May 18th

God is the source of everything, isn’t he? So He is the source of the Internet and He knows all about it. He inspired clever people to discover, invent and develop it – and what a boon it is in times like these. If, like me, you can remember when long distance telephone calls had to go through the operator, and a little more recently, overseas post took about 3 weeks and overseas cables were for special occasions and emergencies only, our present instant communication seems almost miraculous.

And how useful it is! From school lessons online to international conferences of heads of state and parliamentary voting by Zoom, through church services online and Zoom coffee mornings to mass choirs and concerts put together from performances in players’ livingrooms, we have found a whole new dimension to life to make up for being locked down.

My friend’s husband was Congolese and when he died last month only 5 of his immediate relatives were in UK and able to attend the graveside service. But his daughter streamed it on her phone to Kinshasa where about 30 relatives and friends joined in led by a Congolese pastor, and they streamed it to another group of relatives in Kisangani.

Best of all is when I see nurses using iPad tablets to link very sick patients to their families, and the joy on their faces when they are able to see and hear one another.

Thankyou God for the Internet!

Lesley Fuller