CAVANNA

It was a thrill for my wife and I to pay a visit to Malta in June 08. The Apostle Paul visited this island in The Acts of the Apostles and saw a healing revival for a number of months break out, triggered by just one key miraculous cure in the home of Publius. I could only dare to hope for something of the same!
I held just two meetings in Malta, both organised by dear missionary friends Nick and Linda Attard Montalto. The first night I was in the southern city of Zejtun where we held an outreach meeting in Ramla Hall, a little unsure about how many people would attend. It was so exciting to see the venue very full and at least half a dozen people respond to the Gospel message, many of whom the local pastoral team had not met before. Of those who testified on the evening, there were two key miracles. First of all, the young worship leader testified to having had great pain in his body – so much so that his wife had to assist him in simple tasks like standing from a chair or even getting out of bed in the morning. He was wonderfully healed and testified that during prayer he had a strange sensation – as if a piece of wood was being inserted into his back to improve his posture. He left the meeting free of all pain and very happy. The second was a slightly older man suffering terribly with thrombosis in his right leg. He and his wife literally wept with anguish and pain as I spent time praying with them at the front. He said it was like his leg was “gripped in a vice.”At first there was no change, but I persevered and then encouraged him to begin to try to walk. He did so and the ease of movement and pace became greater and greater, becoming obvious to all who were watching and cheering him on that he was experiencing a very significant miracle. At the close he became totally overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit.

Later that evening, friends then took us to the ancient city of Mdina. It is believed that Publius lived close to here and this is where he showed hospitality to Paul, Luke and the others from the shipwreck. Chatting with a group of Maltese young people who were out for a late night drink, I could not resist sharing the gospel with them in the street, especially with a young man called Stephan. They listened to me carefully and the Lord prompted me to ask him if he was in any difficulty with his breathing. As it happened, he had sinus problems and he let me pray with him there in front of his friends. We could not “test” his healing then and there, but I left the scene with a promise from these Catholic youngsters that they would pick up their Bibles at home and begin reading them. There were a number of opportunities to witness for Jesus on this trip – we were also able to share our testimony with five different people on one of the day’s out and I got the chance to pray with the rep who was looking after us at the hotel as we left.

Sunday morning we attended Palm Springs Christian Fellowship in the Maltese city of Paola. I shared the Word with the congregation from the life and ministry of Paul, encouraging them to reach the lost with the Kingdom of God by praying for the sick. A large crowd gathered for prayer at the close of the service and I laid hands on many of them. A lady felt able to move much more easily on her damaged ankle after prayer, reporting that the pain had gone. Another lady, Rose, let me know that she had been healed on the Friday evening of her back trouble. Perhaps the most exciting was the testimony of Linda, the pastor’s wife, who testified to being healed of a trapped psyiatic nerve after many many years. It was a strong and wonderful miracle and one that had occured while I had been preaching, not requiring the laying on of hands. At the close of our time there, I was also privileged to pray with Alfred, a man who did not know the Lord, and had cancer in his mouth. I am not at all sure that he was healed but he told me of the great joy that was in his heart since he had been coming to the church over this special weekend. He is not far from the kingdom I am sure!

It was a joyous but all too brief visit to this wonderful work being done for the Lord on Malta. You can see two clips of this trip on the Videos page. I am grateful to have been there and hope to return to these dear friends very soon.

Praise God!

June 2008