ICCM Introductions

Greg and  I are hosting the International Conference on Computing (ICCM) this week.  It's been a long time preparing.  Monday (today) night is when all the attendees introduce themselves to each other.   Here's the explanation I wrote as to "why?"

Executive summary: Introduction time on Monday night is a critical time for networking and discovering people who are working on the same types of projects you are.  Bring the directory from your registration packet and take notes!  You'll have one minute (no more!) to introduce yourself and share what you do and if there's a particular answer you're looking for.

Cool story version:
"A conference where everyone introduces themselves on opening night?  You've got to be kidding!"  That was my response when my boss told me about opening night introductions at ICCM.  I was incredulous!  How boring and just... why?????

It was my first ICCM.  I dutifully brought my directory and introduced myself when it was my turn.  "Hi, my name is Dorinda. I work with Gospel for Asia doing helpdesk and training and I'm trying to figure out what to use for helpdesk software."  Next person.

And as introductions continued, I found myself paying more and more attention.  Hey - that person is a helpdesk person!  I wonder what they use for their helpdesk software.  I quickly put a star next to their name in the directory.  By the end of the introductions, I had quite a list of people that I wanted to talk to and I spent the next four days tracking them down at lunches and break times and BOFs.  That was the start of networking relationships that have continued for years.  (I met my husband at ICCM that year, but that's another story...)

Many of you (especially first-timers) may have similar questions and astonishment when you see on the schedule that Monday evening is devoted to introductions.  (http://www.iccm.org/pmwiki.php?n=Y2012.CurrentConference)  Some people are tempted to skip that time and come for the "good stuff" in the keynotes or the sessions in following days.  But yet the introduction time can create valuable networking opportunities.  There may not be a session on, "What to do when your Asterisk server drives you crazy."  But when you hear the guy in the blue shirt say he oversees Asterisk at his office, you may have found someone who knows the answer to your problems."

So summary?  Come enjoy Monday evening!  Eat more chicken with the Chick-Fil-A cows, bring your directories, and get ready for a fun time of sharing, videos, introductions, and networking.

We can't wait to see you!

Session completed

Just finished up my session!  Had a good group of attendees who were great about sharing and conversing with me.  Shared some basic principles of why and how to train and then shared about 60 sample training documents that they could take with them and use.  Yay yay!  Thanks for praying!!!

ICCM Again!

It's that time of year again when all computer techies who love missions congregate at Taylor University for the International Conference on Computing and Missions (ICCM).  While this is my fourth time to attend, it's my first time to attend as a married person and my first time to be representing LightSys instead of GFA.

Ahh... ICCM!  Those five days when all the techies stay up late talking techie stuff and playing board games and watching the world cup.  We had a planned spontaneous worship time tonight in the dorm lobby and had a wonderful time of praising God!!!  Several of the attendees had gotten a nap Sunday afternoon, so they weren't feel the standard sleep deprivation quite as much.  We worshipped in song for a good 2+ hours and didn't realize when the hands of the clock crept past 11pm.

So yes, it is 1:34 in the morning.  And I'm sneaking in a blog post before I go to bed.  And I'm teaching a session on staff training tomorrow afternoon and I'm not ready for it.  And Greg and I have to be ready to start worship team practice in 6 hours.  I think I gotta get some sleep!!!

Virtually at ICCM

It's quite fun! The ICCM guys are hanging out at the Student Union at Taylor and Greg has me up on video skype! So I am there at ICCM...virtually! I'm surrounded by conversation of operating systems and Kardia and Microsoft and security... The biggest challenge is sorting out the digital noise and the voices and listening to the mic trying to figure out which voice it is supposed to be picking up.

Hi guys!

Beep Beep Beep

No, it's not the roadrunner running from the coyote. It's the front doors of the office. The locks are messing up, so I get to sit here for a little bit and make sure the lobby is "secure" until the smart people get the door controllers reset. (Go System Admin!)

Tomorrow starts the annual ICCM conference at Taylor University. Techies/Missionaries (including some of our staff) gather from around the world for the International Conference on Computing and Missions. I attended ICCM in '03, '05, and '07 and I have to say it is the most life-changing conference I've ever attended. Hands down, no comparison.

Why? ICCM is where Greg and I met.

Yep, that's another piece of the story that needs written up! Greg is the worship leader at ICCM as well as a techie/missionary, so everyone knows who Greg is. And I'm one of six (yes, that's 6!) or so female techies/missionaries who attend, so everyone knows who I am. I just didn't realize that Greg had a specific interest in wanting to know me...

Greg should be arriving in Indianapolis right about...now! He's picking up a LightSys intern at the IND airport and then driving on up to Upland, IN to start worship practice. From our office, System Admin and Network Admin and IT Coordinator are flying up tomorrow.

As for me? I've just finished setting up a new laptop for one of our remote staff and am getting ready to head to KT's house for supper with her girls! I'm not attending ICCM this year (sadly) due to the need to keep things running here at the GFA office. You can pray for all the systems to work smoothly (and the doors to work too!) while all the smart people are gone.

I miss you, Greg!

Moving, but not.

With the arrival of an ICCM friend into town, the IT guys got my bedroom furniture moved to my new house with the J-Fam. I think we mostly stood around and watched while Greg did all the work. Make yourself too useful, Greg, and we might have to keep you around. We finished up the evening with supper and fellowship at Domain Admin's house. Network Admin and his family came too. (I love mint stick brownies!)

