The Burj Khalifa is the tallest man made structure in the world. At a vertigo-inducing 2,722 feet, it more than doubles the size of The Empire State Building. Located in the heart of Dubai, an observation deck 124 floors up was the perfect place for our team to begin the day. Dubai is a beautiful city – from a bird’s eye view to the intricate details. Food is eloquently prepared, the architecture is completed by skilled craftsmen, and even the metro system is immaculate (how many large cities can say THAT of their public transportation?).

For all that impresses us about Dubai, the people are what stand out the most. Polite and kind, we have been met with friendliness in every shop, every restaurant, and of course, every meeting with Family Ministries volunteers who serve at Gateway Church. The families in Dubai are unique because due to various government regulations, few actually plan to settle down and spend the rest of their lives in Dubai. Many come for a time, but know there will be a day when it is time for their family to move on to another home in a place like Canada, the UK, or Australia.

The transient nature of Dubai made tonight’s volunteer session paramount: time. When you see how muchtime you have left, you tend to do more with the time you have now. Christine wove this theme together with the FISH! philosophy of Being Present. 

“I’m pouring into this [preschool-aged] child right now because I believe that something will happen in their heart and in ten years they will be kind, considerate, and on fire for Jesus… All because I was fully present.” 

And because we know that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church, Darren introduced the concept of 40 vs. 3,000 and how to make the most of the time we have in our weekend gatherings to Incite Wonder, Provoke Discovery, and Fuel Passion in the heart of every child. One of the questions volunteers have been asking is, “How do we know if we are doing it right? How do we know it’s making a difference?” Alongside each idea, Darren introduced a word to look for that exemplifies what Wonder, Discovery, and Passion may sound like.

• Wonder may sound like “REALLY!? God made me!? God loves me!? Jesus wants to be my friend!?”
• Discovery may sound like “COOL! If I’m created and crafted by God, then I’m created and crafted by God to do something nobody else can do!”
• Passion may sound like “YES! I will be a part of ending that injustice. I will volunteer my time to help others. I will write a big story for my life.”

In a world where time moves quickly, our friends at Gateway Church are refreshing. Every weekend, they take the time to slow down and invest in the lives of children in a city where most families are “just staying a little while.” In a place where time is counting down, they know how to make the time count.

This blog post is part of a week-long series from an Orange Coaching team partnering with Gateway Church in Dubai. The team is comprised of the following church ministry specialists: Darren Kizer (Parker Hill Community Church, 1Semester) , Becky Kizer (Orange Specialist), Christine Kreisher (GT Church), and Stephanie Whitacre (Parker Hill Community Church, 1Semester).