Switzerland · Biblica Partners’ Gathering 2026
This summer Alexandru Vlad was invited by Biblica to their Partners’ Gathering 2026 in Switzerland. Partners from different countries came together at the Seminar für biblische Theologie (SBT) in Beatenberg, high above Lake Thun, to pray, learn from one another and share what God is doing through the Bible in their part of the world.
Make a Difference took part as one of Biblica’s partners, and Alexandru was asked to lead a session on storytelling: how we tell the stories of the people we serve, the gear we use, and how we prepare long before we press record.
Telling the story well
In his session Alexandru walked through the whole process: planning a trip and packing the camera bag, filming in places where conditions can change by the hour, and then editing and sharing the story afterwards. He talked about choosing gear that is light, robust and quick to set up, about charging batteries and backing up footage in the field, and about keeping things simple when you only get one chance to capture a moment.
With dignity
Just as important was the human side of the work: asking permission, protecting the identity of soldiers and vulnerable people, and making sure the person in front of the camera is treated with dignity. A good story shows what God is doing through ordinary people, without putting anyone at risk.
Between sessions there was time for long conversations over lunch on the terrace, with the mountains in the background. These talks with other partners about filming, distribution and the needs in Ukraine were some of the most valuable moments of the gathering.
From the retreat to the frontline
The Biblica badge came home on the same backpack that travels with Alexandru into Ukraine. Every time he has the opportunity to go east, he takes waterproof Bibles with him and delivers them to soldiers on the frontline. They are compact and tough, made to survive rain, mud and life in the trenches.
The Bibles go from hand to hand: to soldiers in their positions, to the men of the Bison group, and to the chaplains who stand with them every day.
Faces are blurred for the soldiers’ safety.
A Bible and a hot meal
Alexandru often doesn’t arrive with Bibles alone. He also brings the Make a Difference smoker and cooks for the soldiers. A hot meal opens the door to conversation, encouragement and prayer, and many soldiers take a Bible with them when they return to their positions. You can read more about our frontline kitchen.
Equipping the chaplains
Chaplains are the ones who stay with the soldiers after we leave, so we want them to be well equipped. At a gathering of military chaplains with the Kremenchuk Evangelical Seminary, we handed out waterproof Bibles, and many chaplains left with whole parcels to share with the men and women they serve.
We also meet friends and partners on the road who carry the Bibles further, to places we cannot reach ourselves.
Thank you
Thank you to Biblica for the invitation and the warm welcome in Beatenberg, and to everyone who prays for and supports this work. Every Bible that reaches a soldier is a reminder that he is not forgotten, and that God’s Word goes with him, even into the trenches.
If you would like to help us take more Bibles and hot meals to the frontline, you can support our work here.