Marc's Short Messages

The trip to Malta was also family time. We enjoyed several coastal walks and visited the old capital Mdina. Already in early May the island is very dry and dusty, though the many Spring flowers and cactuses bring colour and life, and some of the cliff scenery is stunning. Everywhere in the landscape you see little houses from where the Maltese exercise their national hobby: shooting birds. It's also hard to ignore the rubbish, as the Maltese throw everything they don't use anymore out of their houses and cars. This is pioneering territory for environmentalists. More hiking pictures of Malta here.

On Tuesday and Friday I met up with several Jesus followers who shared their heart/vision/calling and updated me on the status of Kingdom and the Church in Malta. Nick, who pastors a charismatic church in the south, shared his insight into the Maltese identity and ministry in a Roman Catholic context. He estimates that out of Malta's 400,000 inhabitants about 7,000 are charismatic Catholics (who have a personal walk with Christ) and 700 are Evangelicals. Claude, who regularly travels to North Africa, started a 24-7 prayer room in Floriana, the old centre of the capital Valetta. As Malta has only one university where most young people go through, this is a strategic hub to reach this generation. Vanessa, a young Christian, shared her vision to equip and realease children and teenagers, and is quite keen to connect with others in Europe. Eve is focused on simple church and hospitality. We are currently discussing the possibility to run a training weekend for young people in Malta on prophetic evangelism and community development. The Maltese seem to be quite open for prayer and the supernatural.

The last two chapters of Acts describe how the apostle Paul shipwrecked on the shores of Malta, and how out of this disaster a healing revival broke out among the population of the island who received him warmly. Healing of wounded pilgrims on their journey has been the ministry of the monastic order the Knights of St. John (also called the Hospitallers as they started the first hospitals from Jerusalem), who clearly left their marks during their 300-year rule of Malta. In the famous Great Siege of Malta they showed heroic bravery in defeating the Ottomans, while greatly outnumbered. Healing and mission seem to be part of the Maltese Church's calling to the nations. As Malta is so close to North Africa and the language has Arabic roots, the island - the smallest and with 1300 inhabitants per square kilometer also the most densely populated EU member state - seems to be also quite well positioned as a beachhead into the Arabic world. Btw, talking about Paul - Swiss prophet Andrea Xandry sees in the shipwreck of this Roman vessel a parallel to today's (Roman) church structure that needs to be wrecked by God for a true revival to come forth. You can check out his article in German here. The picture below shows the view from our apartment over St. Paul's Bay.

We spent two days on Gozo, Malta's more beautiful sister island. The landscape is quite particular. More pictures here.

Peter (6) in a thoughtful pose. Taken during a stroll today on a dike near the IJssel river.

We had a good time in Malta. Will post a small report and some pictures later. Yesterday, on Pentecost, we celebrated David's 9th birthday.

Roger Mitchell writes in this week's Nightwatch for Europe: "God has asked for his church back. The only head of the church on earth is the Holy Spirit. He is in charge of his work. We look foolish when we organise ministries, take charge of networks and accept hierarchical roles. Perhaps it is sometimes necessary in order to influence and change things from within, but we still need to be humbled by the stupidity of it. Soon his fire will destroy all the empire way of doing things. Our task is to discover and live now in the way of life of the kingdom that belongs to and brings the new heaven and earth that is coming." (based on 2 Pet 3:11-13)

I'm getting used to last-minute change of plans. The pencilled-in trip to Austria, Slovenia and Croatia didn't really fall into place and will be on hold, while the already postponed trip to Malta, the smallest EU member state, shapes up.

Reinhold, my DAWN colleague from Switzerland, mailed me this picture and wrote: "Do you understand now why I'm afraid for Euro 08? There will be especially fans from a small European nation flooding our area here." I mailed him back: "They can be a bit noisy, Reinhold, but at least they water in the urinoirs, and not in your beautiful alp meadows. Just to comfort you: they will be gone after the first round. Enjoy them and spoil them the short while they are around. If the Swiss have done their homework well, you can sell a lot of fondues and raclettes (make sure to put in some oranges though, otherwise they won't eat it). When they're gone again, you will surely miss them." Btw, if you like orange, make sure to come to Holland this week for Queen's Day (30 April), when the national craziness is peaking again.