Malta Trip - Day 3

Our third day in Malta was Sunday, so we attended the service in the morning at Knisja Evangelika Battista. The pastor was at a conference, so Bo gave the message. Since both Maltese and English are the languages of the country, the message was interpreted into Maltese. Normally the pastor, who is Maltese, gives the message in Maltese, then interprets to English. Songs were also sung that way; first in Maltese, then English. It is fun to hear music that is familiar in a different language!
In the afternoon, we were free to explore. On the bus to Mqabba on Saturday, a lady told Becky about a festival at the president's home. The residence garden had never been open to the public before. We decided to be adventurous, and take the bus by ourselves. On arrival, we found out proceeds from the sale of citrus from the garden were to go to Haiti. The private gardens were open, and the president and his family had just gone in after greeting people when we arrived.


So, although we missed meeting the president, we enjoyed the garden, bought oranges and marmalade, and made it back in time for the women's meeting that night!
This women's meeting was a first for the church. Us being there was an opportunity to start the ministry. We were told that women did not get together for fellowship, and since this was the first meeting, they were planning to continue on an every other month basis. This surprised me, that the missionaries were so excited about us being there so they could start this! They told us if we had not come, they would not have been able to begin this ministry. God really used us in a different way!! It taught me that sometimes we are used in ways we do not expect.We had tea, sandwiches and cupcakes. It is the first time I have ever had a pea sandwich. It was actually pretty good. One of the English ladies at the table I was at told me this cute poem she had learned as a child:
I eat my peas with honey,
I've done it all my life,
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keeps them on the knife!