Recognizing Grace and Mercy In A Foreign Land

The Beach Rotana Hotel

I have been in Abu Dhabi now for about a week, though it feels like forever.  It has definitely been a culture shock.  We arrived here during the week of Ramadan.  Because of the observance of the religious holiday, we were reminded not to eat or drink in public.  The hotel we are staying at placed curtains up to shield us during breakfast.  Everything shuts down during the day until 7pm.  From 7pm till 1am the place is alive.  We can eat in public from 7-1am.  So although we are not Muslim, we are participating in this month long fast.  It is definitely an experience that a lot of us will not take for granted or forget.   

It’s funny how I often find myself regurgitating things that I've heard my pastor say at church. He has been in my head the entire time that I have been here.  The agency that placed us has provided us with free accommodations.  We had no control over the location of our schools or housing.  Some people were placed in the city and others were placed as far as three or more hours away.  Since our housing has been revealed to us, I have heard nothing but complaining.  Some people were given brand new condos off a golf course in the city, and they were complaining.  The building is technically still under construction and isn’t scheduled for completion of all amenities until October.  Though some apartments need work, they are going to have a pool and gym at their reach when it is completed.  Others were placed out on Delma Island and they complained about their building having broken windows and graffiti.  They said it had garbage and other issues.  I was placed in Madinet Zayed, which is an up and coming city.  I have been given a two bedroom villa all to myself.  It’s about an hour and a half outside of Abu Dhabi, so I will have to get a car to get around.  Others have been placed in towns that are far more rural than mine.  They have complaints about their accommodations being three or more hours away, having no access to things like grocery stores without taking a drive, etc.

Outside Teacher Villas

Courtyard for teacher villas

On the day that we were taken to see our villas, one husband and wife had complaints about their place being too small.  I was thinking that it’s a two bedroom and it’s free, and I don’t have to share with a roommate.  Another girl saw the place they didn’t want and decided she wanted it, and was very abrasive and in the man’s face who was assigning our places.

Meanwhile, there was a guy who was unable to even look at his place because someone was still in there.  The person had fallen ill and was unable to move out.  So the gentleman assigning our places, Mahmoud, was about to move him into the place that the married couple didn’t want.  However, the boisterous young lady made such a big deal about wanting and liking their place, she managed to convince him to give it to her. Mind you, nothing was wrong with her assigned villa other than the fact that the       key wouldn’t work and they were going to have to change the locks.  I was truly disgusted by her behavior.  (keep in mind I am not giving you all the details of this woman’s behavior)

Guest Bathroom

Living Room

Guest Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

Master Bathroom

My Kitchen

Balcony outside kitchen

            As we walked back to the bus I found myself talking to some of my colleagues about the behavior and attitude displayed.  I swear it was as if pastor jumped inside my body and started talking because I don’t know where my words came from.  However, I mentioned something about these people who are complaining about everything not knowing the difference between grace and mercy.  About them feeling somehow entitled to free luxury accommodations rather than being appreciative of simply having a roof over their heads that they didn’t do anything as yet to earn.  We have people complaining that their condos don’t have enough natural light.  I have never heard some of this mess before.  They took pictures of their places and were showing them around and I found myself asking if it was too much for them to pick up a mop and broom and get some cleaning supplies.  I think that if they wanted to move to another continent and expected it to be like what they had at home, then they should have found a job there.  These people are paying us tax free, giving us free places to live, and free medical.  They have paid for people to bring kids and spouses.  Now don’t get me wrong, some people have legitimate complaints about things that need to be fixed in their places.  However, they are being overshadowed by the random mess that could simply be avoided if people just humbled themselves, and realized the opportunity in which they have been blessed with.  Someone said that what I had said made much sense to them after a few minutes of thinking about it.  I credited pastor and said it was something I heard him speak about once.  She then told me that I was a good pupil. 

We haven’t found a church to attend as yet.  I have been singing praises of New Jerusalem House Of God and it's pastor, and now people are asking me why don’t I just have church.  Little do they know that when I told pastor about this job, he said, “Maybe you are supposed to take the word over there.” I told them that I didn’t want him to be right about this because I am not ready for all of that responsibility, but I realize it’s not about me being ready.  It’s about what I am being called to do.  I still don’t think I am at that place so I am hoping NJHOG can get the streaming going so that we can watch church on our computer at least.