Marie Katen (right) gets a Microsoft¨ Word lesson at University United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Kan.

Partnership provides computers and skills

by Allison Scahill

photos by Allie Millikan

In the inner-city neighborhoods of Wyandotte County in Kansas, buying a computer is one of the last things on a family’s mind.

“If you look at an inner-city family, they’re worried about putting food on the table. How can they justify buying a computer?” said Tom Conoley, assistant professor of computer science at United Methodist-related Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan.

Some of those families have become computer owners — for free – through a ministry at University United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Kan., supported by Conoley and others at Baker.

In 2004 the Rev. Lynn Lamberty, University Church’s senior pastor, contacted the Rev. Ira DeSpain, Baker’s university minister.

DeSpain, who served the church in the early 1980s, said Lamberty asked “if we had a computer club that could come teach computer skills to the kids who come to the after-school program, because the kids in the neighborhood can’t all afford computers, but have to know how to use them for school.”

DeSpain then contacted Conoley, who said a 50-mile drive each way was too much to ask of the students.

It wasn’t long though before Conoley called Lamberty.

“Tom called back and asked, ‘Could I help?’ and I would have to be pretty foolish to say no,” Lamberty said.

Soon after Conoley and his wife, Jaclyn, were helping people gain computer skills in a lab at University Church. The ministry is open to anyone who wants to participate. They do not have to be church members.

Conoley also arranged with Baker to take the university’s obsolete computers, rework them and donate them to the ministry.

Cameron Thompson, 13, paints the wall of the new computer lab at University United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Kan. Thompson’s family has received two free computers through the church's computer ministry.

Nearly 100 computers have been given away in two years. As he looks to the future, Conoley contemplates turning the ministry into a nonprofit organization and getting more Baker students involved.

“This whole thing started with a computer lab the kids could use after school,” Conoley said. “Well, the kids didn’t quite know how to do some things, the hardware was a little dated ... so we said, ‘All right, let’s try some classes.’ That didn’t work very well, because you got a very broad mix of people with different needs — people who were afraid to turn on a computer to people who needed help doing rather advanced things.”

Lamberty said, “We call it a class, but it’s more one-on-one time with Tom or his wife or other people who are there to assist. Young people who have come in to learn from Tom are now helping others. It’s been pretty cool.”

Cameron Thompson’s family received a computer through the ministry. He, his mother, Ellen, and his sister, Taliea, all use it.

“I like to use it to play my music,” the 13-year-old said. “I’ve got the Internet now, and I know how to hook it up.”

Rose Ledbetter’s family received two computers.

“My teenage kids use it for homework,” she explained. “You can’t be in high school nowadays without computer skills.”

Computers in the hallway of the University Church that will go into the new computer lab. Previously, computers were moved into a conference room every week.

Ledbetter is also learning. “I was (in school) before computers, but I’m trying, I’m still learning,” she said. “When I get frustrated, I come (to the church). I usually bring my notepad and Tom and Jackie help me figure it out.”

Attending her second Saturday afternoon class, Marie Katen said, “My daughter told me it could really help in my ministry. I had a friend who told me about the program, so I came. I beat solitaire last week.” She is on a list of about 25 people who will eventually receive computers.

Jaclyn Conoley said she likes to start her students with solitaire to get accustomed to using a mouse.

“They need to get a good feel for the computer. It’s all a matter of practicing,” she said. “Then we get them going home and playing around (on their computer).”

Lamberty credits the Conoleys with the ministry’s continuing success.

“I can’t praise Tom enough,” he said. “You can do good things without spending a lot of money. I’m happy people have benefited from it.”

Conoley is just happy to be able to help.

“For the most part,” he said, “people who come in are just tickled pink to have somebody who gives a darn and is willing to sit with them and help them.”

—Allison Scahill is a senior mass communication major and Allie Millikan is a senior theatre major. Both attend United Methodist-affiliated Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan.

Used by permission from Interpreter Magazine May - June 2006