KONA I.T.
Missions. What is it? Can you be a missionary even though your career, drive, giftings, passions, etc. aren’t for preaching, singing, and teaching the bible?
Check out this website: Kona I.T.
The Kona I.T. department is all about serving missions globally with information systems and technology. As you might imagine, every organization in the 21st Century has a huge need for people gifted with computer skills, whether programming or otherwise. As a result, one family came to the University of the Nations over 3 years ago to build an IT department that could support the campus. Chong Ho and Kris Won (and their three young children) left their 8000 square foot home in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., and began volunteering (making no money) for the University of the Nations. In the past 3 years he has built a department of 12 people, implemented several new systems, all of which communicate together, and developed a global vision that is amazing and God glorifying!
The picture above is of a computer lab that one of his team put together in South Africa. Now, the IT Department is looking to build additional labs all around the world. Why? Because they can put these labs into impoverished communities, teaching computer and job skills to the people, and help the local people develop skills that will bring prosperity to their communities. Meanwhile, they will be sharing Christ with the people and giving them an ability to improve the quality of their lives while teaching them about eternal life, joy, and hope.
Now, most of the year, the people who serve as IT professionals at the University of the Nations in Kona will be working on the big Island of Hawaii doing exactly what they may be doing now, developing and maintaining software and systems for businesses, but, as God directs, they will also take those skills to places like South Africa, Fiji, other African nations, China, and other places around the globe. This is an amazing vision that we can all get excited about. (John and Jeff Parker, what do you think???!!!)
Please pray for Chong Ho and his team. As you look at their website, consider whether you could support them. Remember that many of these professionals could make in one hour of consulting in the states their staff fees for one month of food here in Kona ($250.00). Yet, they have given up that kind of income to come and support the work of the Great Commission here and are now working solely as volunteers. Also, if you have computer skills at all, consider coming to Kona and participate in the IT Discipleship Training School that will begin in January. When it may be 30 degrees or lower wherever you are, it will be 80 here.