Friday is the new Sunday...

Today is Friday, and Friday is Sunday in Dubai (they hold all their church services on Fridays). And if that doesn’t confuse you, the church we attended today is multi-cultural. Over 172 nations are represented in JUST THIS ONE CHURCH! We attended the English service, which followed the Chinese service, and preceded the Arabic and Philippine services held simultaneously - in separate sanctuaries! The Indian service was at the same time as the English service, except it was in a different building. We visited the Indian service, which was considerably longer than the English service, because they break up into Sunday School classes. They have 700 kids in Sunday School... and no classrooms! They all just break off into little groups right there in the sanctuary. The teens meet in a different room... the garage!

And you think YOU’RE cramped for space?!

The staff for this conference is a wonderful group of highly talented people with loving, creative hearts for the Lord and for kids. It’d be easy to think one is as great as these by the look of the pictures on the flyers and brochures and posters. One could easily lose one’s head in the clouds. OR - - one could just be amazed at being part of this whole miracle!

There are 280 people expected tonight. They represent a myriad of countries, the majority being from India, which is the largest population group in Dubai. There are 78 Catholics registered, along with a heavy showing of Orthodox, Anglican and a few Evangelicals sprinkled in there. It’s going to be interesting to see how many want to learn ventriloquism!

I’m still not sure what we ate for supper last night, but we had it again tonight - from a different deli! They don’t tell you anything about these foods - but you just wrap it in a flat bread, spread on a little hummus, ad a can of Coke, and you’re good to go!

On September 11, 2001, I watched the Twin Towers burn from my office window in Newark, NJ. I remember a helpless feeling afterward. I saw all these people who’d lost lives, loved ones and jobs. I’d seen entire companies vanish in a day. What could I do? How helpless am I?! These people are dealing with excruciating pain and suffering - and here I sit... I do puppets. Doesn’t seem very helpful - certainly not powerful. But God does amazing things. He works in mysterious ways.

On October 11, 2007 I begin to teach children’s workers in the Middle East - the land that has been blamed as the bane of my country - to reach children with puppets. NOW we’re talking power! Reaching kids? Connecting kids to God? Saving kids? Kids? KIDS? KIDS!!!?? YES! Kids - you know the ones who will be tomorrow’s leaders. What do you say we reach out to them now. Let’s not wait until they’re grown and set in their ways. Let’s win them now, and some day, some child - who was reached by a ventriloquist who took a class one day in a Christian church in Dubai - will grow up to be president of his/her land. A leader among nations. That’s the power of kids. That’s why we do what we do.

Thanks for checking in. I’ll have more for you tomorrow.

Doug