Church in Dubai

Many people ask us about church here.  Can we go?  What's it's like? The first weekend we were here we started attending church regularly.  I'm Catholic and my hubs is Protestant.  We tend to lean towards Catholic services.  It's a basic "standard" mass every where you go.

Until you live in China.  Or Dubai.  Definitely not "standard" mass type behavior.

For starters, church here is on Fridays.  That's because the weekend here is Friday and Saturday.  Sunday is the start of our work week (like Monday for you).  So already, the Sabbath is confusing.

Dubai has an area where various rulers have graciously donated land for expats and those "non-Muslims" to practice Christian worship.  It's a bit weird to get in the car and drive 20 minutes to a HUGE area out in the desert where all of the churches are clustered together.  But when I really think about it  - I realize we are so blessed and lucky to be living in a Muslim country where the ruler actually encourages AND donates his land/money for Christians to gather and worship.  There are also many churches that meet at other places - hotels, community centers, etc.  The church we attend is in the Jebal Ali community of churches... in the middle of nowhere.

There is no parking lot.  Just a bunch of cars parked randomly in the sand.  It's a nightmare to get a spot and then to get OUT of the spot.  You have to remind yourself you were just in church.... act nicely!

Today we went to a different Catholic church (there's 2 here).  One in the city, not in the designated "Christians can worship out in the desert HERE" spot.  The land there was also donated by a Sheikh.  The church itself is said to accommodate 1700 people.  If that's true, there were over 3000 people there.  It was PACKED.  To the point that you were literally touching the entire side of your body to your neighbor's when standing and sitting.  I'm talking body to body, full contact with your neighbor, packed in like sardines, I can't even reach my diaper bag, I know when you breathe seating.  

This is totally awesome, right?  Especially when there are 7 SERVICES on Fridays.   Honestly, there was probably over 2000 people at this one service.  We felt lucky to have gotten a seat (we went 20 minutes early for rosary and even 20 minutes early, we were in the very back row), until we got smushed by 5-too-many in the pew.  

2000+ people.  We were the only white ones there.  Honestly.  If you have never been the minority in your life, you will quickly remedy that if you ever live abroad.  This doesn't bother us anymore, but it does bother the 18 month old who was clinging to me for dear life.  

Who was there you ask?  Mostly Indians.  People who you might see working somewhere and would think "could not be Christians."  Oh, but they are.  And I'll say... they are the most devout Catholics I've ever seen.  Packing a lot of people into small spaces really isn't out of their ordinary.

Just when I thought sitting in a pew was the worst location for the service, we went outside only to find another couple hundred gathered in the 100 degree heat and sun, on their knees.  

So humbling.  

when you see only one set of footprints in the sand, I was carrying you

So yes, we do have churches in Dubai.  Not exactly conventional, but more humbling and definitely more packed than anywhere else I've ever been... and I've been a lot of places!

Where is Dubai?

When Derek was offered a career opportunity in Dubai, I heard "Middle East" and said, "Sorry, we aren't going.  That's where I draw the line."  There was no way I was going to subject my family to the horrible, terrible, dangerous Middle East.

Then I realized how narrow-minded and stereotypical I sounded.  An American girl, living in the Midwest, watching Fox News her entire life.... I've been programmed to believe "Middle East" means terrorist.  After re-tuning my brain to think in a non-judgmental, educated, and Christian manner - I have since changed my mind.  Not to mention while on our house-hunting trip this December in "unsafe" Dubai we watched our beloved homeland with it has its own terrorists - Sandy Hook.

Simple geographical clarification.  Dubai is a city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  I had to get a map out to understand where we would be living.  

So here's where we are:

A closer look:

Derek goes to Saudi Arabia almost weekly for business.  It's a 3 hour plane ride.  Italy (South) is 5 hours.  England 7 hours, Beijing 8 hours, and Chicago 16.  

But yes, we are in the Middle East.  People think camels, sand, and tents.  Correct.  However, there are also lots of Ferraris, newly paved roads, and mansions beyond belief.   There's beautiful beaches, natural and manmade.  You can get just about anything you want here.  That includes home-delivered Dunkin Donuts and KFC.  

I'm a bit confused on what to blog about here.  In my China blog, I had so much to blog about.  The culture was dumb-founding and amazing all in one.  Here in Dubai, I feel like I live on a holiday resort.  Not too much to chat regarding "unbelievable" things - unless you count getting ticketed by police for having "too dirty" of a car.  So I guess I'll just use this blog as a way to document my feelings, memories, and ventings regarding Dubai.  We've been here three months now and I'm finally blogging.  I'm sure this won't be a routine thing.  But I'd like to keep family and friends up-to-date on how we live.  Heck.... I'd like a few of them to come visit!  It really is a glamorous, elaborate, and beautiful place to see.  It's just REALLY FAR away.