Malta - July 2014

July 11, 2014

Malta Flag

We spent part of a day sightseeing in Malta with the senior couple currently serving there.  It gives us a chance to get to know them on a more personal level in a relaxed environment.  The couple is from Australia and this is their second mission to the Italy Rome Mission.  After 3 1/2 years in Southern Italy, President asked them to transfer to Malta for their last six months.  They have truly been a blessing to the Mosta Branch and even asked to extend their mission for an additional three months.   They were married with a young family when they joined the church in Australia.  To them serving a mission is their gift to God for all the blessings they have received because two elders knocked on their door and shared the gospel with them.  During the course of our conversation, they said they have learned more in the last four years on a mission than they learned in the 30 years prior to that and regretted they weren't able to serve missions when they were younger.   Unfortunately, their mission comes to an end in October and we are desperately praying for another couple to take their place.  They have been able to speak English and have absolutely loved being in Malta.

Malta

 Located on the northeastern shore of Malta, Valetta was built by the Order of St John, after the Turks of the Ottoman Empire invaded the island during the 1565 Siege of Malta.  With its old world splendour and magnificent baroque architecture, it is no wonder that Valletta is a Unesco World Heritage Site.  Valletta got its name in 1566 from the Grandmaster Jean Parisot de la Valette,  who succeeded in defending the island fro an Ottoman invasion in 1565, the year the city was founded.  It was one of the first cities in Europe to use a grid street system.  After the war, much of the economic development occurred in the suburbs, leading to a population drain that has left Valletta with a population of around 7,000 today.  The small city remains the capitol and administrative centre of the island.  Valletta is colloquially known as Il-Belt (The City) in Maltese.

 

Island of Paul - Supposedly this is where Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome to be imprisoned.  According to Maltese legend, people on the shore who witnessed the wreck helped get the victims to the shore where they built a fire to get them warm.  As Paul was reaching for a piece of wood, he was bit by a venomous snake.  Everyone thought he would die, but he never suffered any side effects from the bite.  Since that time, no poisonous snakes have been found on the island.

Malta is a tourist mecca known for it's relatively inexpensive prices and beautiful water.