"Hey, I hear you fix computers here..."

My students and I have been swamped with the amount of computer work that has "shown up".  It seems that when missionaries get problems on their computers they find a way around the problems so that they can continue working.  But when they hear that computer people from the states are here to help, they come out of the wood work.  Here's a list of the things that we were able to do over the last week and a half:

For  Institut Missiologique du Sahel (IMS)

• Configured 6 Netbooks, setting up user accounts, installing Microsoft Office, and wireless.
• Configured a wireless router with external Network Storage for those Netbooks to connect to.
• Set up security for the Netbooks
• Purchased French keyboards and mice in downtown Ouagadougou

For Centre Evangélique de Formation en Informatique et Anglais (CEFIA)

Teaching at CEFIA

• Surveyed, Analyzed and "Resurrected" roughly 7 desktop computers for a ministry to Burkinabé that teaches computing and English
• Reconfigured a network that had 2 routers conflicting and not allowing them on the Internet when both routers are turned on.
• Brought a donated switch and installed it with their network, validating all network cables, fixing 4 that were not working, and connecting all the lab computers to the network.
• Taught a class with 7 students whose abilities range not quite understanding how to click something to being on Facebook.  We taught six 1-hour sessions over three days teaching Word, Excel, Email, Basics of the Internet and Files and File Organization.

For Collège de Jeunes Filles de Loumbila (CJFL) 

• Surveyed, Analyzed and "resurrected" 4 computers out of 15 machines that don't seem to work.  Tomorrow we will bring some of the parts we brought from the States to help fix more.
• Cleaned and restarted a network switch that they had.
• Cleaned and tested network cables and set up the network for the class room.

We are not finished at CJFL.  We have a couple more days to try to get more of the machines working.  Then on Thursday we will be working with Christian and Missionary Alliance missionaries that have a ministry in the south of Ouaga.  They have a computer lab but wanted to move it to another building.  They decided not to because they didn't have what they needed.  When I looked at their setup, I realized that I have the necessary equipment to move the computer lab to the other building.  It will take some of the network cable we brought as well as another of the switches we brought.

The student have been enjoying being able to help using the skills they have.  In fact, I am now toying with the idea of setting up a Non-Profit Organization that takes Messiah Computer Science alumni overseas to help missionaries and other non-profit agencies with their computer and technology problems.  This is the first this idea has popped into my head, so I'll spend time looking into it and praying about it.

Purpose of this trip

There are two main purposes for my students on this trip are to:

1. Provide an opportunity for the students to experience a different culture and have a chance to get outside their own and see God at work elsewhere in the world.  Basically helping them expand their world view and their view of God.
2. Provide computer support for several missions groups.  We worked last week for missionaries that train other Burkinabé missionaries (L'Institut Missiologique du Sahel or IMS for short) working on a wireless network and 6 netbooks - that were all in French.

Next week we will be working for a man who works with SIM and teaches Burkinabé people how to use computer applications.  I'm not really sure what we will be doing, but assessing computers, setting up a network, possible installing software may all be part of it.

The week after we will be working with a Christian and Missionary Alliance missionary as well as someone who works with the Peace Corps.  It is quite exciting to work with these students since, of the four, one has been to Jamaica and Europe and another has been to Jamaica.  So their perception of what Africa is all about is being confronted with the real thing. :)

Burkina, West Africa

Today we leave for Burkina West Africa. We are currently in the Dulles International airport waiting to board. I love it when the airport has free WiFi!

Something new with Air France, they now weigh your carry on bags and they cannot be heavier than 12 kg. I can understand the need for that, however, I don't see the fairness. If a 300 pound person is also allowed 44 pounds for their carry on (that's what 22 kg is) that means they are actually carrying on 344 pounds. So someone that weighs 200 pounds should be allowed 144 pounds of carry on bags. I wouldn't want to carry that much, but that would be fair. Just a thought.

Well they called boarding. I doubt I will have wireless connection in Paris (for free anyway) so I'll have to wait until I reach Ouagadougou.