Yemen Believers Stay Strong in the Crisis

The humanitarian situation in Yemen is deteriorating amid continued clashes and air raids targeting Houthi fighters. The situation on the ground is grim for many people, with Houthis stopping convoys of aid reaching Aden and an arms blockade by coalition navies holding up food deliveries by sea.

With forces loyal to  President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, now exiled in Saudi Arabia, in a continued battle with Houthi rebel forces loyal to former President Saleh, Yemen seems to have become the most recent Sunni-Shia battleground, with both Iran (Shia Islam) and Saudi Arabia (Wahhabi, a branch of Sunni Islam) intervening in the situation and, essentially, fighting a proxy war on Yemeni territory.

How has life been impacted for the Yemenis and for the few Christian believers inside the country? In some places, normal daily activities are at a standstill, and local Yemenis are struggling to maintain some sort of normality; in other places, the daily routine continues – but fear for the future is a constant worry.

However, the small handful of believers in Yemen, both nationals and expatriates, have refused to be paralyzed by fear, choosing instead to remain active in gathering together to encourage one another and reach out to their surrounding communities. Although the body of believers in Yemen is small, the Holy Spirit can use, and is using this time of crisis and war to strengthen believers there and bring about growth in His Church.

• Pray for Yemen, for forces on both sides to be willing to negotiate a peace agreement and cease fighting.
• Pray for the Believers in Yemen, to continue strong in their faith and witness to their families and communities.
• Pray that the seeds of the Gospel that are sown at this time will reap a bountiful harvest for Christ’s Kingdom in Yemen.

2 Corinthians 12 vs 10: “Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”

Source: https://www.opendoorsusa.org