26th – 30th March 2017
Our place of gathering was the Mt. St. Joseph Retreat House in Mosta, run by the Jesuits.
On Sunday evening we had our first meeting, where we were welcomed by Corrie, who was for the first time part of the team. The team, of course, had been there since Friday. We had time to meet each other, speak and pray. And we were prepared for the visit of the Parliament the next day.
On Monday morning we visited the new Parliament building in Valletta. We were able to gather in the Session Room. There a member of the Administration spoke to us about the Parliamentary Democracy in Malta and the new House of Parliament.
Leo spoke to him of Paul in Malta (Acts 28) and it came out that he is very firm in his Bible knowledge and on the foundations of faith. He then told us that every Session of the Parliament begins with a prayer, when the Holy Spirit may come, and with the Lord’s Prayer. In the front of the Session Room is a cross on the wall between two flags and the constitution mentions the catholic faith as a foundation for the nation. At the end we prayed between the entrance to the Session Room and a picture of the Resurrection donated to Malta by Pope Paul VI.
It was the confirmation of the Word I received before: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is JESUS CHRIST”. The whole nation of Malta is standing on this foundation. And this makes it a place where heaven is open, with lightness and freedom in the spirit, as Snjezana sensed.
In the afternoon Ortwin gave us a spiritual interpretation of the history of the EU, from the refusal of a reference to GOD(18.6.2004) in the European Constitution to the Brexit vote exactly 12 (!) years later, almost to the day (23.6.2016). He pointed out giving some biblical and political references how things have changed and still are changing since the Brexit vote happened. The headline of his speech was: “Europe shall be saved!”
In the evening was the gathering with our Maltese brethren of the “Lighthouse”, a catholic-led ecumenical charismatic movement in Malta. We sang together, we prayed together and prophetic words and visions were shared. It was like heaven – nobody asks for nationality or denomination – just unity in the Spirit.
On Tuesday we had information and prayed for the European countries which have elections this year: Netherlands, France and Germany. And we prayed for the UK and the negotiations over Brexit.
Ian spoke of a new level of praying from GOD’s perspective. It is important to seek GOD’s perspective and plans and not look only to what we see and hear. It is too easy, even for us as Christians to only consider what supports our own views. Jesus often approached a perceived truth or ideology with a challenge from a different perspective. This is important as we pray for the nations, for elections and for the EU.
Martin Vrabel from Slovakia informed of a project they (Slovakian and Czech Christians) have started, named “Thank you for Britain” to build up a new friendship with Britain after the Brexit – learning of the breaking of Czechoslovakia and the new friendship between Czechs and Slovakians.
We prayed for the issue of Migration and refugees and in that context for the Mediterranean Sea to be a Sea of life and not of death.
The theme in the evening was Israel, but of course our “experts” Werner and Miriam were not there, so we worshipped and prayed and had information about the European Coalition for Israel (ECI) conference and the International Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ).
In the middle of all – I don’t remember when it was exactly – there was a vision of JESUS dancing with HIS bride (Christiane). That was a declaration of love and pleasure from our LORD to us gathered there.
On Wednesday we went to Valletta and were guided by Andy and Ann Franklin to different points to pray for Malta. We had a good introduction into the history of Malta and the two points in the history of Malta that were decisive for the future of Europe: the attack of the Ottoman Turks in the Middle Ages and the bombing from the German Nazis in WWII. In these two instances there was not only standing firm like a rock, but also miracles from GOD, like a bomb not exploding in a church or 1½ English ships passing the German blockade.
And again the Word of the LORD was confirmed (like to Bethlehem – Micah 5, 2): “You are little among the countries of Europe, but out of you will come blessing for Europe”. In the past Malta was the rock standing against the waves. And GOD wants Malta to be the rock standing against the waves also now in the EU and in Europe.
There were also other visions and words for Malta:
– A picture of a breakdown truck: Malta has the anointing of healing for body and soul.
– And a prayer in tongues interpreted (Christiane and Wolfgang): “Malta, come back to ME! You are so beautiful but you have put on the wrong clothes – put on the right garment. There are some things under the surface which are not righteous (Government ministers have misused EU funding but are still in place) Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people – Prov. 14:34. Don’t try to be like all the other nations. Hold on to what you have! Come back to ME! Come back to ME!”
So there is both: the confirmation of JESUS, that HE is the foundation, and Malta is the rock standing fast in the waves, the calling to be a blessing and a strategic place of protection for Europe and the urgency to hold on to what they have, to hold on to JESUS, to come back and not to try to be like all others.
In the evening we had the opportunity to think about what we will take with us from this gathering spiritually, emotionally and physically. And at the end we celebrated the Holy Communion together.
Elsita Kogge
