A few years ago we were able to visit my nephew and his family who were living in Dubai at the time. Andy was working for a construction company, in charge of the bids for things like hotels and an airport runway.
Andy told me about a woman who had gone to the UAE and became midwife to the Royal Family.
Dubai was poor at that time.
Andy explained that because of her, the Royal Family designated a huge plot of land so that Christians could build their churches. We were able to visit there and see the complex, even attending services with my nephew and his family. There are many foreign guest workers in Dubai, and many of them are Christians. The Churches serve workers from every part of the world.
The Emirati leaders explained why. It went something like this.: You Christians loved us when we were poor, expecting nothing in return. We owe you a debt of gratitude.
I had wondered for years who this Christian midwife was. Turns out she was a graduate of the same Bible School my husband and I attended in Canada.
I don’t know if I have all the details correct, but there are Christians from all over the world living and working in Dubai.
The Emiratis are all Muslim. There are anti conversion laws, but at the same time freedom for those of other religions to openly worship.
No. Gertrude I’m sure that she wasn’t the only reason that Dubai has allowed so much freedom for Christians to worship, but maybe she was an important one. Maybe she was the main reason? It looks like the story Andy told us and the little article below support the idea that she was indeed instrumental in the country’s openness to allowing non Muslims to worship freely. Trust was built from the beginning.
Dyck is a Russian Mennonite name. I think that her life is inspiring.
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