Written by: Supplied
Article source: febaradio.co.za
Yemen, a country once known for its exceptional landscape and rich history of trade, has now become a land of tragedy and devastation. The ongoing civil war, which began eight years ago, has plunged the already impoverished nation into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. But Yemen’s suffering extends beyond the war, with the people enduring spiritual warfare and the oppression of darkness for centuries.
Despite the tireless efforts of the church, believers, and FEBA partners, it is estimated that only a few thousand of Yemen’s population of over 31 million follow Jesus Christ. The persecution and oppression against the Yemeni church and any witness of Christ are extreme, with many Christians struggling to survive. The power of God is needed to pierce the darkness and flood the dry and weary land with the living water of Christ.
Any international relief that arrives in Yemen is often distributed through Islamic relief agencies that discriminate against those opposed to the Muslim faith. Apostasy from Islam is a capital crime, and leaving Islam to follow Christ often results in being ostracized from families and communities – and facing death. Despite these dangers and challenges, local churches have been growing, and believers and communities secretly gather to listen to broadcasts through radios provided by FEBA Yemen. The groups also pray together often, remembering and honouring the Lord.
However, if a Yemeni individual is found to have converted to Christianity, they are often ostracized from their family and community and face a great threat of death, torture, or imprisonment unless they renounce their faith in Jesus Christ – which doesn’t happen often. Out of fear, Yemeni believers cannot publicly proclaim the Good News or their faith without facing certain punishment.
In a message to FEBA Yemen, a listener named Abdu*, a follower of Jesus in Yemen, warned against romanticizing the church’s growth in Yemen. Many endure persecution, imprisonment, or torture for their beliefs, but they praise God that they do not deny His Son, Jesus Christ. While they are encouraged and filled with hope when they gather to listen to FEBA’s broadcasts, they also grieve because of the threat they face for their beliefs and the countless people who do not come to salvation because of it.
The Lord’s harvest in Yemen is coming after years of faithful witnessing by both Yemeni believers and FEBA’s international partners and missionaries, many of whom gave their lives for illegally evangelizing and sharing the knowledge of Christ in the country. However, the situation remains overwhelming for many Yemeni believers, who must practice their faith in secret and at great risk.
The names of those who shared their testimonies were changed for safety.
Please pray for all the secret believers in Yemen that risk their lives daily for the faith of Jesus Christ.
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Date published: 29/04/2023
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