Tihamis

A small boy stands alone in the middle of his scattered flock of wayward sheep. The field is wide, intersected by the asphalt highway that runs through its mix of dust and sparse grass. The little boy doesn't notice passing cars; he searches to the left, noting the distance between himself and the wandering sheep. He searches out the sheep to his right and he raises the small staff he carries to guide them. But then, shrugging his small shoulders at the difficulty of his task, he lets the staff fall unused to the dusty ground.

Perhaps he has heard the toll of the mosque, calling the villagers to recite their prayers during one of the five prayer times required by Islam. He can easily see the mosque; the painted whiteness of its concrete walls strike a contrast against the cluster of windowless reed huts. Perhaps he imagines the men beginning their cleansing ritual before their prayers, understanding that Islam requires this external cleanliness.

In another village, a fisherman uses his handmade oar to paddle his wooden boat to shore on the sun-sparkled water of the Red Sea. It is mid-morning. He has been at the sea since before dawn, casting his line, fishing alone to bring home a small catch, a string of a dozen fish. As he pulls his boat to the sand and ties down his gear, another wooden boat returns, this one larger, with a crew of six fishermen. The crew jumps out as the larger boat slides onto the sand. They begin to haul in the dragging. The team heaves in the heavy net in synchronized effort. The solitary fisherman runs to offer aid. Other returning fishermen join in the effort. Together they pull in the bulging net, sorting the catch into baskets on shore. Half of the crew leaves for the village, carrying heavy baskets of fish on poles between them. The other half remains, cleaning and repairing the net, preparing it for the next day's work.

Walk into a town of concrete and mud brick homes. Squeeze the cheeks of the children who swarm to greet you. As a man, return the firm handshake of the smiling men who are eager to respond to your eagerness to meet them. As a woman, nod respectfully and speak to the curious brown eyes peeking from the black veils of the women. Remove your shoes and gratefully enter their homes. Sit among their cushions on their carpet and enjoy the limeaide they hurry to serve. Thankfully share their lunch as they heap fish and chicken before you on beds of rice and vegetables. Be humbled by their generosity as women hover in the background, cooking dish after dish of their week's food supply to honor you with overwhelming Arab hospitality. Sit with them, sharing their tea, listening to their hearts, sharing your stories.

These are the Tihamis.

The Tihama is the western coastal region of the Republic of Yemen, extending from the southern village of Al Mokha and up the coastal plain to the Saudi Arabian border. It is a region of approximately 2 million people, a Muslim people of Arab and African descent. It is a region of diversity: reed hut villages on sandy plains; mountainside stone huts nestled above fertile valleys; concrete homes and reed huts in seaside fishing villages; and modern apartment houses and villas in the large bustling seaport city. It is a region with a warm to hot climate year-round, a dry region with little rainfall. It is a region with an ancient history and with future possibilities.

The people are predominately fishermen, farmers, sheep or goat herders, merchants, or are involved in the shipping or local manufacturing industries. They typically have large families with an average of 6 to 7 living children. Challenges the Tihamis face include illiteracy, infant and maternal mortality, lack of preventative healthcare and health education, malaria, lack of water sanitation and sewage disposal, unemployment, and low income, among others.

There are insights to be gained and insights to be shared with the Tihamis. This is the beginning of new work among this unreached people group. It is a sobering realization of responsibility.

Tihamis Prayer Requests // Tihamis Facts