“Our mission is to help our people with their technology needs so they can serve where God has called them, either at the US-MC or overseas,” says Larry Huntsman, Director of the Information Technology (IT) Department at the US Mobilization Center in Colorado Springs. Both Larry and Paul Morrell (IT Generalist) share in this video how they find great joy in their work.
Both Larry and Paul Morrell advise folks with computer purchases, keeping them connected with e-mail, and training them how to take advantage of the many applications available through our Google mail accounts. It may sound dry to most, but they experience God leading them in the nitty-gritty of the technology world.
Computers and the Cloud
So much of what we do in our day to day business depends on the internet and functioning technology – phones, computers, printers, teleconferencing, and cloud document sharing, to name a few. It is no exaggeration to say that Larry and Paul are the ones that keep us up and running. They serve us with servers, large main domain controllers, machines that store terabytes of business documents, financial records, archived prayer letters, pictures, and much more. The IT department is responsible for insuring that all of our files are backed up and safe, even in the case of fire.
Communication- Safe and Secure
Safe storage of electronic files is important, but even more critical is a safe environment for electronic communication amongst our workers spread across the world. Increasingly we have to be careful to protect those living in sensitive areas. Larry and Paul are tasked with insuring we have a secure intranet and for developing safe ways of sending out and receiving information within the OC family.
Keeping Pace with Change
As technology changes and new options are introduced, it’s their job to stay abreast of the technology solutions which best serve the mission without being too expensive. Not only do they keep pace with hardware and software developments, they try to bring the staff up to date with training. “We would be remiss not to embrace the benefits of technological change,” says Larry. But change is hard and some people don’t like change. “The fast pace of changing technology is one of our biggest challenges,” adds Paul.
Resources for Replacement
Finally, all equipment has a limited lifetime and must be replaced. This costs money. When the funds are available ahead of time, the IT department can map out the necessary transitions. 
Larry says, “Proactive planning is the key to good, cost-effective purchases and implementation.” In addition to needing funding for aging equipment, OC could really benefit from a third IT generalist to share the work load.
In the end, it’s all about seeing God’s Kingdom grow through equipping our people with the technology support they need. Both Paul and Larry find plenty of opportunity to exercise their faith in their IT roles and take great joy in serving our Lord using their IT skills.
How can you partner with IT?
- Pray God will provide funding to replace some very old central computer equipment.
- Pray for Larry and Paul as they transition OC to a much more cost-effective, intuitive intranet.
- Pray for funds to support another IT person either part- or full-time.
- Make a donation towards a new main domain controller, costing $2500-3000.