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“Al'abwab tughliq!” an automated male voice announces in Arabic. “The doors are closing!”
My jaw drops in surprise as the train doors slide shut, then the metro car glides away from the stop. I have never heard Arabic spoken before, but everywhere I look signs are written in both Arabic and English. Cool!
My dad and I traveled to the city of Dubai in the country of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai is located in the Middle East and we are visiting my Uncle Blake who teaches English here.
My uncle greets us at the airport, but instead of taking a taxi we hop onto the sleek blue and gray metro to go to his apartment where we will stay for our visit.
As I peer out the window, a sprawling city with skyscrapers meets my gaze. As we zip past buildings and palm trees, I eagerly wait to catch a glimpse of the Burj Khalifa—the world’s tallest skyscraper! This desert city is great!
COMMON BOND
The next morning is Friday, but in the UAE Fridays are like our Sundays in America. Emirati locals go to religious services and Christians here go to church. Emiratis are Muslim so they go to the mosque, but Uncle Blake will take us to his church at a hotel!
Since the metro is closed until 10am on Fridays, we take a taxi to a fancy hotel where the church services are held. A middle-aged man with a trimmed moustache is our driver. He came to the UAE to earn money to send back to his family in Pakistan.
As we step into the swanky hotel, I feel nervous. My feet sink into a thick carpet decorated with elaborate designs. Humongous gold chandeliers dangle from the high ceilings. As we round a corner, a smile bursts across my face because I see plates and plates of cookies—oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, macadamia nut. With delight I scurry toward the tables to select a cookie.
“Just two!” my dad calls with a chuckle over the rumble of the crowd. I swoop toward the platters like a hungry falcon that has spotted a rabbit.
As I eagerly shovel bites of soft, chewy cookies into my mouth, I notice brilliant colors—green, purple, yellow, red, blue—among the crowd. While some people are wearing Western attire, some don clothing from different parts of the world like Ghana or India. Representatives from almost every continent are sipping cups of tea or coffee and munching snacks in the church lobby.
“Pretty impressive, huh?” my uncle says with a grin.
I nod my head, my mouth too full to speak.
“I love this church because it is multi-cultural,” he explains. “People from all across the world have landed in the UAE and our common bond is Jesus. See if you notice anyone who is missing from this gathering.”
I don’t know anyone else in the UAE besides my dad and uncle. Who does he mean?
CULTURE CALLS
After church, we head to the Dubai Mall food court for lunch. The mall is gigantic and beautiful with decorative tile floors and indoor waterfalls! As we walk the large corridors, a loud chant reverberates through the speakers.
“What is that?” I ask my uncle when it stops a couple minutes later.
“It’s the Muslim call to prayer,” he explains. “Muslims pray five times a day and that was a reminder to stop and pray at one of the designated times.” I watch men in floor length, flowing white robes walk toward a door. Their heads are covered with a long white cloth that trails behind them. A black band holds the covering in place.
“That,” my uncle says as he nods to my right. “Is the entrance to a mosque where Muslims can pray.”
“Muslims take their faith seriously like Christians do,” I say slowly.
My dad and uncle bob their heads in agreement.
FINDING A FRIEND
After a delicious lunch of shawarma, thinly sliced lamb meat wrapped in a pita, we take a bus to Al Khazzan Park to meet a student from my uncle’s class. I am excited to finally be introduced to someone my age!
“I see Ahmad, my student, over there!” my uncle says as he points toward the larger of two shaded playgrounds. My palms feel sweaty at the prospect of meeting someone new. Will he like to play tag? What will we talk about?
“Salaam, Ahmad! How is your family?” Uncle Blake says.
“Wa ‘alaykum as-salaam, teacher. They are well.” Ahmad wears a pair of gray sport pants with a blue polo shirt. His smile reaches his eyes as he turns to greet me. “Salaam, Noah,” he shakes my right hand. “I’m Ahmad. Marhaba! Welcome to the UAE!”
After introductions, Ahmad and I are given freedom to explore the park together while the adults grab cold drinks from a nearby restaurant.
I tilt my face toward the sky to observe a white and blue striped water tower with diamonds around the top.
“The water tank is 40 meters tall!” Ahmad says, squinting up at it.
“So that’s like…” I trail off as I do the math in my head. “131 feet or…30 of me!”
We both laugh at the thought of stacking 30 of me to reach the top of the tower.
Suddenly Ahmad’s hand shoots out and taps my arm. “Tag! You’re it!” My eyes widen in surprise then I race after him toward the playground.
