The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.
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If no action is taken, the tarsier might not survive. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat. Many years of both legal and illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture have greatly reduced these forests, and reduced the tarsier population to a dangerously small size. If no action is taken now, the Philippine tarsier can soon be added to the list of extinct species.
After working for Arrow Electronics for one year our boss had asked our team who wanted to do some product training. No one on our team wanted to step forward because we already all had so much on our plate. However, I volunteered and it ended up being a blessing because the training was being held by a supplier Atmel in Trondheim, Norway. Here were some of my thoughts as I walked the streets of Trondheim and learned the culture from many who lived there....
I got to see the castle and the churches here today. They are not as spectacular as those we saw in France and Italy. However, it is unique to see how God is worshiped in different parts of the world. Norway is a very "Christian / religious" place. King Olav was very powerful in his influence of the people and a very devote Lutheran. He established many churches through out the country, but the only down side is that the churches established before are now dying. There is no separation of church and state was we have it in the US. Most of the churches are provided a subsidy by the government and many of the priests are chosen from political leaders and the king.
There has been much debate as to whether or not they are going to try to separate church and state. Many of the Norwegians are much like Filipinos, except not as devout. They see church more as a tradition and attending mass is viewed only necessary three times a year on Easter, Christmas, and their national holiday. However, that is why church and state has not been dissolved because this tradition is so strong that if they separated the church from the state most of the churches would close because they would not get any money from the government.
Ironically, even though many people do not attend church out here many of them are baptized and consider themselves Christian. But just like my conversations with the folks at Atmel, many of them do not have a strong understanding of Scripture. Many of them still are like the rest of Europe, they desire to be independent and have beliefs that are grounded on Scripture but more out of values and ethics they want to choose to uphold. The majority of the people only end up believing what popular society accepts and believes. So in the end they are only fooling themselves that they are truly unique and independent in their thinking.
It seems as if this would be a fertile ground for ministry a place where if there were believers who really loved the Lord and were grounded in Scripture that it would really affect the entire society.
Florence became the center of artistic patronage in Italy under the Medici family, who made their fortune in banking and ruled the city as an independent state for some three centuries. Later, in the late 18th century, Florence fell under Austrian and then French rule. In the 19th century, Florence was, for a short time, the capital of the kingdom of Italy. Today, Florence is a city to be savored, its finest monuments and works of art to be lingered over. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleshi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance; and the universal geniuses, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Their works, along with those of many generations of artists, up to the masters of the present century, are gathered in the city’s
many museums. Thanks to Dante, the Italian language was born in Florence. Originally a university town, Florence is now home of many specialized institutes, making it an international cultural center.
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An hour’s drive from Florence lie the marvels of Pisa designed in 1172 by Bonnano Pisano and Tedescho. The 800 year-old Leaning Tower, delicate as carved ivory, continues to defy gravity alongside the exquisite marble cathedral and baptistery. It is comprised of a ground floor, six stories of open loggia and then the bell chamber. Over 400 years later, Galileo, Pisa’s leading luminary, is supposed to have used the tower to demonstrate the principles of gravity.
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Livorno (port city) is located in the center of Italy’s hilly Tuscany Region. This was the birthplace of the Italian language and of the inspirational Renaissance movement. From the 13th through the 16th centuries, this era of great creative freedom encouraged artists, scientists, writers and architects to create some of the world’s most noted masterpieces.
Marseille is located in the region of Provence, one of the most scenic areas in all of France. Geographicallyit ranges from the high mountains of the southern Alps to the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Its rugged, rocky countryside interspersed with vineyards, fields of lavender, and olive groves have inspired the paintings of Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh. Marseille is the capital of this beautiful region and is thesecond largest city in France. With a trading history of more then 2500 years, Marseille owes its prosperity to the sea and still remains the largest port city in the Mediterranean.
Although the cities image has beentainted by its strong emphasis on industry, Marseille has much to offer. For visitors from the sea, Marseille is the gateway to the spectacular scenery of Provence and the Rhone Valley. Once the north-south route of ancient armies and medieval traders, the area has a strong Greco-Roman heritage. With a number of well preserved towns and villages, an exploration into this region will reveal its fascinating history and marvelous landscapes.
