Right now our power is out. Usually that would mean no internet and we'd be up a creek, because today is our office day. However, our computer has a charged battery and we have a portable modem, so thanks to technology, we're in business!
What a HUGE savings technology has been for us! I think about Norberto's grandparents on the mission field and when they received a telegraph it meant someone had died. Even missionaries twenty years ago had to make very expensive phone calls and pay for slow fax messages to connect with those back home. When we first arrived in Paraguay we could only call mom once a month because it was so costly. Today we whip out emails daily, upload videos, scan documents and we talk via skype and do video calling for free. I heart skype. Grandma can see her grandson every week and check out what new invention he's created with his legos and she can see his boo-boos and blow him kisses, like grandmas love to do. Here's a video of our little techie...
The days of shelling out $50 to the post office every time we want to send out our newsletters are over. We update our sponsors weekly on our free weblog. So we can keep people informed more frequently and for less money. We can know through online statistics who's tracking with us and what stories are most read.
The wonders of the world wide web continue. At the first of the year, I asked on our facebook status if anyone had an old sewing machine for women who needed them here. I got six replies in one day! Now, a poor pastor and his wife are the proud owner of a new-to-them sewing machine from another online friend in Chaco Paraguay. Even though we've never met her, we connected online over a year ago and have been in touch ever since. Now if I can find a way to get the other 5 machines from the States, I'd bring 'em over in a heartbeat!
Another time we were in a remote village with no land line telephones. We were able to use our USB internet connection to make a conference call to people in three different cities in Paraguay and the US at the same time!
We have made a network of online friends including missionary colleagues, received donations and even hosted strangers because they found our blog and were interested in our ministry. We can stay better connected to the supporters and churches that are backing us and we can ensure that our son is known by his family far away thanks to being connected online. Through the internet, we can better show you how your support is making a difference in lives and give you up-to-date information on how people are being transformed.
Lastly and most importantly, when we need prayer we can ask you to pray for our special needs, we have an instant circle around the world praying in literally minutes. When our truck was stolen last year we felt an immediate covering from so many people. We believe that it was recovered because of the prayers of God's people.
Indeed, the way internet and technology has changed the way missions is done. Technology definitely has its challenges (i.e. We often wonder how much information we should disclose online simply because we don't know everyone who's reading), but we can say what a difference it's made in our work here and we thank God that it's being used to reach more people, more effectively.
By the way, another great thing about technology, is that you can give to our ministry right now without having to lick a stamp or get out of your chair (wink, wink). Just click on that green "Donate Now" button to the right and you'll experience yet another way technology can be used to enhance the Kingdom!
What a HUGE savings technology has been for us! I think about Norberto's grandparents on the mission field and when they received a telegraph it meant someone had died. Even missionaries twenty years ago had to make very expensive phone calls and pay for slow fax messages to connect with those back home. When we first arrived in Paraguay we could only call mom once a month because it was so costly. Today we whip out emails daily, upload videos, scan documents and we talk via skype and do video calling for free. I heart skype. Grandma can see her grandson every week and check out what new invention he's created with his legos and she can see his boo-boos and blow him kisses, like grandmas love to do. Here's a video of our little techie...
The days of shelling out $50 to the post office every time we want to send out our newsletters are over. We update our sponsors weekly on our free weblog. So we can keep people informed more frequently and for less money. We can know through online statistics who's tracking with us and what stories are most read.
The wonders of the world wide web continue. At the first of the year, I asked on our facebook status if anyone had an old sewing machine for women who needed them here. I got six replies in one day! Now, a poor pastor and his wife are the proud owner of a new-to-them sewing machine from another online friend in Chaco Paraguay. Even though we've never met her, we connected online over a year ago and have been in touch ever since. Now if I can find a way to get the other 5 machines from the States, I'd bring 'em over in a heartbeat!
We have made a network of online friends including missionary colleagues, received donations and even hosted strangers because they found our blog and were interested in our ministry. We can stay better connected to the supporters and churches that are backing us and we can ensure that our son is known by his family far away thanks to being connected online. Through the internet, we can better show you how your support is making a difference in lives and give you up-to-date information on how people are being transformed.
Lastly and most importantly, when we need prayer we can ask you to pray for our special needs, we have an instant circle around the world praying in literally minutes. When our truck was stolen last year we felt an immediate covering from so many people. We believe that it was recovered because of the prayers of God's people.
Indeed, the way internet and technology has changed the way missions is done. Technology definitely has its challenges (i.e. We often wonder how much information we should disclose online simply because we don't know everyone who's reading), but we can say what a difference it's made in our work here and we thank God that it's being used to reach more people, more effectively.
By the way, another great thing about technology, is that you can give to our ministry right now without having to lick a stamp or get out of your chair (wink, wink). Just click on that green "Donate Now" button to the right and you'll experience yet another way technology can be used to enhance the Kingdom!
I wish so much that this technology had existed when I was an MK. Timmy is a lucky, lucky kid (and not just for that reason). :)
ReplyDeleteWe had internet the last 6 months of our missionary time in Trinidad. Not many others had it but a few at church in Michigan would print off emails for our parents and get prayer requests to the prayer chain. It was such a major communication blessing. What a far cry from Amy Carmichael and Hudson Taylor who really had to leave it all behind.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to our days in Paraguay!
ReplyDelete