MARCH - YEMEN

Capital: Sanaa              Population: 16,942,230             Religion: Islam
Muslim Background Believers: A few scattered believers

Yemen is one of the oldest inhabited areas of the world. The country was once part of the Kingdom of Sheba (the famed Spice Route) whose queen brought rare and costly gifts to King Solomon. When Islam was born in the seventh century, Yemen was one of the first countries to follow the new religion and is home to two of the oldest mosques in the world.

For a number of years Yemen was divided. South Yemen was the world's only Arab Marxist state. North Yemen was more traditional and tribal. After a brief civil war in 1994 the South was defeated and the country was united.

Yemen is by far the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula. Many Yemenis depend heavily on money earned by relatives working in other countries. During the Gulf War, those Yemenis working in Saudi Arabia were expelled, bringing an economic crisis. Today
Yemen continues to struggle with poverty and underdevelopment. Most Yemenis live on farms or in small villages. Illiteracy is among the barriers to the full penetration of the Gospel into Yemen.


PRAYER POINTS

Monday - Yemeni believers face loneliness and constant pressure from relatives and authorities to recant. Pray that they will have courage and wisdom.

Tuesday - Pray for the Gospel to penetrate into the illiterate majority and for the development of appropriate indigenous (story telling) audio and visual materials.

Wednesday - Pray for micro-business opportunities to enable local believers to be financially independent.

Thursday - Pray for the few workers who are often discouraged due to the lack of responsiveness of the people. Pray for Christian workers to find sensitive, viable ways to gain access to the areas currently beyond reach of the Gospel.

Friday - Pray that God would give government leaders wisdom and that they would realize that the believers are a blessing, not a threat, to the country.

Saturday - Many Yemenis listen regularly to Christian radio broadcasts. Pray that the Holy Spirit will capture the hearts of many Yemeni people through the broadcasts.

Sunday - Most Yemenis are addicted to qat, a mild narcotic, that depletes the people of their health and economic resources. Pray for healing from this addiction.