What animals live in Yemen?

Yemen is home to some remarkable creatures! The Arabian leopard — one of the rarest big cats in the world — quietly roams the rugged mountains there. You can also find Arabian gazelles, striped hyenas, and hamadryas baboons scrambling across the rocky hills. Out in the warm coastal waters of the Arabian Sea, Yemen's shores are alive with colorful fish, sea turtles, and dolphins. The island of Socotra, which belongs to Yemen, has plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth — like the strange, umbrella-shaped Dragon Blood Tree. It is a land full of things to discover, and the people who live among these wild places need to hear about Jesus, who made every creature and loves every person there deeply.

What do kids eat in Yemen?

Great question! Kids in Yemen often eat flatbread called lahoh, which is soft and spongy — a little like a pancake. It gets dipped into honey, butter, or a spiced meat stew called saltah, which is Yemen's most famous dish. Rice is a big part of meals too, often cooked with spices like cumin and turmeric that give it a warm golden color. For something sweet, Yemeni kids might enjoy bint al-sahn, a soft layered bread drizzled with honey and butter — it melts right in your mouth. Dates are grown in Yemen and eaten as a snack, just like they were in Bible times. Sharing a meal together is really important to Yemeni families, and most meals are eaten sitting on the floor around one large dish that everyone shares.

How do people say hello in Yemen?

In Yemen, most people speak Arabic, and the most common greeting is 'As-salamu alaykum' — which means 'Peace be upon you.' The person you greet will answer back, 'Wa alaykum as-salam,' meaning 'And upon you, peace.' It is a greeting used across many Arabic-speaking countries, and people take it seriously — it is not just a quick 'hi.' In Yemen, greetings are a big deal. When men meet, they often shake hands and may even touch noses or kiss cheeks, depending on how well they know each other. Hospitality is very important to Yemeni people, so a warm greeting is the beginning of treating a guest with great respect. That love of welcoming others is something God wove into many cultures around the world.

What sports or games do kids play in Yemen?

Herman here, with Rusty peering over my shoulder at the map! Kids in Yemen love football — what Americans call soccer — more than just about anything. You'll find boys kicking a ball around on dusty streets and open patches of ground in cities like Sana'a and Aden. It's the sport that gets everyone out of the house. Rusty wants to add that kids in Yemen also play traditional games passed down from their grandparents, like a marble game called 'kherbga' and games involving stones or simple running races. Because many families don't have much money, the best toys are often just a ball, a stick, or a few friends. Life in Yemen is very hard right now — there has been a long war that has hurt many families. But even in hard times, kids find ways to play, and we can pray that those same kids would one day hear that Jesus loves them and gave His life for them.

What's the weather like in Yemen?

Yemen sits on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, so most of the country is hot and dry — think sandy deserts and rocky mountains baking under a strong sun. Along the coast, the air is humid and can feel like stepping into a warm, wet towel. The mountains in the middle of Yemen actually get cooler temperatures and some rainfall, which is why farmers there have grown coffee and grain for thousands of years. There is even a foggy, misty island called Socotra off Yemen's coast that gets wild monsoon winds — it looks unlike anywhere else on earth, with trees that look like giant upside-down umbrellas called dragon blood trees.

Tell me a fun fact about Yemen.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Yemen is home to Socotra Island, which sits in the Arabian Sea and looks unlike almost anywhere else on earth. It has trees called Dragon Blood Trees — they look like giant upside-down umbrellas, with dark red sap inside that people have used for centuries as dye and medicine. Rusty wants to add this: Yemen is also one of the oldest places where people grew and traded coffee! Hundreds of years ago, Yemeni traders carried coffee beans across the ancient port city of Mocha — which is actually where the word 'mocha' comes from. Yemen has a long, rich history, and we pray that the people there would also hear the oldest and best news of all — the story of Jesus.

What is school like for kids in Yemen?

In Yemen, going to school is really hard right now. There has been a long war in the country, and many school buildings have been damaged or closed. Some children walk long distances just to reach a classroom, and others have had to stop going to school altogether to help their families find food and survive. Even before the war, many kids in Yemen — especially girls — never got the chance to learn to read or write. Imagine not being able to read a single word of the Bible! That makes it even harder for people to hear about Jesus on their own. Missionaries and local Christians work in risky conditions to bring hope and the good news of Jesus to families there, even when it is very dangerous.

Who are the unreached people in Yemen?

