Hey friends.
It has been a while since I posted anything of worth and I am excited about having a two week break so that I can actually write some words. I am heading to Sydney on Tuesday and then Melbourne later that week, so I am looking forward to the friends that I get to see and have coffee, lunch and dinner with and the change in scenery.
But I have been thinking a lot lately. A lot of 'What If's' really.
What really got me thinking was the release of the new iPad and thinking about how disposable new technology is to the first world. Something new comes out and we go and get it - it is both exciting and sickening to me. I admit that I buy into the hype of new technology because secretly I'm a geek and love it, but my wounded heart finds it so hard to stomach. It is insane to me that we go and update our apple products with every release even when the old one isn't broken - it's just not new. Of course, I'm not speaking about people I know because that just doesn't happen in my world of people, but it does happen a lot.
Then, I read a blog post by my wonderful friends, Dave and Michelle and their 2 kiddos Olivia and Charlie, who are working in India and have committed to working there till mid 2014! Their blog is http://mollysindiatrip.tumblr.com/ (FYI).
Anyways, Dave wrote this about a month ago:
"We have decided to buy an iPad to be used at the project. The children need to get familiar with the latest technology. Learning on 10 year equipment is setting them up to be 10 years behind the rest of the world."
IT'S. SO. TRUE.
When I was in India, there was virtually no technology available to children, let alone children from the slums. Them seeing cameras from the white guys pointing them towards them were as technical as things got.
So again, it got me thinking. What If?
What if we, instead of selling our old stuff, or passing them on to the children to use (and really - does every child need their own personal device?!). But what if we passed them on to a great ministry, in a developing country to get some good use out of them and start building into their future, not 10 years back to the past?
I agree with Dave.
I also think that we have to set people up for success. It's great donating our old things that we no longer want or require, but is sending over 10 year old equipment the best for them? I don't believe so, I also don't think it sends a message of value. But, that's another story.
So what is a way that we can gather our old (but not that old) technology, get it all nice, refurbish it maybe, and send it to a place that needs it?
What are some places that might need it?
The world is global and we are all in different places, but I think that we could get something done, don't you?!
It has been a while since I posted anything of worth and I am excited about having a two week break so that I can actually write some words. I am heading to Sydney on Tuesday and then Melbourne later that week, so I am looking forward to the friends that I get to see and have coffee, lunch and dinner with and the change in scenery.
But I have been thinking a lot lately. A lot of 'What If's' really.
What really got me thinking was the release of the new iPad and thinking about how disposable new technology is to the first world. Something new comes out and we go and get it - it is both exciting and sickening to me. I admit that I buy into the hype of new technology because secretly I'm a geek and love it, but my wounded heart finds it so hard to stomach. It is insane to me that we go and update our apple products with every release even when the old one isn't broken - it's just not new. Of course, I'm not speaking about people I know because that just doesn't happen in my world of people, but it does happen a lot.
Then, I read a blog post by my wonderful friends, Dave and Michelle and their 2 kiddos Olivia and Charlie, who are working in India and have committed to working there till mid 2014! Their blog is http://mollysindiatrip.tumblr.com/ (FYI).
Anyways, Dave wrote this about a month ago:
"We have decided to buy an iPad to be used at the project. The children need to get familiar with the latest technology. Learning on 10 year equipment is setting them up to be 10 years behind the rest of the world."
IT'S. SO. TRUE.
When I was in India, there was virtually no technology available to children, let alone children from the slums. Them seeing cameras from the white guys pointing them towards them were as technical as things got.
So again, it got me thinking. What If?
What if we, instead of selling our old stuff, or passing them on to the children to use (and really - does every child need their own personal device?!). But what if we passed them on to a great ministry, in a developing country to get some good use out of them and start building into their future, not 10 years back to the past?
I agree with Dave.
I also think that we have to set people up for success. It's great donating our old things that we no longer want or require, but is sending over 10 year old equipment the best for them? I don't believe so, I also don't think it sends a message of value. But, that's another story.
So what is a way that we can gather our old (but not that old) technology, get it all nice, refurbish it maybe, and send it to a place that needs it?
What are some places that might need it?
The world is global and we are all in different places, but I think that we could get something done, don't you?!
Wow, what an excellent point, Corrina. I know of ministries that send clothes and food and medical supplies overseas, to support people's most basic needs. But I don't know of anyone other than maybe schools who are trying to share technology the way you described.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend whose ministry (The Hope Project: http://www.hopeproject.org/home) is a school in Liberia, and I know some folks from my church who've founded an orphanage in Kenya (Rehema Ministries: www.rehemainstep.com).
What you're suggesting seems like it should work!
Rachel, so nice that you stopped in and commented! I checked out those websites and they seem like great projects! I wish that it was an easy task to just collect and mail over some equipment but unfortunately, it's not as straight forward as that. I hope that I can navigate the process a little more and see where this idea leads :-)
DeleteYes, Corrina this is such an important point and I fully support it.
ReplyDeleteI am currently working for a project in Gulu, Uganda and our local staff desperately need laptops. We have some desktop computers but every time the power goes out (which is often) work stops. The price of new laptops here is totally prohibitive for these guys and trying to find good quality secondhand products near impossible.
If I could get them refurbished laptops at a reasonable price that would be amazing. Any suggestions on how we could make this happen...?
Grace, I'm slowly seeking and praying about how to go about this idea. I think it is fabulous and like you say can really help drive the work that you do forward. I will get back to you on that!
DeleteAlso - how much longer are in you Uganda? I would love to visit! (dreaming stages!)