Note: This year we are again thankful to have Tom Bateman rebuilding  most of the computers that we have been giving to students. Working in his own home workshop, he  has again made it possible for us to set up the computers with printers for students, and to set up computer equipment for several organizations.  Tom's help also allows us to have some limited opportunity for personal time.  We’re also thankful for every one who gave money, material, and time to our effort to provide computers to students and to help  support youth groups doing service to others. A special thank you goes to John Wezeman of GVSU who directed a quantity of computer equipment to our ministry again this year.  We are grateful to Kevyn Milton who has helped us move equipment donations, to Jim Gray for allowing us to store our bus and storage trailer on his property, and to Christian Community Ministries Foundation, Jon and Wanda Cowan, John White, Bob & Annette Shaver, and the Ruiters for their significant financial support to this ministry.

 Computers for inner-city students and their families: 

  This year has again been dominated by our effort to provide computers with Internet access to low-income students and their families who can not afford to buy a computer. We now are rebuilding and giving Pentium 300mhz (and better) computers with 28.8 - 56k modems. We have installed 1998 and year 2000 software for the operating system (Windows 98 version SE) this past year, and are now installing Windows 98SE since we have been able to purchase the licenses for this software. We have been reviewing several versions of Linux, used to replace the Windows operating system, but have not decided to make the switch yet.  Several computer technicians have recommended different versions of this operating system.  Sun Microsystems, the company that helps develop the Open Office program suite, also has an operating system that we have been offered for free. We have been designated as a Sun Microsystems Academic Center, which gives our students access to free advanced computer classes on the Internet. We also link the students to tutorial resources for the OpenOffice Suite of programs.

We'll just have to continue to review the recommended systems and when Microsoft's  operating system becomes too difficult or too expensive to use, we'll make a switch.
     We still give programs that allow the student to do their work that is similar and compatible with programs used at their school. We have begun to install Open Office (a version of Office made by Sun Microsystems.) We had requested a newer version of Microsoft Office (than we have been using) from the Microsoft Corporation’s organization that works with non-profit organizations (Tech Soup), but they refused us because we install a Christian Bible program on the computers that we give to students. Note: May 23rd, 2006, after appealing their notification to us that we could not buy from them, we were informed  by Tech Soup that they have determined that since we provide free services to students regardless of their religion, ethnicity, creed, or gender we can begin to purchase software at their non-profit discount price for our office and workshop computers.
      We continually monitor Internet performance and upgrade the programs used for the Internet.  We recently found some free down-loadable programs that will protect students from pop-up advertising, viruses, and spyware while they are on the Internet.  We put a link on their browser and have the student decide if they want to download the programs after they read the detailed information about the programs.      We continue to install Mozella FireFox as an Internet browser and Thunderbird as the e-mail program on the computers that we give to students.
 We install a small program that Blocks most major Internet parasites, and hijackers.

Our computer assembly shop remains in our home.  We have provided computer systems again this year to students and their families which included an hour of training given in our living room to each family who has qualified to receive a computer. 
This year we also helped Jim Boersma who co-ordinates the filling of a shipping container with equipment for the public school system in Kenya, East Africa. We provided and identified about 350 computer systems for this project in 2005.  We also helped Michael Daniels from School to Career Progressions assemble 125 computer systems for Grand Rapids Public school students taking career classes in 2005. We continue to work with the director of the Muskegon Community Action Program to help them set up a computer rebuilding effort for students and low-income families in the Muskegon area. We provided information about available resources and 20 computer monitors in 2005.

Again this year the Public Schools, G.R. Community College, Michigan Works, and Davenport College have actively assisted students to fill out the applications and find volunteer opportunities in the community. They also refer businesses who want to donate computer equipment to us. We continue to have the Kent Intermediate School District Office for Home Schooling (serving students expelled from school) refer parents to our program when they do not have a computer in their home. The United Way continues to refer anyone in crisis that needs a computer to our ministry. We are the only organization in the Grand Rapids area where they can refer students to receive a computer without paying any money.
Microsoft’s non- profit division, CompuMentor told us that we are the only organization that they know of in the world that requires the recipient of a free computer to do community volunteer work in order to qualify for a computer. 

Youth Group Volunteer Support Service Activity 

We continue to offer volunteer support to Christian youth groups doing service/learning trips that are focused on education, service to others, and ethical training. Again the bus has been a blessing to operate. In 2005 we bought a "nearly new" set of tires and "newer style rims" for the back wheels of the bus. The trips in 2005 were very educational for us and productive for the groups that we supported. Because of the things we learned in 2004, we have made several changes in the way that we are organized and developed several new policies for the groups that use our services. In 2005 we worked through the process of applying these changed policies regarding co-insurance and signing the behavior and liability papers. The Church Mutual Insurance Company (which insures most Protestant churches) and the Michigan Catholic Conference Insurance Company have both approved our co-insurance format.

Youth Group Motor Home Activities 2005

June 2: The bus was displayed at the 3^rd Ward Community Forum at Brown-Hutcherson Ministries as part of a community-wide meeting seeking solutions to inner-city neighborhood violence. All those attending received information about the bus ministry and were offered a tour of the bus. Several ministers and youth workers toured the bus and expressed an interest in organizing youth activity in their organizations using our services.

June 17: The bus was part of a community meeting “Healing Our Community” sponsored by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance at Christian High School Center for Arts and Worship. Network Television Judge Greg Mathis, a panel of educators, politicians, the police chief and others spoke to a group of approximately 250 people. We provided informational flyers about the youth support ministry to about 300 people who attended the event, and offered tours of the youth group motor home which was parked at the entrance.

July 8:

The Michigan Organizing Project presented an opportunity to include the Youth Group Motor Home Ministry as part of the solution to local youth problems. US Representative Vern Ehlers, School Superintendent Bert Bleke, and Police Chief Harry Dolan led the speakers at Grace Christian Reformed Church.

June 24-26: The African-American Expo and Health Fair on the downtown Calder Plaza was the site for a computer-repair/bus information booth. Many Fair visitors toured the bus and discussed the computer program. Some computer repairs were made on the spot. The bus was used as a dressing room for clothing booths. A wide range of community residents visited the site, including neighbors, friends and former students, youth group leaders, and computer recipients. Even though the temperature was excessively high for the three-day event, the fair generated a lot of contacts.

June 28-July 4: Cornerstone Bible and Music Conference in Bushnell, Illinois is an annual site for approximately 25,000 young people to camp together and promote spiritual growth. We provided some limited support for Oakdale Park Church families who attended this event. This event sponsored by the Jesus People of Chicago (JPUSA) offers a wide variety of Bible/religious seminars, art, film, sports, swimming, activities for all ages and hundreds of Christian musicians and concerts.

July 15 – 17: The Oakdale Park CRC boys youth mentoring club, MarsBros and our friend and neighbor Abdurahman Ahmed, went with coaches Bruce and Mike on the bus to Ludington to participate in the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament. We stayed at the Worship and Praise Assembly of God Church parking lot as guests of the Pastors Hendrich and Lars.

July 22-25: The bus was used by neighbors and family at the farm, lakes, and park in Northern Michigan.

July: We partnered with Eastown Ministries on an  outing for the teen group at the Carpenter home for swimming and a picnic.

That's All Folks !

Now.......we wait to see what the year 2006 brings! 

We ask that you will pray for us and the groups that we support in 2006.