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Yemen: “Cross Welcomed in Unexpected Places!”

Jesus found welcome in the most unexpected places and with the most unlikely people. Such was His welcome in Sychar among the Samaritans. The cross, Denise and I were welcomed in Yemen where in Northern Yemen there are on public churches and most in the South have been closed. Homes were open to us, chiefs welcomed us, English teachers brought their students to talk with us and we had a Yemen man publicly carry the cross in Aden. Where women are veiled Denise sat and ate in cafes with only men. They were hungry of the good news of Jesus with many so excited saying, “We have never heard this message here, tell us more.”

No matter how bad the “news” may sound about a nation or people. Be encouraged. The cross has been there! Openly! In every nation on earth, I know, I was there! Jesus did it!
Beautiful but lost people are all over the world…”Who will Go”?
Too often people are hindered from doing the will of God by what they read or see in the news or from poor advice from friends and family.

It is an indescribable feeling carrying a twelve foot cross into a Moslem village in a place without any known churches, people crowd around asking questions, smiling and welcoming. The village elders invite my wife Denise and I into a home where we set on the floor reclining on pillows. AK 47 guns are all about. You hear the noise of autos outside and now the area chief arrives and enters the room. You are now welcomed with tea and food. The leaders speak English and are asking questions about who we are and why we are carrying a cross. Most had never seen a real cross. Later they would want to touch it.

You never see a woman or girl. They are back preparing food for the men and my wife. Denise is welcomed like me and like a man. The men put a gun in her lap and laugh as she lifts it up. All the men have curved dagger knifes in their belts. Food arrives as boys bring it in setting it in the floor in front of us.

It may seem hard to believe but the center of conversation is the cross and the Person and Message of Jesus Christ! Not one ill word is spoken but we do not agree on every point about Jesus. However the discussion is deep and profound.

After several hours of talking, eating and drinking the area chief and the locals talk in their native language for a while. The chief declares that we are welcome to carry the cross and share this message of Jesus with the people. Then he asks specifically that we go down the road to the area school and carry the cross into the school and share the news of Jesus. This type of response was historic and glorious.

I will now focus on the history of the struggle to take the message of Jesus there but on the welcome we received. All I know is that around the world in places that have been declared ‘impossible’ to share Jesus openly or carry the cross in we have been welcomed. Walking in defenseless and fearless but in the Glory of Jesus with a cross of open witness has been wonderful beyond words. I must truly confess that instead of people like this looking upon us as enemies we have been welcomed as friends. We have been received as family. In many, many cases people have heard and received Jesus as Savior and Lord. We have taught the Bible to them by mail, fax and now e-mail and the Internet.

I welcome you to look at the crosswalk in Yemen. You will see some of this welcome but of course we have not posted photos of the in house gatherings like I described above for obvious reasons.

Often this type of reception in nation after nation has produced many conversions to Jesus and we have left behind our interpreter as a well trained evangelist to continue sharing Jesus.

Jesus found welcome in the most unexpected places and with the most unlikely people. Such was His welcome in Sychar among the Samaritans. The cross, Denise and I were welcomed in Yemen where in Northern Yemen there are on public churches and most in the South have been closed. Homes were open to us, chiefs welcomed us, English teachers brought their students to talk with us and we had a Yemen man publicly carry the cross in Aden. Where women are veiled Denise sat and ate in cafes with only men. They were hungry of the good news of Jesus with many so excited saying, “We have never heard this message here, tell us more.”

No matter how bad the “news” may sound about a nation or people. Be encouraged. The cross has been there! Openly! In every nation on earth, I know, I was there! Jesus did it!
Beautiful but lost people are all over the world…”Who will Go”?
Too often people are hindered from doing the will of God by what they read or see in the news or from poor advice from friends and family.

I can tell you that in some of the most radical places in the world we have found the greatest of welcomes. Some of the most radical people have understood our mission and let us enter and pass in peace.

Radicals make great evangelist and people of God. Look at Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul! Look at the history of the church.
I pray this has helped you see the people in a new light in some of the most needy places on earth.

You can see many of these wonderful people in the movie “The Cross” and the book by the same title.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt,

Luke 18:1

Weeks ago I started with the letter A and will go to Z focusing on a nation or island group, and what I learned in that place. If you are looking for perfection then just read the Words of Jesus in the New Testament of the Bible. I’m only a pilgrim that has and is still on a journey with Jesus. He is constantly working on me like a potter does the clay. Welcome to the potter’s house!