Following the most luxurious flight I’ve ever taken in my life, with everything from warm face cloths at take off to personal entertainment systems and lamb for supper, we sent an interesting nine hours in the city of Dubai. Due to the lengthiness of our layover we all received a muchly appreciated hotel voucher. The complementary dinner buffet was a real treat, I felt spoiled eating authentic Indian food and spending down time chatting with my team. If that was all our stay consisted of I think I would have been quite satisfied. Though considering the fact that “we are in Dubai” we went out to see the sights. We decided to jump on a midnight tour of the city. The Atlantis Hotel aquarium was amazing, thickly stocked with stingrays and sharks and schools of exotic fishes. The beach was breath taking under the stars and I still can’t really believe that it is possibly for me to buy an island in the shape of a palm tree if I wanted. Twenty five years ago there was nothing but desert and a water tower. Now there are too many skyscrapers to count and endless hotels designed to impress costing anywhere from $500/night to $1500/night.
It was a privilege to visit because I would have never come on my own. It was a gift of perspective to be able to witness one of the most affluent cities in the world one day and the next be visiting the squatty potties with the cockroaches and slaughtering a goat for supper. I do not have much to speak on about our stay in Dubai but I had to voice something about the heaviness I felt. Something about it all just seems so wrong. Stores never close and construction workers never call it a day. It makes sense though cause the city thrives on affluence and affluence is always hungry, never satisfied. The intice of living a wonderful life has lost its luster for me.
“if you come without a thing then you come with all you need.” —Aaron Wiess
—jenessa lynn
Janessa,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Dubai. Wow, to go from the affluence of that city to the squatty potties of Uganda! I guess we just have to learn to be content in any circumstance, and we come to see that the things of this earth will never satistfy or fulfill us; only the Lord can to that! I hope Uganda gets off to a good start. Go and share the love of God!
Erin
Jenaynay,
What a lovely post – you are a real poet, and have captured the emptiness and splendor of earthly glory so so well. Know that I am thinking and praying for you. Thank you for your stories, they inspire so much hope in me.
All my love,
Helen