A Change of Heart - Part Three
Jack* was keen to explore how Christ's Church was surviving in the Arabian Peninsula. He arranged a tailor-made one month placement with AWM, asked his local church to release him temporarily from ministry and booked his own flights.
On arrival, Jack was shocked by the affluence of the United Arab Emirates. He walked past giant skyscrapers, huge shopping malls and Dubai apartments rented at £25,000 a year. It was evident that the detection of oil reserves in the 1950s had sparked a booming economy, and transformed the largely Bedouin society into a developer's dreamland. However, Jack discovered that the region's sixty-year focus on materialism had also gripped people's hearts.
Emiratis are Muslim, but as in the Wes, the main religion is making and spending money. So, presenting the gospel to an Emirati is very difficult. There is no local church and only a handful of local Emirati Christians. However, I had the privilege of accompanying some Christians as they sought to witness to the sheikhs of Abu Dhabi.
As he travelled and encountered Arabs from the Gulf, Jack learnt how strong family ties can be used to either support or shut out individuals. Undoubtedly, this can have serious knock on effects for anyone desiring to become a disciple of Jesus.
The family, guided by Muslim principles, is still at the centre of the Arab way of life. Avoiding actions that may bring shame to the family is of paramount importance. If a Gulf Arab comes to saving faith in Jesus they have brought shame on the family and will almost certainly be cut off.
Despite this painful rejection, Jack still came across remarkable testimonies of Muslims deciding to follow Christ. Throughout the four-week trip he was also greatly encouraged by meeting seekers hungry for the Bible. Although the church leader originally intended to inspire believers abroad in their ministry, the adventure has left an even greater impact on his.
As I lived among people who had never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, and witnessed the passion and godliness of those trying to make disciples of all nations, God stoked the fire in my heart for world mission and burdened me for the millions outside of Christ in the Muslim world.
What about you?
Arab World Ministries loves to arrange vision trips for committed Christians looking to play their part in God's worldwide mission. The adventure may not answer all your questions but you should return with a greater understanding of God, an appreciation of Arab culture and experiences of dialoguing with Muslims. You can spend anything from two months to two years on a placement designed to suit your gifts, passions, ministry and vocational skills. Beware, some past short-termers have chosen to stay and serve long-term as as result!
For more background information on the United Arab Emirates visit the BBC News website.
Note: AWM is not responsible for the content of any external sites.
* Name has been changed for security reasons.
