When we were in Blue Lagoon, Comino in Malta, we took a
speed boat ride to the seacaverns around the island. It was Harmony's first
time on a speed boat ride. It felt like we were on a roller coaster. We had a
blast! We were reluctant at first to spend extra money on that ride but after
experiencing it, the ride became, hands-down, the favorite part of our weekend!
During our ferry ride to Comino,
we passed by the islands dedicated to the recorded shipwreck of the Apostle
Paul which changed the history of Malta's faith and religion. I am amazed still that this disaster which happened to Paul and his fellow passengers was used by God to reach out to an entire island?
Most modern-day Maletese believe that it was in these islands that the apostle and his all fellow passengers swam to safety after their ship was caught in a violent storm and was wrecked on their way to Rome from Crete. However, some archeological investigators and old Maltese divers argue that it was on the south side of Malta, near St Thomas' bay, where this event happened because of four roman anchors found there by Maltese divers in the 60's, and the terrain fits the description in the Bible.
As the story in the Bible goes,
it was in Malta where Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake but had no ill
effects on him. So the inhabitants knew he was a special man. The people of
Malta welcomed Paul and his fellow passengers. Paul stayed in Malta for three
months. It is said that he took refuge in a cave. This cave is now called St
Paul's Grotto in Rabat, Malta. They built a church around it and called it St
Paul's church (see one of the pictures where Ryan and Harmony are standing in
front of). We weren't able to see the actual grotto inside because we were
pressed with time (we had a carriage tour guide taking us around for a short
time). But definitely next time, we will come back to see it.
It is overwhelming to see the
places I've only imagined and dreamt of as I read the Bible when I was growing
up. First, Sicily, then Rome, and now Malta. I only saw animated pictures in
story books when I was young, but my own daughter is experiencing these places
first hand! There is a school outside the school when we travel. The learning
curve is much faster than redundant school. Of course, I am an advocate of
school because routine and structure are very important for a child's
confidence to grow and learn discipline! But I am also a firm advocate of
letting your children travel with you no matter how cumbersome it may be.
Because while the things they learn from the books strengthen their imagination
and artistry, the memories and lessons etched in their hearts from trips makes
them bolder, stronger, wiser, more compassionate and more tolerant of people
who are different from them as they immerse themselves from different cultures
and traditions.
So tighten our belts, we must,
from spending money on many things. We have no cable TV, no Netflix, we don't
spend $45 on hair and $60 on nails or hundreds of dollars on seasonal home
decorations. We eat out rarely and buy clothes sparingly; our latest gadgets
were won from raffles or bought from saving money and buying on sale. We don't
have branded clothes or shoes, unless they were on extreme clearance, and our
furnitures and housewares have been with us for a long time or were given to us
by friends and loved ones. Yes, tighten our belts, we must. But we definitely
splurge on memories. Definitely! =)
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