While Darlene and I are here teaching at Hope Africa University, I am simultaneously teaching an on-line course (my first) for Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY.
The internet has brought the world closer together. I have been monitoring how long it takes email messages to travel half-way around the globe: some have arrived within a single minute! Though we sometimes refer to email communication as asynchronous, it is possible for me to have an email exchange synchronously, in real time with very little “lag time.” I find this amazing!
Since we were last here on campus in Janaury-February, 2010, Hope Africa University has installed a computer network with connection to the internet. It is still a modest system. Students have to sign up for access on designated computers in the library: they are allotted 30 minutes. This past week, the system was upgraded and a second server was installed to segregate the secured system from student access.
From our apartment I can see the router in the library, so I get a good Wi-Fi signal. My access to the internet is as good as I have at home. What a blessing: I am able to carry on my work “per usual” (well, I guess that’s a blessing!).
Earlier this week I said to one of my on-line students at Northeastern Seminary: “The world is a much closer place than when I went off to seminary in 1964!” Indeed, it is.
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We are back home. Changed our plans to "site see" this last week along the southeast coast line because of the snow, ice, and cold weather the south is experiencing this year. :-( Instead we stay at the Smith's until we could identify and two day break in the weather to shoot home. Left Wednesday morning and made it to Churchville by 4:50 pm Thursday. Clear skies and roads all the way. Two hours later it started to snow here. How's the hand? I'm trying to help Mary Lou and Jack log on. Tough news about the copies. I like that hymn. Brian (& Carol)
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