I'm still at the old house for another couple weeks. Jes is returning to GFA to help until mid-January, so we'll stay here at the house together. Right now I'm debating whether to go find clean sheets and make up an empty bed or to curl up in my sleeping bag. I think I'll go find my sleeping bag. Brrr....

Missing ICCM

I overslept this morning. Not because I didn't hear my alarm clock - I did! But I stifled it under my pillow so I could return to my dream. I dreamed I had driven three of my co-workers up to attend ICCM in Indiana. I had dropped them off and I had to catch my flight back to Texas. But I had a couple minutes, so I was running around Mitchell Theatre, trying to find everyone quickly before I had to leave. I only had time to hug Adrienne and spot Dan and Greg and Tim and the Open Doors guys before I had to catch my flight back to TX. I couldn't miss my flight because I needed to do IT Training when I got back to TX.

In real life, Matt, Josh, and Dave leave for ICCM tomorrow morning while Eric and I hold down the fort. Matt and Josh don't know what they're in for yet, so if you're an ICCM attendee reading this, make sure you help Matt and Josh feel at home. Thanks, guys! :)

And if this post somehow shows up on the ICCM jaiku page - ICCM, missions - know that I miss you guys and hope you have a great week at ICCM.

Now - off to print my IT Training docs.

...

Ouch! After so much regular blogging, I let you go a whole 10 days without a post? Yikes!

Life... Cas is in the kitchen making sponge cake for tomorrow's supper with friends. Jes is trying not to get sick. Caz is on her cell phone in the "chill room." I've been staying off my computer in the evenings to try to help me get to bed on time (ha!). So much for that tonight...

Prayer... reminded of something the Lord was teaching me about a year ago. Asking Him what He wants me to pray and believe for. This time? Love. Love for me to share with others. To truly have God's love.

Office... training tomorrow is on how to keep your pdf filesfrom printing out with red coloring when you use the color laser printers. We had two new summer interns start this week and another one starts next week. Meanwhile, we've been enjoying "Grey" - our IT intern from LeTourneu U. Praise God for all his help in updating the printer drivers. He's making this thing happen!

China... 77 survivors discovered in the last 36 hours! Death toll is over 41,000. Pray for the Christians there to boldly share their faith in the midst of tragedy.

Myanmar... We've got relief supplies going into the country - thanks for your prayers! You've got to stop by and see the latest updates and prayer requests here.

ICCM... The annual International Conference on Computing and Missions is happening June 6th - 10th. If you're a techie who loves the Lord and has a heart for missions, you should go! Deadline for registering is... Friday. Sorry for the short notice. www.iccm.org

Note to self... You're tired. Go to bed. Yes, ma'am!

Snapshot from ICCM

A moment from the recent International Conference on Computing and Missions. This unscheduled time of prayer happened just after a conversation on helpdesk software and the need for more computer staff. Mixing computers and missions and prayer... integrating all of life. (and yes, I'm the person in the prayer circle with my hands in front of my face)

Praises and KS

Thank you so much for praying for my last prayer requests! Here's a few corresponding praises:

• I've gotten my ICCM report written and am getting additional pieces written up that we may work on implementing!
• Praise God for the increased focus He's given me at the office and the help he's given me to get tasks caught up. i.e. We have new staff arriving tomorrow and I'm all ready for them!
• Praise God for His joy yesterday and today -- it's been a blessing to be able to respond with people with His love instead of my own grouchiness. :)

And... if you're in my Anthony world -- I'll be in town this weekend with all three of my interns. I have tenative plans to swing by Irwin-Potter's and The Perfect Touch late Saturday morning and we'll be at church Sunday morning. Maybe I'll see you.

Back from ICCM

I'm back in Texas after a wonderful (and exhausting) four days at ICCM. It was a time of fun and excitement, of prayer and worship, of learning and sharing, of challenge and encouragement, of laughter and tears. It was a time to glorify God.

Today's free software link: http://www.opensong.org/ This is an amazing application that guitar enthusiasts might find helpful. Among other things, you can enter song lyrics and chords (no more messy notebook) and it will even transpose the chords for you if you need to play in a different key! Chords, songsheets, projection... it does it all!

Prayer requests:

• Pray for NM and his wife. After spending many years on the mission field in Africa, they are back in North America awaiting a kidney transplant for his wife. Pray for God to continue to provide for their needs and encourage them during this time.
• Pray for me to continue to track down and write down all the things I learned during ICCM.
• Pray for me to keep my attention focused back on my office and get caught up (and ahead) on projects and tasks.
• Pray for emotional stability and the Lord's joy for me!

Jesus, hope of the nations
Jesus, comfort for all who mourn
You are the source of heaven’s hope on earth...
(C)2002 Brian Doerksen

UF, Ivanhoe's, and the mind of Christ

Today's highlights at ICCM:

• Worship and praise together in the morning
• Homemade chicken curry and ...some other yummy dish
• Conversations about faith and life and technology
• Entergetic game of Ultimate Frisbee
• Delicious Ivanhoe's ice cream
• And more worship

ICCM 2008

Vista. Virtualization. Video Conferencing. Hosting services. TiddlyWikis. SANS. I'm surrounded by tech talk and missionaries. ICCM at Taylor University in Indiana is a time of missionaries and missionary tech-support people come together to share computer ideas. But more than computer ideas, ICCM is about relationships -- encouraging each other in the work and in the Lord.

I'm off to a session on mission internships.