SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION PRESS RELEASE

Russia's Baptist Union Partners With SGA to Speed Help To Victims of
Beslan School Tragedy

9/10/04

Contact:
Tom MacAdam
Joel Griffith
1-815-282-8900

(BESLAN, RUSSIA) -- Leaders of the Russian Union of Evangelical
Christians-Baptists (UECB) assisted by Slavic Gospel Association are
speeding humanitarian aid as well as spiritual comfort to the victims of
the horrific hostage/homicide incident which took place September 3 at a
middle school in the southern Russian city of Beslan. It is estimated
that the terrorists who attacked the school held as many as 1,250 people
hostage at the school before the battle ending the siege began. SGA has
established a special account for the victims' families called the
Crisis Response-Beslan School Victim Assistance Fund.

The latest official death toll from the terrorist attack has topped 350,
including many children. There are some 411 people that remain
hospitalized and 100 children and adults still missing in the aftermath
of the shootout between the terrorists holding the hostages and Russian
government troops. UECB president Rev. Yuri Sipko said that the Baptist
church in Beslan is located near the school and that many children who
attended Sunday School were among the hostages. According to Rev. Sipko,
several lost their lives and others have yet to be accounted for . . .

"Concerning children from Baptist families, three are now at home and one
boy is in the hospital. One woman from the church, Irina, was able to
escape from the school with one of her children but saw her
nine-year-old son shot to death in front of her eyes. Sergei Totiev is a
UECB church-planting missionary sponsored through SGA by the Kodiak
Bible Chapel in Kodiak, Alaska. He and his wife, Raya, had three
children among the hostages. Their eight-year-old daughter, Anna, was
killed while a son, Boris, is hospitalized. Another daughter is still
missing. UECB pastor Taimuraz Totiev and wife Bella had five children in
school. Only one of their children returned home. 12-year old daughter
Luba was killed and the other three children are missing. I visited
Beslan and the victims on Saturday, and on behalf of the UECB churches
and their families, I would like to thank our brothers and sisters in
North America for their prayers, financial gifts and expressions of
love. The immediate need is for funerals, as they are very expensive.
Another serious need is medical assistance for those who are wounded.
There are many who were seriously hurt. The children returned home
naked. They lost their clothing and their school things as well. This is
a very serious need for our families. Please pray often for the
families, the pastors and church members who are seeking to minister to
all who have lost precious little loved ones. May the Lord grant them
strength, great wisdom and make them channels of Christ's great love to
all the victims and their families."

SGA president Dr. Robert Provost expressed sorrow for the tragic loss of
life in Beslan, and pledged immediate assistance to be delivered through
the UECB churches . . .

Here at SGA, we have closely watched all the reports and have been in
contact with the local Christian community of Beslan. Such depraved evil
directed at innocent children is beyond my ability to process. Our tears
are flowing, especially for the Christian families, and for all who have
lost their loved ones to such horrific brutality. In the meantime, we
can be greatly comforted that Jesus lovingly took each child gently by
the hand into the joy of his presence. If you would like to help the
evangelical churches render all possible assistance to the Beslan
victims, please send your gift through SGA, designating it to the Crisis
Response-Beslan School Victim Assistance Fund.

SGA is an interdenominational mission which has been working in the
former Soviet Union since 1934. SGA focuses on helping churches in the
lands of Russia with Christian literature, pastor and layleader
training, sponsorship of national church planters, and humanitarian aid.
SGA is the official representative of the Russian Union of Evangelical
Christians-Baptists and a sponsor of the Eurasian Federation of the
Evangelical Christians-Baptists.

###