Arabian Peninsula

Big Picture info-bytes

Seven countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates

Total Population (2016 data) = 81.7 m of which 30% are expatriates (varies Qatar has 88%, UAE 80% and Yemen nearly zero non-Nationals).

The Arabian Peninsula is the heart of Islam Great opportunities for Market Place Workers to engage

with indigenous peoples in all countries except war-torn Yemen.

SAUDI ARABIA

Home of the two holiest shrines in all of Islam: the Grand mosque in Mecca & the Prophet’s mosque in Medina

Home of the Prophet Mohammed New, dynamic leadership under Crown

Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz (or MBS to his followers).

Changing social dynamics – women can drive, movie theatres, visit visas for tourism, economic reforms – there is significant change now with more on the way!

Nearly 60% of the indigenous population is under 30 yrs old. They are online & connected to the world.

There are a of number strategic, spotlight cities with no known workers living in them. Join us?

There are no churches in KSA, but a growing network of indigenous believers meeting in all sorts of innovative and creative ways.

There are cutting-edge ministry opportunities both inside and outside the country focusing on indigenous peoples.

BAHRAIN- The meaning of Bahrain is – “two seas”. - The minority Sunni leaders control the majority Shiites.- Most tolerant country in the AP,

allowing worship to Christians. - Small but encouraging number of

indigenous peoples have come to Christ, with pockets of believers meeting in house churches.

- Samuel Zwemer started the American Mission hospital that still operates in the capital city of Manama.

- Growing prayer movement amongst expatriate churches with a focus on evangelism of indigenous citizens.

QATAR

Smallest percentage of indigenous peoples (12%)Hosting World Cup 2022 Major expansion throughout the whole country to prepare Highly dependent on expatriate workforce in all sectorsPast five years the government has clamped down and expelled several Christian Market Place Workers. Currently in conflict with Saudi, Bahrain & UAE affecting unity, commerce and cultural relationships.

YEMEN

o Poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula with no real significant natural resources and a rural, tribally diverse population.

o Legendary home of the Queen of Sheba.

o Unrest has been the norm for nearly 30 years but the past 4 years have been the most intense in the proxy war between Sunni states Saudi Arabia & the UAE fighting Iranian backed Shiite Houthis. Thousands have died and nearly 5 million have been displaced.

o Significant movement of indigenous people to Christ with an estimated 2000+ believers! PTL!

o Refugees have poured into neighboring countries like Djibouti and the GCC countries where they are encountering Christian outreaches and care.

o Qat is a narcotic leaf that many people in Yemen chew every afternoon. Money which should be spent on the needs of the family is wasted on qat.

o Folk Islam is commonly practiced in rural areas.

OMAN There has been a steadily growing number of Omanis

that have come to faith in Jesus over the past 5+

years. This comes after nearly a century of planting seeds and watering with lots of prayer.

Samuel Zwemer and James Cantine pioneered the work of the Arabian Mission in the 1890’s on the outskirts of Muscat, the capital of Oman.

The population has doubled in the past 25 years and over 55% of the indigenous population is under 20 years old.

Opportunities abound for Market Place Workers to engage

young Omani minds in a quest to quench their spiritual thirst.

There are excellent Arabic language learning venues in Oman for MPW to learn the heart language of the Arabian Peninsula.

Folk Islam is commonly practiced throughout the country. Omanis often have dreams & visions and have an active non-orthodox Islamic view of spirituality.

KUWAIT

Kuwait has only recently been expanding its economy (since 2014) after years of languishing in a slow post-Gulf War & Iraqi occupation economy.

The highly visible expatriate church is well known amongst the Kuwaiti population. Arabic, Indian sub-continent, Filipino & English congregations are freely allowed to worship on compounds.

There are several Kuwaiti believers but they are dispersed and rarely meet with each other due to fear of persecution.

Kuwait needs an influx of Market Place Workers to spiritually engage with the young Kuwaiti professionals in both the public and private sectors.

