Serving With Code

As I thought about practicing my faith I wondered what my place was. We make good money and give generously. But is that all I'm supposed to be doing, or should I quit it all, cash out the equity in our house, move our family to a "poor neighborhood" and serve like Shane and The Simple Way. Sometimes I would lean towards the later, but then that doesn't seem the least bit feasible and would I really be using my gifts and abilities?

I have a friend who is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in Indianapolis. Our family has been helping financially with a small and wonderfully unique congregation that he and Redeemer have helped to get off the ground called The New Deal. About once a year we get to see Jason and his family in Indy. We did again in August. While visiting, he introduced us to Tim Streett who founded Jireh Sports. Jireh is an inspiring organization dedicated to "meet the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs of urban youth...through significant relationships with mentoring adults developed around unique sports, recreation, and educational opportunities."

The reason I mention Jireh is because it got me thinking. I'm not a guy that could start a gym, but could I start a program to mentor underprivileged children about computers. Is it possible to have an aftershool program that teaches kids how to use computers, how to take them apart and put them together again, to learn about logic and math, to learn how to program them? I suppose the curriculum would have to have healthy doses of video games also ;) Perhaps more importantly would kids be interested in that, and would it make a difference in their lives? Perhaps this will be another idea in the list of many unimplemented ideas? But let's try anyhow, or at least act like we're trying....

I always start with naming a project. In this case, because I have another idea for how to start developing a curriculum that's gonna need a website. So audience; all five of you (thanks Mom)... What should I name such an endeavor? Here are a few ideas that I'm considering:

• codeducate (or codeducator)


• bit professor


• code kids (I couldn't bring myself to use a 'k' for kode ;)


• bits for kids (as in "silly rabbit bits are for kids")

What do you think?