Day 18

AUGUST | 2023

Yemen

PRAYER FOR THIS COUNTRY

Merciful God, we pray today that true wisdom that comes from You will be upon the country Yemen. We pray that the wisdom form You will cleanse people from selfish ambitions. Cause them to seek after purity in life knowing that You are holy. Lord, raise peace loving leaders and peace- making catalysts to enforce peace in the war-ridden country. We pray for the Churches to be gentle, fair and kind to the suffering mass and help them in their dire needs. We pray for the people to regain their respect and impartial care. We pray for the persecuted people to receive Your mercy and goodness (The Bible, James 3:17).

MORE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY

Yemen has moved to 3rd place in the World Watch Report 2023 by Open Doors as Christian persecution has enormously increased. Yemen’s President is Incumbent Rashad al-Alimi since 7 April 2022. The Prime Minister is Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed. Yemen was historically known as Arabia Felix or the “Happy Land.” That’s because this small nation used to be one of the most fertile regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen’s mountain ranges were welcoming sites for rain and agriculture. But today, Yemen is sadly the poorest Arab nation and is currently facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Decades of war and unrest have torn this nation apart, leaving it crippled by long-standing social, political, and economic instability. Most believers are first-generation. The majority of expatriate or migrant Christians have fled due to war and violence. Of the few believers that remain, most have converted from Islam. If discovered, they are often banished from their tribe or brutally murdered. Evangelism is against the law and those who do so risk death.

CHIEF OF STATE
President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi
HEAD OF GOV.
PM Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed
POPULATION
26,737,000
CHRISTIANS
0.2%
EVANGLICAL CHRISTIANS
0%
DOMINANT RELIGION
Sunni Islam
PERSECUTION RANKING
3
REFUGEES
686,217
LIFE EXPECTANCY
65.18 yrs
LITERACY RATE
63.9%
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE
54%

Day 18

AUGUST | 2023

Vietnam

PRAYER FOR THIS COUNTRY

Dear Lord, we pray for Christian Believers to be peacemakers in Vietnam. Though they are the minority religion, we pray that as peacemakers they will have the right words to share the Gospel that doesn’t cause unnecessary offense but will bridge gaps and increase understanding. We pray that Christian Believers will sow the seeds of the Gospel in peace, and we believe that as a result, they will reap a harvest of righteousness. How we intercede for that harvest of righteousness to come forth in Vietnam for Your glory, Lord (The Bible, James 3:18).

MORE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY

Economic reforms launched in 1986 have brought about significant growth and development; its performance during recent years has been the fastest in the previous ten. Of its 95 million people, 70 percent are under the age of 35. One of the last Communist states in the world, Vietnam’s government exerts great power. The state enforces strict controls over political and religious expression. House churches remain illegal, and churches must register though approval is rarely given as Christianity is viewed with suspicion and considered a Western influence. In 2018 laws were introduced that were thought may improve freedom of religion. In some regions, churches have been encouraged by local authorities who noticed the difference in the communities where the Christians are active. However, in other regions, churches have been sentenced harshly for breaking the laws of meeting together.

CHIEF OF STATE
President Trương Tấn Sang
HEAD OF GOV.
PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng
POPULATION
94,349,000
CHRISTIANS
9.5%
EVANGLICAL CHRISTIANS
1.8%
DOMINANT RELIGION
Buddhism
PERSECUTION RANKING
25
REFUGEES
11,000
LIFE EXPECTANCY
73.16 yrs
LITERACY RATE
94%
POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE
11.3%