[Today's Prayer] Yemeni Christian Community Deteriorates Rapidly After Israel-Hamas Conflict
A warning has been issued that the situation for Yemen's Christian community, which has been persecuted for its faith, is rapidly worsening following the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Samuel, a convert who escaped from Yemen 20 years ago, said in a recent interview with Open Doors, a Christian persecution watchdog, that Christians are being scapegoated because of the anger felt by Yemen's Houthi leaders over the Gaza conflict.
Houthi rebels, who have recently been in the news for attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, are known to be targeting ships heading to Israel or connected to Israel.
Samuel said the international situation with Israel will make life much more difficult for Yemeni Christians, which means people will support the Houthis as heroes.
He said people will tell them who Christians are to impress them, and then they will start punishing Christians to please people.
For them, it will be a matter of defending their faith, and they will work together against the Christian faith.
He said there is a lot of communication between the current government and Houthi authorities to share information they know about Christians.
Yemen ranked 5th in the ranking of countries with Christian persecution published by Open Doors this year. Christians in Yemen are forced to practice their faith in secret and, sadly, some of the persecution is carried out by family members.
(Omitted)
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)
God, we hear the news that religious persecution against the Yemeni church is worsening due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Lord, the faithful Father of the Yemeni Church, please comfort our brothers and sisters in Yemen who have maintained their faith despite persecution and suffering, and help them win only through their faith in You even amidst the ever-increasing persecution.
The Lord has called the Yemeni Church to be a servant of Christ and a trustee of God's amazing mysteries, and we want to follow that calling and become a Yemeni Church that is loyal only to the Lord God.
Please help them become a church in Yemen that does not lose the secret of the kingdom of God that the Lord has entrusted to us, and faithfully testifies to that secret to all the lost souls of Yemen who do not yet know the Lord.
In this end times, when nation rises against nation and nation against nation, may the nations of the world return to the Lord God through the Yemeni Church, which is loyal only to the Lord and faithfully fulfills its mission as a servant of the Lord, and may all nations return to the Lord God. Let us praise Your beauty!
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