Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao lifted his voice in praise of God alongside thousands of other Christians at a service in Dubai on Friday morning.
Pastor Jim Burgess led service for Fellowship Church at Jumeirah Madinat Arena, where the attendance of the superstar boxer Senator drew crowds of about 2,000 people who came to worship and hear his discussion about the role of God in his life.
“The world will look at outside appearances,” Pacquiao told the pastor while seated on a stage before the congregation. “But God will look in your heart.”
Pacquiao is in Dubai this weekend to headline the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, the competition's first in the Middle East.
The church service began with an 11-member band playing the contemporary gospel song, “Never Gonna Stop Singing.”
Worshippers were welcomed in Arabic and English, as Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee looked on from the balcony.
“We could not all fit in Creekside, where we would normally meet,” said Pastor Burgess, welcoming newcomers. “We would just be too many.”
The congregation bowed their heads in prayer for the safe voyage for the UAE's first astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, who is currently orbiting 400km above earth on the International Space Station.
The Pacquiaos then joined Pastor Burgess on stage to address the congregation.
Pacquioa discussed how his relationship with God gave him the strength to leave behind drinking, gambling and infidelity.
“The old Manny Pacquiao is buried and the new is come," said the boxer. "So that’s the story of my life. I think most of them they know my life story, Pastor, especially the Filipino people. My life story is an open book to everyone.”
“We came from nothing into something for a purpose and I think that purpose is to glorify His name.”
The pastor nodded. “I think you knew about God but you didn’t really know God.”
Mrs Pacquiao, a politician and movie producer, gave words of encouragement for women working in the UAE without family.
“Feed your mind with truth and free your mind [from] destructive thoughts,” she said.
Pacquioa advised Christians to read the Bible daily and memorise verses for guidance. “Learn how to humble yourself before God and before others,” he said, speaking directly to the congregation. “That’s very important in your life. Being a Christian, your daily activity should come from your new identity.”
Pastor Burgess noted how Pacquioa recited Bible passages before walking onstage. “I thought to myself, this is not just a man who waves to God when he wins," said the pastor.
He added “I used to think he was a boxer who could preach. Now I think he is a preacher who can box.”
It was an emotional day for attendees.
"We know the story of Manny’s life and we just want to hear it all over again because we are abroad and we need to fill our spiritual needs,” said Desiree De Guzman, a nurse in Dubai, who came with her three-month-old baby. "We wanted to hear him share his life’s experience. Listening to him made me feel like there is hope.”
Wadih Boustany, a Lebanese resident in Dubai, attended with his wife and daughter.
“It’s really nice to see someone who is successful be close to God and it’s great to hear his view on life and on how God changed his life and helped him be successful,” said Mr Boustany. “My take home message today is that God and family are very important and we should never forget our roots.”
Nino Cruz, a paramedic in Dubai, was moved by Pacquiao’s story of humility and sacrifice.
“People know his background and are inspired to come and listen to him,” said Mr Cruz. “He came from the bottom, rose to the top and is still so humble to verbalise his faith in front of so many people.”
Pastor Burgess finished the service with a reminder that servitude requires humility and sacrifice.
“There’s two Kingdoms. There’s the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of self. Which Kingdom are you going to live in?”
The service concluded with prayer, a hymn and thanks to the Lord.
Pacquiao was presented with a glass dhow engraved with the words "To the true champion who serves the One True Champion".
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Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
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The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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