Living in a global village

The world has become very small, like a global village, by the many inventions of transportation and communication. We can now fly to any place on the earth and reach the most remote area in hours in a helicopter. Via satellites we can survey what is taking place at any place on earth. On Google Earth we can see so many details of buildings and streets far away from where we live. Through this service on the Internet we may fly anywhere on earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. Via mobile phones we can talk with people around the globe and via Internet we can be part of many communities while we are still far away from each other geographically.

I am amazed to be part of this development that has taken place in my life time. In my childhood television, mobile phones and the Internet did not exist. When we had been married for ten years we applied to have an ordinary telephone installed in our house only to discover that there was a three year long waiting list!
At the moment Solveig and I are in India visiting friends. At the same time we keep touch with our children and grandchildren in Norway as well as many of our friends scattered around the globe through Internet, MSN Messenger and Skype. Among others I have spoken with Noralv in the Philippines and Per Arne in Norway. I have had text message on my mobile phone and emails through the wi-fi connection at the hotel where I am staying at the moment.
I have been blogging through Typepad for several years and have had comments from people all around the world. I have got many new friends through my blogging activities and learned a lot from other bloggers.
Recently I joined Facebook and another world opened up to me making the world smaller and the global village more real. For a long time I resisted joining Facebook thinking it was sufficient for me to stick to my blogging activity.
The last few days I realized that I really live in a global village. When sixteen year old Andreas had  a heart failure on a mountain trip with his school class I had several text messages on my mobile phone urging us to pray for his recovery. It was very sad that his life could not be saved and I got that sad news through a phone call. Then I have been able to interact with a lot of friends on Facebook as well as joining groups in memory of him. (Minnegruppe for Andreas) (For alle som sørger over Andreas Salvesen)
I thank God for all these new inventions enabling us to experience community and foster friendship around the globe. I believe they have all been invented to advance the Kingdom of God. May we make well use of them for that purpose.