Final day in Dubai

"Everything here is on a massive scale and built in such a short space of time"

It’s Friday afternoon but it feels like Sunday!

Friday is the ‘Holy Day’ of the week and so Friday and Saturday become the weekend. I preached this morning at Gateway International Church, where over 280 people gathered from many different nations. It was fun to be led by Evan with his African songs, now supplemented with some Hindi words. I had a very good response as I preached on faith. Lunch was in the open air, a fantastic mezze of different dishes.

The evening before, we gathered some of the leaders to pray and listen to stories of living in Dubai. I was amazed at their faith and optimism. It was also a delight to meet and then pray our hearts out for a dear couple, Ayub & Teresa Peter who lead Jalali Jesu Church, which means Glorious Christ in Urdu. The church is around 40 strong, drawing mainly people originating from Pakistan and Indian.

After lunch we drove to The Palm, a massive new man-made development out into the Gulf. The hotel at the end is the much-photographed Atlantis Hotel. Everything here is on a massive scale and built in such a short space of time.

A few hours to go and one more meeting, then the midnight flight back to Manchester via Paris. It’ll seem strange to start my second weekend (!) as I join CCM church members as we run our monthly Saturday Funday at Hyde Town Hall.

Dubai - day two

"It was fascinating to get an understanding of what life was like in Dubai"

I have now been awake for over 36 hours and still going strong. I found it impossible to sleep on the over night flight, but ended up having an excellent conversation with the man sitting next to me.

He noticed me reading Timothy Keller’s excellent book ‘The Reason for God’ and asked me so many questions that I found it easy to talk to him about my faith.

Getting in a taxi as I exited the airport terminal was a little nerve-racking, wondering what I would do if the driver did not speak English. Half-way through the journey he attempted to save me money on the meter, by crossing three lanes of busy rush hour traffic, only to gain a marginal advantage. I began to wonder if we really were on the way to the address I had written down. I was very relieved to see Clive waiting for me, and then join a very refreshed Steve Blaber, who arrived the evening before, in his apartment.

After spending most of the morning and early afternoon learning what had happened to the church over the past year we then had a leisurely walk on the beach (really tough).

We then had a fun evening catching up with Evan and Tracy Rogers. Our evening meal was served in a café located next to a man-made canal that was lined with blue tiles. Boats were going past us in what looked like a swimming pool. This only could be found in Dubai.

Evan had given up his full time position in Jubilee Church Cape Town to relocate to Dubai. Both Evan and Tracy had taken very challenging teaching jobs and it was fascinating to get an understanding of what life was like relocating and living in Dubai. One full day and then finally meeting the wonderful Liverpool couple who were going to host me for the next couple of days.

Short visit to Dubai

"Every time I visit this extraordinary place it changes"

It’s late Tuesday evening and I am writing this on the Air France night flight to Dubai.

The last time I flew international, the plane burst a tyre and I had a six hour delay, followed by a change of carrier and a total re-route.  The most frustrating thing about this was it happened at Manchester airport, just 20 minutes from my home! With this uppermost on my mind I was very pleased when the plane took off ahead of schedule.

For the next three days I will be joining with my good friend Steve Blaber as we serve the Newfrontiers church in Dubai. We will be spending time with Clive and Heather Cernik who lead the aptly-named Gateway Church. The Emirate, with its large airline, has literally become a hub linking many nations of the world. Clive and Heather have done a great job over the past few years, leading this amazingly multicultural church through some very difficult times.

Every time I visit this extraordinary place it changes. Last year when I was in Dubai the place seemed full of cranes as they built new buildings. This time I am equipped with a camera to get a photograph of what I understand to be the largest building in the world, Burj Dubai (right).

Last June we had the joy of hosting Evan and Tracy Rogers for a memorable worship conference in Manchester. They have since moved to Dubai and I am looking forward to seeing them in their new surroundings. I am intrigued to see how much Evan has brought exuberant African-style worship to Gateway, and how living in this new culture has affected Evan’s style.

Three days in Dubai with two night flights will mean very little sleep, but what a privilege to be in such a strategic church at this time.