The past week in Qatar has been an incredible experience, exposing me to ways of life and business that I’ve never encountered before. Three key impressions the country has left on me are the importance of community, the significance of faith, and the power of wealth. In Qatar, every traditional meal centers around a sense of community and togetherness. There is no pressure to hurry through the meal or move on to the next task. People in Qatar live at a much slower pace than I’m accustomed to. Within the first 30 minutes of arriving, we experienced the call to prayer while standing in the customs line at the airport. It’s clear that the Islamic faith is deeply woven into the fabric of daily life here. This is my first time in a country where being a Christian is not socially advantageous, which has been a meaningful test of my faith. I had the opportunity to learn about Islam through a cultural visit to a mosque, where I also witnessed a call to prayer firsthand. The immense wealth of Qatar is unmistakable. This wealth is largely derived from the oil and natural gas reserves located between Qatar and Iran. It enables the nation to employ workers from around the world to perform various jobs. The wealth is highly concentrated among the native Qatari population. In the 1930s, Qatar was a nation struggling with famine due to the decline of the pearling industry. Just 90 years later, it has become one of the wealthiest nations in the world. It’s a reminder that you never know what’s beneath your feet, or how it will shape the future.
