I am still trying to process all of the emotions from the days in Malta. It was great to see the Van der Spa’s. The kids are bright, healthy, and appear pretty well adjusted given the trauma in their lives. I am attaching a few pictures of the family. Emese’s job situation changed again, so sadly she was out of the country the entire time. I was able to talk to the preacher from the small Maltese church. His English was good, and he was warm and receptive. It definitely made me want to spend more time talking to him. The group is facing some challenges.
What I had not expected was the desire of people generally to talk about religion. It has been many years since I have had so many opportunities to talk to strangers about faith in such a short time. On Monday and Tuesday evenings I had really good discussions with men including two Serbians, a Pole, and an Indian.
The natural beauty of the islands is amazing. The people diverse and friendly. The Siege of Malta in the mid- 16th century was one of the most important battles in turning the tide against Turkish expansion. Of course many of us are primarily familiar with Malta because of Paul having been shipwrecked there. I have included a couple of pictures of the small island on which he is thought to have first come ashore. This is definitely a place I need to visit again.
