Edwin Caruana lives in Malta. He and his wife Sylvia answered a particular call to ministry in 1995. This was about 1,940 years after the Apostle Paul struggled onto a Maltese beach with his fellow shipwreck survivors. Sicily is to the north, Crete to the east, North Africa is west (Tunisia) and south (Libya). The Malta archipelago is about twice the size of Staten Island.

In 1995, things were contentious in the primarily Arab-Muslim nation of Libya. Most avenues – and airspace – for much-needed Christian help was closed off. Edwin’s proximity made it possible to cross 180 miles of Mediterranean waters to Tripoli, to help an expatriate Evangelical church with no pastor. “God touched our hearts and told us, ‘I need you to keep working in this region’, Edwin said. “Now, I am involved from North Africa and the Middle East, all the way to Indonesia.”

Edwin has helped build a network of more than 300 Christian organizations doing similar outreach. “We serve a region, but the people who serve come from all over the world.” He holds strongly to the need for diverse Christian communities to collaborate and work together.

“I believe that together we can make it better,” Edwin observes. “No single organization has it all. Jesus emphasized this in John 17:23, ‘May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me.’  It is a mandate,” he continues, “we need to be one – so that – the world will better understand what we do in service to Jesus.”

Technology has helped and hindered at various times in his efforts to carry out this vision. “I had a growing problem sending out large mailings to our base. My system had a capacity for hundreds and we needed to send to thousands of people in advance of regional conferences.” Edwin met staff from Global Switchboard at the 2023 MissioNexus gathering – they encouraged him to explain his challenges to a volunteer Switchboard consultant.

“I was concerned that people might eventually receive an email but miss a deadline to register or participate in our collaborations,” he said. “The Switchboard consultant helped me resolve that and several other integration challenges.“ Now Edwin is able to send thousands of emails! Over 700 people activated online accounts after his last wave of email communication. 

Edwin knows better than most how volatile his local geographies are. “We pray for peace,” he says, “but physically, it’s a mess.” That has only escalated the response to spiritual matters. “In more difficult situations, more people respond to God. Here, more people are coming to the Lord than at any other time – all across the region.”

I asked what we can learn from his work in a region that is not Christian. “God has led me to first ask people about their faith.  Then, I can share my own hope. Not to be controversial, but to love and to hear…to help them understand what they need – by me giving what I have found.”

Global Switchboard often speaks of the Great Commission*. Does he see it in action?

“I started in my home country,” Edwin reflects. “Now God has sent me to Samaria and further ends of the earth. Some regions are easier than others. Some require more creativity in discipleship, messaging, church planting and keeping the church alive.”

Before we closed our conversation in prayer, Edwin reminded me of one other bible verse. He spoke of Jesus in Revelation 5:9,

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open the seals, because you were slain. And with your blood you purchased for God persons of every tribe, language and people and nation.” Rev 5:9

To learn more about Edwin’s work, just think of blue, Mediterranean water. 

Bluemed.org

Be encouraged in all you do! 

Tom

*Matthew 28:18-20