Late February 2002

Welcome to the IMB Collegiate eNewsletter for February 2002. This eNewsletter focuses on the people of Yemen in the Middle East.

What's Inside: Week of Prayer for Yemen, People Group Info: Yemenis, Prayer Points, Mission Projects in predominantly Muslim countries, God's Heart for the Nations Bible study

Week of Prayer for Yemen

Message from the field:

"It's becoming a regular occurrence for "our" little country to make the news these days! A few years ago, much of the West could barely find Yemen on a map, and now we seem to be popping up on Breaking News about once a week. Unfortunately, most of that attention has been negative, but we hope that this negative press will bring the world's attention to the great spiritual need of the millions we've been called to work amongst.

This week, especially, we want to ask you to join us in bringing some positive attention to the area along with others all over the world. February 17-24 is the worldwide week of prayer for our country. We are seeing some exciting things these days - YOUR prayers are being answered! Thanks for joining us this week."

--From a Christian worker in the Middle East

All about Yemen and how to pray on www.pray4yemen.com

People Group Info: Yemenis

Where is Yemen? This tiny country is at the bottom of the Arabian peninsula. (See http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/mapcenter/map.aspx) It is small, but has about 18 million people and at least 6 major unreached people groups. One claim to fame is that the Queen of Sheba who visited King Solomon in the Bible narrative was a Central Yemeni Arab.

Several Yemeni people groups are 99% Muslim. The Central Yemeni Arabs were the first to convert to Islam during the life of Mohammed. What does Islam look like in Yemen? This narrative from a Christian gives a glimpse of Yemeni Islamic beliefs.

"Not long into the birthday party at which I was the only foreign guest, a young woman asked me if I was a Muslim. I answered that I was a Christian, and she was intrigued. She and three other women began inquiring about Christianity, while commenting on Islam and the differences between the religions.

* How could we only believe in one holy book, when they believed in all three (the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Qu'ran)?

* How could we believe that God would allow one of his prophets to die? Didn't we know that God spared him by placing another man on the cross and taking Jesus away?

* How did we pray?

* Why didn't we wash before we prayed and read our holy book?

I explained that God cleanses us from the inside, and that Jesus told some of the religious leaders that they cleansed the outside of the cup but the inside was filthy. I gently spoke of how only one man had ever lived without sinning, not all the prophets, as they believe. That was why He was the only sacrifice. If He had not died on the cross, then He wouldn't be my Lord. I explained how I pray to God, not in repetitious words or a decided way, but from my heart, thanking God for his goodness and blessing, asking for forgiveness for my sins, and asking for His help in my times of need.

They were silent as I spoke, not argumentative as the women sometimes are. I realized that this was the first time these women had heard the truth. What I was saying contradicted all that they had heard about Christianity. And I prayed that what God allowed me to say would fall on fertile soil and take root."

Prayer Points from the field

- Muslims may proclaim that they believe 3 holy books, but they really only follow one. The Qu'ran is so contradictory to the Old and New Testaments that a few hundred years after Mohammad's (the prophet of Islam) death a belief emerged that the Old and New Testaments had been changed. This was the only way to explain the contradictions. Because of this they believe that Christians follow corrupted books. Satan has blinded their eyes to the truth, but the Truth can be made known through distribution of the Bible in Arabic. Pray for broad sowing of God's Word, whether in written form for those that are literate or in oral form for people who are illiterate.

- The biggest of all of the Islamic religious holidays begins Friday. They will slaughter an animal in remembrance of the sacrifice Abraham made after God saved his son (Muslims believe that son was Ishmael). Pray that conversations about the sacrificial animal will turn to the real Sacrifice.

- Pray for boldness of the few Yemeni believers, that they will proclaim the truth of God in Christ. Pray also that that Christian workers would be in contact with believers who are already following Jesus but have no fellowship.

- Pray for the salvation of Yemenis. Pray for deliverance from the bondage of sin and the powers of darkness. Pray that God would speak to them in visions and dreams, for many Muslims have come to faith through these means.

- Pray for more workers to come to the harvest. There are many opportunities for ministry but not enough people to fill them! Villages are opening up to outside influence but we sometimes can't maintain the relationships and open doors due to lack of personnel.

More prayer needs at www.pray4yemen.com!

Stand in the Gap: Ezekiel 22:30