GAP – an Uzbek word meaning a “gathering of friends.”
In
YWAM’s Church Panting Coaches, when we say “GAP” we mean the un-conference
where church multiplication workers gather from fields across the globe to
spend a week together in refreshment, re-envisioning and sharing with their
peers.
These GAPs are among the most potent ways to serve the
church planters that we have found, and yet we haven’t been able to have one internationally
since 2006! Well, that sad record shattered on October 6th, 2015 on
the island nation of Malta as 21 precious GAPers began to arrive from
Mozambique, Tanzania, Indonesia, Central Asia, Thailand, Sudan, Palestine, Holland,
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The gathering was everything we dreamed it would be. The
participants were “over-the-moon” in their praise and spoke of how much it had
exceeded their expectations – blowing away every conference they had ever attended.
We gathered at a wonderful resort on Malta’s St. Paul’s Bay.
One of the motives was to make sure that the workers – who live in fairly rough
and primitive conditions – would have a real week of restoration and rest.
Thanks to a generous grant from our partner Voice of the Martyrs we were able
to bring in a number of workers from persecuted nations who had never been able
to afford previous GAPs. We’ve always budgeted the GAP as cheaply as possible –
not making a cent – but international airfare still effectively limits
attendance. This time that obstacle was removed – praise God! Several of our
attendees had never before left their own nation or even flown on an airplane!
The first full day was a tour of Malta. The purpose was to
begin with an opportunity to meet and bond as almost all were strangers at
first. We began in the capital city, Valetta, with the Malta 5D – a multi-sensory
orientation and followed that with a walking tour of the medieval walled city. We
ate lunch in gardens on the battlements overlooking the Grand Harbor and left
when the historic cannons were fired toward Fort St. Angelo.
We then were
bused to Rabat where we prayed and worshiped in the Roman prison where Paul
was held for three months (Acts 28:1-11).
Our group then walked a few blocks to explore
the ancient catacombs where the early church gathered.
Since our eyes could hardly take in any more beauty and history, we walked through town to the Horseshoe Bar to fill our bellies on a Maltese dinner of rabbit, braggioli (stuffed beef), or sea bream, depending on the person’s taste. The meal was amazing and so filling. We enjoyed eating and sharing until 9 PM and were more than ready to return to our resort and beds.
After that our days were a blend of excellent full-board buffet meals at the hotel, swimming in the surf or pools, gathering to discuss topics the GAPers had selected before arrival, worship and fellowship, sightseeing trips, and catching up on rest. The thing about a GAP is that there are no rules, you can do whatever you want at any time. People participate in the group sessions and activities because they are longing to share and hear about these things, not because they are “supposed to” – there is no speaker – the church planters themselves are the main event.
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| Felix and Patrick (below) on top of the Mosta Rotunda |
Near the end we had a BBQ on a gorgeous sand beach. We watched an eye popping sunset and gorged on meats grilled by our Maltese friends. All of the participants fell in love with our two host families: Patrick and Maria O’Cock and Felix and Miriam Aquilina and their children. These families did all the groundwork in Malta to prepare for our time there, especially the tour, the BBQ, and helping with airport transfers. We thank God for their help, but even more for the friendship we have shared for 13 years! Louise and I spent a few days before and after the conference renewing our fellowship with these folks we churched with back in 2002-2005.
Everyone wanted to know when and where next year’s GAP would be! Next year may be too soon, but we are determined to do it again in 2017.
