Boxes in 2025!
Let's work together to bless more children than ever before! We've set a challenging but achievable goal for 2025: 1,000 shoebox gifts from UBC! Every box makes an eternal difference, sharing the love of Jesus with a child in need. Let your shopping and packing be an act of faith toward this big goal!
Important Packing Update for 2025:
Due to complications with customs in some countries, Samaritan's Purse has removed certain items from the approved list.
→ SOAP is NO LONGER permitted in shoebox gifts.
Please be sure to check the official "What Goes in My Shoebox" list on the Samaritan's Purse website for the most current guidelines.
Samaritan’s Purse now has an online build-a-box option on their website.
“Shoebox gifts built online go to the ends of the earth to children in some of the hardest-to-reach places—whether deep jungles, city slums, steep mountainsides, or one of more than 1,000 remote Pacific islands. Many of these areas are resistant to the Gospel, for cultural or religious reasons, and are home to some people who have never heard the Name of Jesus Christ. When you Build a Shoebox Online, it provides believers in remote regions a creative way to share the Good News in a culturally sensitive manner. Online boxes are carefully prepared, abiding by strict customs regulations to safeguard partners who will deliver the gifts, as well as the boys and girls who receive them.”
What to do this month:
Shop: Finish purchasing your "Wow!" items, school supplies, personal care items (like toothbrushes, combs, and washcloths), and fun toys!
Pack: Fill your shoeboxes for your chosen age and gender. There is need for boxes for 2-4 yr old children, particularly boys. Stop by the ministry table and pick up your boxes on Sunday, October 5th.
Pray: Pray over the child who will receive your gift.
Prepare: Don't forget the suggested $10 donation per box for shipping and ministry—you can include it in your box or donate online to receive a tracking label.
Stay tuned for more details this fall regarding official drop-off locations and National Collection Week dates.
Monthly Mission Quote:
"The end of hearing the word preached, is not chiefly to know and understand, but rather to believe, practice, and obey that which is taught."
- Stephen Egerton
Upcoming Mission Trips
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15
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How beautiful are your feet?
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"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15 ~ How beautiful are your feet? ~
Planning for 2026 Trips Underway
UBC is wrapping up our short term mission trip opportunities for 2025 and planning is underway for 2026! There are local, national, and global trips offered. You can learn more about each UBC team’s trip through “Stories from the Field,” a subseries of our UBC Talking Points podcast. Episodes are available now for the recent trips to Southeast Asia, Namibia, Uganda, and STUMIN trip to Utah is coming soon. You can find them here.
If you are planning to participate on a mission trip with another organization (e.g. Cedarville’s GO trips), please contact us to let us know more!
If there is a nation or a people group that God has placed on your heart, share it with us. We would love the opportunity to hear and to help you find a trip in the coming year. Reach out to Francisco Jimenez Peña (francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com).
Contact to learn more:
Francisco Jimenez Peña
francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com
To read past Mission Updates or to get more information about UBC on Mission, visit
https://www.ubcbeavercreek.com/mission-and-mercy-ministries.