Missionaries around the world are receiving more than textbooks and study guides from Global University – they are getting computers. Global University of the Assemblies of God is a leading distance education provider, partnering with Bible schools and missionaries in several foreign countries to provide curriculum and faculty support for students enrolled in Bible and theology programs.

According to Stew Van Arsdale, vice president of Information Systems, both he and Paul Kitch, a retired Assembly of God missionary, had independent dreams of sending refurbished computers to the field. Having this equipment “allows pastors, school children, and Bible students to develop computer skills and advance their prospects,” said Van Arsdale. “These are opportunities they would not otherwise have in their countries.”

Roger Duclos, a MAPS volunteer, works on the donated computers to rebuild them or enhance their capabilities, and then inventories the equipment. Missionaries who are planning to go overseas are contacted, and arrangements are made to get the computers to them for shipment.

Assisting Duclos on occasion is Gary Seals, a hardware support technician for Global University. While stationed in Japan with the U.S. military, Duclos came to the Lord through the work of an Assembly of God missionary in that country. He is a member of James River Assembly of God in Ozark, Missouri.

“Our first donation of computers,” said Van Arsdale, “was from a Kansas City businessman. He gave Global University 60 computers to replace our old 486s and slow Pentiums. About 18 months ago, we began our own upgrade with Dell computers, and we’ve turned around these donated computers and shipped them out.”

The first computers were sent to Malawi in 2002. Since then 132 computers have gone to Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Niger, Chile, Guyana, Bahamas and Botswana. Global University has also provided networking supplies and parts to Romania, as well as computers to a Teen Challenge Center and a prison ministry in Kansas.

The computers are used in Bible schools, orphanages, health care facilities and national church offices, as well as Global University’s study centers around the world. Van Arsdale said the University is currently working with missionaries in Burundi and Central America to supply them with computers.

Van Arsdale said computers have come from companies, individuals, business owners, churches, and retired missionaries. He said this project accepts only Pentium computers.

Global University is a premier distance education university with more than 645,000 students worldwide. Global offers ministry training through Berean School of the Bible, and offers associate, bachelor, master, and master of divinity degrees through correspondence and internet studies.