Her casket was built by the people of Yemen “who loved her.” Over 40,000 Yemenis filed past her body on the day of her funeral.

Called as a little girl to missions, Martha Myers did not know she would die for taking the gospel to the Muslim people of Yemen, but anyone who knew her said she wouldn’t have minded giving her life in this way.

Martha is a modern-day martyr. She served in Yemen for 25 years as a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology. As such, she delivered hundreds of babies, but she was even better known for her love for the Yemeni people, her late-night village visits, her unending pursuit to love and care for the people. This endeared her to many, but also made her a target of Al-Qaeda extremists.

One woman went home and told her husband that she had never been treated with such love and compassion. This man was so angered that he burst into the Jibla hospital and gunned down Martha and two colleagues in hopes of keeping Christianity out of his country. Instead, her grave stands today as a testimony to the love of Christ for the Yemeni people.

Former IMB President Jerry Rankin said, “Martha’s colleagues said the gunmen did not take her life. She lost her life to Jesus Christ years ago when she trusted him. Martha was not living for herself, but to serve others.”