Panting from a rigorous game of tag, we collapse onto the manicured grass to rest. The call to prayer echoes across the park.
“Will you go to pray now?” I ask my new friend.
“No, but in a couple years I will start,” Ahmad says.
“I don’t know anything about Islam,” I admit.
Ahmad’s brown eyes twinkle. “When I was born the mullah whispered a prayer in my ear that made me a Muslim,” he says.
“What’s a mullah?” I ask, puzzled.
“He is a religious teacher for Islam,” Ahmad shares.
“So Muslims follow the religion of Islam and mullahs are religious teachers for Muslims,” I say. “Do they teach at the mosque?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right!” my friend says happily. “My entire family is Muslim and has been for as long as we can remember. Is everyone in America a Christian?”
“No,” I say shaking my head. “Some people are not Christians, but my dad is.”
“Doesn’t that make you one as well?” Ahmad asks, with a tone of confusion.
“Well, my dad is teaching me from the Bible about what it means to follow Jesus,” I say. “But I must make the decision to follow Jesus myself to become a Christian.”
“But you are learning about the Christian faith from your dad, right?” Ahmad asks.
“Yes, and other Christians,” I say.
“I see,” Ahmad says. “Do some kids become Christians? Or must they wait until they are older like I have to wait to pray?”
“I think it depends,” I say.
Ahmad chuckles. “It sounds like Americans like every choice to be made individually.”
I share his amusement. “Yeah, I hadn’t realized it before, but I think that’s a part of our culture.”
“Which reminds me of something my mom packed for our meeting today!” my friend excitedly shares. He sprints toward a picnic table where two women sit dressed in black robes and head coverings and returns with a wicker basket. He pulls out a thin red and white checkered blanket and spreads it on the grass.
“Come! Come!” he calls. “I will give you a taste of Emirati culture!”
Curiosity compels me to plop down next to him on the blanket. He pulls out a one liter bottle with the words, “Lemon Mint” written across the front in white letters with a shamrock green background. He pours the pale yellow beverage into two clear plastic cups.
Ahmad hands me one. “Lemon Mint juice is my favorite drink!”
The lemon and mint scent fill my nostrils as I take my first sip. The tanginess hits my taste buds first then the minty flavor lingers on my tongue. “This is so good!” I exclaim, my eyes wide.
Ahmad beams as he drinks from his own cup. Next he opens a container and I breathe in the syrupy scent of sugar and spices. He sets brown treats the size of golf balls onto paper plates. The treats are drizzled in a sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds.
“This is luqaimat!” Ahmad squeals, hardly able to control his eagerness. “Try one!”
I grab the treat and my fingers become sticky as I bite into the dumpling-like luqaimat. It tastes sweet, but also has a nutty, fruity hint. “Yum,” I murmur before I take a second bite to finish it off.
“Do you like it?” my friend questions, his eyes waiting in expectation.
“Yes, very much!” I proclaim. “Thank you for sharing!”
As I look across the lawn, families sprawl across blankets and distribute food from their own picnic baskets. Men dressed in button-down shirts and long pants play a game of soccer with their children. Women are laughing as they walk around the park with their family and friends.
Ahmad’s friendliness and hospitality make me feel welcome. I could imagine becoming good friends with him if I lived here. Then it hits me like a sudden downpour of rain; I realize who my uncle meant was missing from church. I hadn’t noticed any Emiratis there this morning. After meeting Ahmad this afternoon, I want to pray that changes. I want to see the white and black robes of Emiratis in the lobby as Ahmad and I cram cookies into our mouths. I want my friend to know who Jesus truly is.
VOCABULARY LIST
Arabic - a language spoken by Arabs, often in the Middle East or Northern Africa
Burj Khalifa - world's tallest building located in Dubai
Call to prayer - a signal for Muslims to pray during one of five times during the day
Dubai - the capital city of the United Arab Emirates
Emirati - what people who are from the United Arab Emirates are called
Islam - the religion of Muslims who follow the teachings of a prophet named Muhammad
Marhaba - Arabic for 'welcome'
mosque - place where Muslims worship
mullah - Muslim religious teacher
Muslims - what those who follow the religion of Islam are called
Salaam alaykum - used as a greeting in Arabic to say 'hello' (means 'peace be to you')
United Arab Emirates (UAE) - country in the Middle East
Wa' alaykum as-salaam - response to 'salaam' in Arabic