Abdul* was just 10 or 11 years old when his village in Somalia came under attack. His family fled in different directions. He hasn't seen them since.
A group of other displaced people took Abdul under their wing and fled to Ethiopia. In hope of putting as much distance as possible between themselves and Somalia, the group journeyed on to Libya via Sudan.
The crossing of the Sahara turned tragic when Abdul's best friend was thrown from a vehicle and died of head injuries. The group buried him in the sand. He wouldn't be the only one that would fail to survive the journey.
One of the three vehicles in the caravan broke down. Food and water ran out as those stranded waited 3 days for someone to find the needed parts and fresh supplies in Libya. When help finally arrived, 14 more people died of dehydration.
Abdul recalls not being able to move for many days as he was slowly re-hydrated. He considers his survival a miracle.
He was put on a smuggler boat in Libya headed for Italy. They were blown off course and ultimately landed on the shores of Malta.
Abdul now lives in an overcrowded hangar at an abandoned airport-one of Malta's several make shift refugee housing centres.
His prospects are bleak as he cannot leave the island, nor does his status give him permission to stay permanently.
Abdul's eyes teared up when asked if he had any dreams for the future. "I just want to study."
There are many others there like Abdul-and they need our prayers.
*Note his real name
The 
The history of the island-nation of Malta is said to pre-date the Egyptian Pyramids by thousands of years. It is for the Apostle Paul's famous shipwreck that it is best known (Acts 27-28).
Over 12,000 people seeking refuge arrived on the island in the last decade. All but a handful intended to reach Italy. Most were driven off course by bad weather or were rescued by the Maltese Coast Guard after their vessels broke down at sea.
The majority of the 5,000 refugees in Malta today originated from Somalia and Eritrea. These desperate men, women and children had to survive the perilous crossing of the Sahara before risking their lives on the Mediterranean.