Satellite and digital Media has been highly effective in reaching Kuwaitis (and all the seven countries) with the claims of the gospel.

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The UAE is an extremely stable country politically, economically and socially with strong and consistent national and regional leadership.

The country is given to superlatives of all kinds: the tallest man-made structure in the world, the largest man-made island in the world, the largest flag in the world, etc.

The young Emirati population is digitally sophisticated and constantly connected.

The government has sponsored several events to promote tolerance among the various religious communities.

In contrast, several churches have been forced to close or move their place of worship under government regulation.

The national economy is experiencing slow growth due to the high cost of waging war in Yemen. However, Dubai continues to push the economic envelope as it prepares to host the world to the Emirate for Expo 2020.

Market Place Workers find opportunities for employment in a wide range of professions working along-side Emiratis, expatriate Arabs, & over 190 different other nationalities, many from other under reached people groups.

SPIRITUAL LEADERS

The voice of the muezzin chanting the Islamic call to prayer echoes across the rooftops of the community. The guttural sounds from the old imam crackle through the speakers above the mosque as he preaches sermons. A few moments later, a

young man’s voice can be heard through the speakers of the adjacent mosque down the road. Communities hear these religious leaders, both old and young, repeat the same call to prayer every day, five times every day, from tens of thousands of mosques throughout the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Religious leaders have a critical role to play in shepherding their communities and are highly respected in the Arabian Peninsula. Whatever they say about Islam is sacred and highly regarded. In fact, Muslims arenot allowed to question their knowledge of Islam and views

of other religions. Muslims believe that their religious leaders teach them an accurate view of Christianity. This highlights the importance of face-to-face encounters with real, genuine Christians in the community, in the schools, and in the market place. Since there are very, very few indigenous believers, expatriate Christians fill an extremely important role to show who Jesus really is. Pray that God would pour out His Spirit on these religious leaders, opening their blind eyes so that they may be saved.BLACK MAGIC & FOLK ISLAM

Black magic is a reality in the Arabian Peninsula. Although orthodox Islam forbids magic of any kind, many rural AP indigenous still resort to magic in order to gain power and influence. In these male-dominated societies of the AP, black magic is especially attractive

to women, who have little power. Through different means such as using amulets and casting spells, these women seek favor in order to get pregnant, to make her children successful in school, to cause harm to someone they envy, and to obtain many types of “blessings” (barakah).

A specific region in Oman is considered the heart of black magic in that country. Some argue that it is the center of black magic for the entire AP. Many stories abound. For example, one can be transported to any place in the worldby drawing a line in the ground and stepping over it. There are other stories of humans transformed into animals and of demons speaking through a grandparent or uncle. Although many local men laugh at stories of black magic today, neither the women who practice it nor their victims find it humorous. Some victims have recently shared their fears with Christian friends in their community. Fortunately, Christ followers claim the power of the Holy Spirit and can help local friends. Only Jesus can set them free from the spiritual forces of evil that seek to oppm Mress and destroy the precious people of the Arabian peninsula. HOSPITALITYEven as the culture evolves in the Arabian Peninsula, there is one aspect that has yet to change. Hospitality overflows from the people of the AP. There is always a readiness to welcome others into their homes. All activities and conversations

stop the moment there is sign of someone entering the home or at the door. That guest, whether family or a complete stranger, becomes the center of attention – honored, welcomed, a blessing. Coffee, tea, water, juice, and something to eat are always served. New guests are often brought a tray of perfumes to apply, or offered

some burning incense so that they may leave smelling sweeter than when they entered. Accepting hospitality and spending time with local

families is a critical part of creating deeper relationships. Equally important is the willingness to reciprocate that same hospitality. Each successive visit opens doors to share more of Jesus and the good news of His Gospel. Because decisions areoften made as a family unit, it is crucial to share truth with the whole family and ask for the Lord to draw entire families to Himself. As local Arab families open their doors to Christians, and as Christians open their doors to them, the Master also comes and knocks.