Lightsys Technology Services

Program: Software Research and Development for Missions. During 2023, we continued work on the Kardia missionary sending software system, with a goal to provide missions with free-of-charge, flexible, and secure data processing for missionary sending offices. Development focused on reporting and integrations. We also continued support for Midwife-EMR, an EMR system for missionary maternity clinics in the developing world, with three total deployments. We also hosted our eleventh annual Spring Break Code-a-Thon for Missions, in March 2023, with 35 attendees working on eight projects for five mission organizations. In all of these things, we believe very strongly in the need for the leading of the Spirit of God in order to see true fruitfulness when developing technology for world missions.

Program: Missions Mobilization, Discipleship, and Training. During 2023 we carried on discipleship and training activities in conjunction with our consulting work. We also emphasized discipleship and training in our one-year and summer internship programs, with one intern participating during 2023. We hosted the 2023 International Conference on Computing and Mission with over 50 in attendance, with a focus on prayer, worship, Bible teaching, fellowship, and about two dozen formal and informal workshops and break-out sessions on various leadership, technology, and spiritual growth topics. Our goal with this event is to build up the body of Christ by encouraging and empowering the work of evangelism around the world. We also helped to encourage two other ICCM conferences. We also visited two universities in person, speaking to students one-on-one and in classes, seeking to encourage and mobilize people with Spirit-led technology skills (particularly computer science) to get involved in world missionary work.

Program: Technology Consulting for Christian Missions. During 2023, we assisted thirteen organizations in person and provided significant remote assistance to many more organizations as well. Our goal in all of these things is to help missionaries and mission organizations focus more effectively on the work of Christ's Great Commission, by providing them with the Spirit-led, quality, and free-of-charge technology consulting that they otherwise would not be able to obtain.

Program: Strategic Technology for World Missions. During 2023 we continued to support the Mission Infobank website, adding and updating many resources and references. We provided support for one GMMS user, continued to expand an online GIS system to serve the mission community with a pilot project for one client, supported the Registry of Geographies for the Harvest Information System, facilitated the involvement of Christians in ministry GIS work, provided training to missionaries on GIS use, and created or updated over 70 maps and resources for six mission clients.