Is There a Small But Strong Beginning Among the Veiled?

The Arabian Peninsula is known for its riches from the oil industry. For some people in this region however, there is hunger and underdevelopment. They have a very short life expectancy as well.

Rich Yet Poor

Of the Arab nations, Yemen is the poorest. Education and health care are distributed inadequately, and at a low standard. Economic growth is stunted by war and famine. At the same time, the Yemeni people are rich in hospitality and friendship.

Mothers and children have welcomed those who come from other countries to offer help and hope. In spite of this, there has been a consistent resistance to the gospel, “We are Muslims. That is who we are as a nation and a people.” Being a Muslim is not only about religion, but encompasses their whole way of life. To leave their life of Islam would be to lose family, friends, jobs, community, and possibly even one’s life. Many are unwilling to even listen to a message they know would force them to consider this.

God is Working

Those who have responded to God’s call to serve in Yemen have often returned home with little evidence of fruitfulness.

Until recently! A young woman from a distant land was led by God to join a few others and go to this nation to live. Patiently, she and the others learned their language and built relationships. “These women respond to genuine friendships! I became like a part of their families,” she says.

New Cultural Experiences

This worker learned to love the Yemeni women well. This opened doors opened to their homes. “Unexpected visits were welcomed. The frequent power outages led to many candlelit dinners shared together.” She learned to adapt to the ways of the women of this dry land, even when it required skills she’d never needed before.

“I accompanied my friends into town on many occasions. It would have been easy to lose one another in the crowds. Of course the ladies were dressed in black with their faces covered. So I was careful to memorize the height of each one of them, in case I followed strangers by mistake!”

What They Have, They Share

As a cross-cultural worker, she would often spend the night in the homes of her friends. They slept on floor mattresses, all the family members sleeping side by side. “These precious people found their way into my heart. They don’t have much in the way of worldly possessions. But what they have, they will share. They are not very aware of how much of the rest of the world has. They are happy and content with what they have.” God opened her eyes to see their generosity and as she received their love, they too received hers.

Answered Prayer Opens a Heart

One day, seeking to show that love, she offered to pray for a strict Muslim friend. Surprisingly, though her need was real, the woman wouldn’t allow her to do so. The devout lady was willing to reverse roles and offer the cross-cultural worker marriage advice though. “You are old! How are you going to get a husband? You should not be single!”

It was not easy to hear this, but the worker told her this was something she was praying about and that God would answer.

Within two years this Muslim woman saw God’s response to the young woman’s prayers. He provided her with a wonderful, godly husband. The Muslim woman was amazed, and when the young woman asked once again to pray for her, she shocked her by saying “Yes! Pray for me, for surely God answers your prayers!”

Tears In the Blanket of Darkness

Many prayers have been raised up for the people of Yemen. During one prayer time, God gave a lady a picture of a blanket covering Yemen. She saw the nation was being kept in darkness. As the intercessor waited on Him, she saw that with every prayer for Yemen and its people, a tear was sliced in the blanket. God’s light was going to shine in this nation! He was at work.

Change is Happening

The nation of Yemen has been blighted by wars that cost many lives. What infrastructure they had was devastated. Interestingly, this seems to have created a unique openness to new ideas. Hope that their former religion denied them is being freely given to those who choose to follow Christ. The worker who lived there says “Loads of people are being baptised!”

Through this particular worker, three ladies have been discipled. This is a wonderful beginning, but God desires for many more to know Him. Much prayer and effort are still needed to see a transformation in this beautiful nation so beloved by God.

Pray for Yemen

The young woman says:

“From the outside, the nation is at war with its neighbors. From inside, disease and famine take many lives.

“Life was always hard, even before the war. Ask the Lord to bring peacemakers to the region. Ask Him to send laborers into the harvest field, that the women would know the Prince of Peace.”

She shares these prayer points.

• Pray for doctors and nurses to be trained locally, as well as come from the outside world.
• Ask that God would give the women dreams and visions. Ask that He would connect them with believers who can interpret those dreams and visions.
• Pray for sound discipleship for the new believers. And pray for the tiny church to grow and lead many, many more to Christ.

Will you commit to pray for the nation and people of Yemen?