Saturday evening, 6:30 p.m. We walk up the stairs into the compound where we meet, face mask on (as always), and present “green status” on our country’s COVID-19 tracking app to the man at the door (again, as always). After that, we’re free to enter the place where we gather for worship. That’s the routine every week – or at least it has been the last three that I’ve been here.

A group of believers came to the UAE to visit Expo 2020 and see the sights of Dubai.  One evening they decided to go out and see who they could get into conversation with to share the Great News of Jesus.  Some were experienced in sharing their faith while others were not.  Bill, one of the younger group members, was almost paralyzed by fear to talk to strangers. 

“I forgot my Bible,” Jewel said to me somewhat out of the blue as she cooked dinner and I fixed myself some tea around 8 p.m. one night. The day had started out so wonderfully – a beautiful sunrise, lots of laughter in language class and a productive afternoon working, studying, getting my weekly COVID test done and even scoring a 20-minute nap after that. But that evening had sent me spiraling into culture stress, as something that should have been simple proved near impossible.

The woman was grieved that no one would read God’s Word with her.  She wondered if it was out of fear or because they hadn’t read the Bible themselves. She immediately set up a time to meet with Nyala and begin to read the Bible with her.E

In the land of desert and shopping malls there is a short winter season, upper 60 degrees Fahrenheit, where parks are filled with residents of the UAE. These small patches of green oasis are scattered about the cities, some cost money to enter, others are free, but what they all provide is a unique space to cultivate relationships.

Pray for God to give UAE leadership wisdom to rule with justice.