As I had lunch yesterday with a teacher from Stony Brook School in Long Island, NY, I learned of a fascinating lecture series available for free on the web. Lars Brownworth, a history teacher at Stony Brook, uncovers some of the mysteries of the Byzantine Empire as he looks at 12 of its most influential emperors.
I listened to the introductory lecture this morning, and I think I'm hooked. Lars teaches in a conversational style with non-technical language. His lectures are not long--15 to 20 minutes on the average. You can listen in real time on the web or download in mp3 format. You iPod users can also find these goodies on iTunes.
At a time when the East is gaining attention in world affairs, this series promises to give us greater understanding of the issues behind today's headlines.
Here's the link: http://www.anders.com/lectures/lars_brownworth/12_byzantine_rulers/
Lost baggage can be a good thing.
We discovered this last week when we assisted with translation for a team of optometrists from Alabama, who were here in Sao Paulo on a short term missions trip.
Believers from the Lions Club had received hundreds of pairs of glasses from the unclaimed baggage center in northeastern Alabama. Optometrists and other volunteers classified the glasses according to degree of lens correction.
Armed with portable eye-testing equipment and a suitcase full of glasses, the group arrived in Sao Paulo and went to work. A Brazilian Baptist pastor had contacted the local public school to get permission to test the children's eyesight and fit them with reading glasses, if possible. Adults from a GED-type program were also included in the campaign.
In a 3-day period, several hundred people--who could not afford to purchase eyeware--were tested and fitted with glasses. Gospel tracts were distributed and the local church received greater visibility in the neighborhood.
Curt is pictured here with one of the American volunteers and an eager candidate for "new" reading glasses!
