Light in Dark Places

God specializes in taking small things and producing great things through the faithfulness of those who would believe on Him. Matthew chapter 13 says:
31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,
32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

As we look at God at work around the world, I want to shine the spotlight on a nation that unfortunately is known for its association with terrorism. A place where the Church is small, but their small numbers have the potential to produce growth as they believe in and follow the Savior. In fact, a recent Mission Network News piece reported stated that...

An unexpected pair poses a new threat to Yemen. The Iran-backed Houthis are working with a feared local branch of Al-Qaeda on several fronts, including prisoner swaps and weapon deliveries.

The article goes on to say that: 

Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says the partnership creates even more danger by adding another layer of chaos to war-torn Yemen. Currently, “you have the Houthis fighting, you have the military involved, and then you have Saudi Arabia and Iran doing a proxy war inside of Yemen,” Kelley says.

Unfortunately, economic conditions for many of the Yemeni people are dire. Kelley says, "You have millions and millions of people who are affected and at risk of dying of hunger, due to unstable conditions prevent aid from coming in and the adverse effect of economic sanctions." The article says: 

Half of Yemen’s population, more than 17 million people, face severe hunger. A more significant percentage desperately needs Jesus, the Bread of Life. “Almost 100 percent of Yemenis are Muslim, and less than one-half of one percent are followers of Jesus,” Kelley says.

The ministry organization Unknown Nations trains people in Egypt to share the gospel in Yemen.

But, amidst it all, the Church in Yemen has been growing, according to a previous Mission Network News article from earlier this year, which said:

Trey Hulsey, a consultant for Middle East ministries, says, “The Yemeni church is growing, and we can speak of a Yemeni Church confidently and tangibly now. That wasn’t the case, maybe even 10 or 15 years ago.”

The Gospel message and teachings of Jesus are revolutionary in a place like Yemen.

“Christ teaches us to love our enemies, not to hate them. In Yemeni culture, that is a completely new message. That’s one of the things that really sticks,” Hulsey says.

But, as Hulsey notes, “It takes an incredible amount of wisdom to navigate the unbelievable complexity of work in Yemen.”

The Voice of the Martyrs website describes life for a Christian in Yemen:

Converting to Christianity from Islam is a crime punishable by death, and families consider it extremely shameful for a family member to become a Christian. Christian converts face harassment, the possibility of losing jobs and family relationships, and potentially death. Christians worship secretly in homes or in small groups outdoors.

While there are Christians in that nation that are able to read the Bible online, Voice of the Martyrs is involved in getting Bibles into that country.

This is a reminder that there are many areas of the world where it is especially tough to be a Christian.  External circumstances, including conflict and economic peril, weigh on the citizenry as a whole. For Christians, the pervasiveness of the Islamic faith and the threats of punishment for following Christ are a challenge each day.  So, we need to pray.

But, we can be encouraged. Jesus is moving in the Middle East, even among the difficulties. Where once there was no Church to speak of in Yemen, now there is a presence of the Church. But, the percentage is small, as Voice of the Martyrs reports, "only a small fraction of 1 percent of the population."  Talk about a remnant, a mustard seed of a Church. But, I would contend through that mustard seed faith of the believers in Yemen, the Church can grow as God uses His people to share the love of our Savior.