Great question! Yemen is home to several people groups who have had very little chance to hear about Jesus. The largest group is the Arab people of Yemen — millions of men, women, and children who mostly follow Islam and have rarely, if ever, met a Christian or held a Bible. There are also smaller groups like the Socotri people, who live on a remote island called Socotra and speak their own ancient language. Because Yemen has been through years of war and hardship, it is one of the hardest places in the world for missionaries to safely share the gospel. Most Yemeni people have no church nearby and no Bible in their heart language. But God sees every person in Yemen, and He is able to reach them even in the most difficult places. You can pray that Yemeni people would hear about Jesus, that local believers would grow strong and brave, and that God would raise up Yemeni Christians who tell their own neighbors the good news.

How can I pray for the people of Yemen?

Yemen is one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus right now. Christians there face real danger just for believing, and most people have never had a chance to hear the good news about Jesus at all. Praying for Yemen is serious and important work. Here are some things to bring to God: Ask Him to protect Yemeni believers who risk a great deal to follow Jesus, and pray that they stay strong in their faith. Pray that more people in Yemen would hear about Jesus and trust Him as their Savior. Ask God to raise up brave local leaders who love Jesus and can share the gospel with their own people. And pray for Bible translators and missionaries who are working to bring God's Word to those who don't have it yet in a language they understand well.

What is a holiday or celebration in Yemen?

One of the biggest celebrations in Yemen is Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan — a month when Muslims fast during the daytime. Families gather, put on new clothes, share special foods like bint al-sahn (a honey pastry), and give gifts to children. The streets fill with people greeting each other and celebrating together. Yemen is a country where almost everyone follows Islam, so these celebrations are deeply tied to Islamic tradition. Very few people in Yemen have heard the good news about Jesus, and Christians there face real danger for their faith. Herman and Rusty think about the Yemeni people during their celebrations and pray that someday many families there would come to know the joy that comes from knowing Jesus — a joy that goes even deeper than any holiday feast.

What language do people speak in Yemen?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! The main language spoken in Yemen is Arabic — specifically a dialect called Yemeni Arabic. It sounds a little different from the Arabic you might hear in Egypt or Syria, but people across Yemen use it every day for talking, trading, and telling stories. Rusty wants to add that Modern Standard Arabic is used for reading, writing, and official things like newspapers and government. Arabic is one of the oldest living languages in the world, and the Quran is written in it — which is one reason so many people in Yemen are Muslim. Here is something worth knowing: there are faithful missionaries and Bible workers who have worked hard to make sure the Bible is available in Arabic so Yemeni people can read about Jesus in their own language.

What's a famous place to visit in Yemen?

One of the most striking places in Yemen is the old city of Sana'a, which has been a living city for thousands of years. Its tall mud-brick tower houses are decorated with white plaster designs that look almost like gingerbread, and some of those buildings are hundreds of years old. Another remarkable spot is Socotra Island, which sits in the Arabian Sea and is home to the dragon blood tree — a tree with a flat, umbrella-shaped top and bright red sap inside. Yemen is full of history and natural wonders, but sadly the country has been suffering through a long and difficult war. Many people there have not yet heard the good news about Jesus, which is one reason missionaries and local believers work so hard to bring hope to this part of the world.

Yemen — Kids Missions Explorer

Arabian Leopard

One of the rarest big cats on earth, the Arabian leopard still prowls the rugged mountains of Yemen in very small numbers, making it a treasure of the Arabian Peninsula.

Socotra Chameleon

Found only on Yemen's island of Socotra, this chameleon is a living reminder that Socotra is so isolated it has developed creatures found nowhere else on the planet.

Arabian Sand Gazelle

Built for desert life, this slender, pale gazelle can go for long stretches without water by getting moisture from the plants it grazes on across Yemen's arid plains.

Saltah

Yemen's national dish is a hearty meat stew topped with a frothy fenugreek foam called hulba, served bubbling hot in a stone bowl and eaten with flatbread.

Bint al-Sahn

This soft, layered honey cake is brushed with butter and drizzled with dark Yemeni honey, making it a beloved treat at celebrations and family meals.

Lahoh

A spongy, sour flatbread with a texture almost like a pancake, lahoh is eaten at breakfast dipped in honey, ghee, or a warm bean soup called ful.

Yemen

Things you should know about Yemen

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

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Life in Yemen

Missions in Yemen

Pray for Yemen