Loving Neighbors Through Woodworking

As wood chips flew in the air onto George’s small square front yard, two neighborhood boys peeked over his concrete wall to watch. George moved to Dubai with his family. One of his favorite hobbies is woodworking.

The two boys, 7 and 10,  who were peeking over the wall and their grandmother moved to Dubai 12 years ago from Pakistan. The grandmother explained that her late husband was a carpenter while George crafted toy swords for the boys out of wood. After the swords were complete, the family from Pakistan returned to their home. They returned a couple days later beaming with their swords in hand. George Jr., 11, came outside and offered to help them decorate and paint them after George sanded them.  

Immediately the boys connected and began playing together several times a week in the backyard. George Jr. noticed that the boys often used cuss words and he asked them if they would mind not using those words around him. Sometimes the boys would destroy property and George Jr. would tell them he didn’t want to be a part of that. They asked George Jr. what he believed and he told them he was a Christian.  

The grandmother asked George if George Jr. could come to the house, but the family rule is George had to see the home where his children would be going. As soon as George entered the home, they displayed great hospitality as they served George and George Jr. food and tea. The grandmother told George that his children were well-behaved and she hoped her grandchildren would spend more time with them and be more like them.  

Pray that George and his family will be able to have more conversations about gospel truth with local neighborhood families from around the world and build real friendships.