Summer 2005 IT Interns

This summer seven young men and two women came to JAARS to learn, firsthand, how IT technology supports the worldwide Bible translation effort. They came from Alfred University (NY), University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), Bryan College (TN), Spokane Falls University (WA), Oregon Institute of Technology, Northwestern College (IA), and Columbia International University (SC). Internships provide opportunities for using IT skills in ministry in a cutting-edge environment where interns are challenged to learn and improve their skills. In this way, there is a mutual benefit to intern and organization. Their contribution is vital and worthwhile, and serves to motivate them for future missions work as well.

Grady, Justin, Allen, Kimberly, Ben, Hazel, Jarrell, and Kiel

The IT Interns for 2005 were:

Hazel Ang—recent graduate of Alfred University, NY
Justin Bothwell—senior at Columbia International University, SC
Grady Houger—recent graduate of Spokane Falls Community College, WA
Allen Fulmer—junior at Alfred University, NY
Kimberly Miller—junior at Northwestern College, IA
Kiel Wadner—junior at Oregon Institute of Technology, OR
Jarrell Waggoner—junior at Bryan College, TN
Ben Wagner—senior at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC

Good Times!

What are YOU doing next summer?

Hazel Ang

This summer is, again, one of the best summers I’ve ever had. I was an intern at JAARS last year and I came back this summer. Same as last year, it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot.

I worked as a software developer in business applications, the same as last year. At first, it was a little challenging because they put me on a project where I had to use a computer language I have never used before. But by the end of my internship, I learned how to program using ASP, VBScript, and MySQL.

I really enjoyed my time at JAARS. I made new friends. The interns are really cool. We did a lot of things together and we sure did have a swell time. We went camping and hiking, watched a lot of movies, played, and had a baseball game. We hung out a lot! See, it’s not all work here!

All the people here at JAARS are very friendly, supportive, encouraging and caring.

My experience gave me encouragement and guidance. It was really my privilege to work here and meet all these people. I thank God that He put me in a place like this.

JAARS is a great place to serve God through technology. IT students, I encourage you to share your skills here at JAARS. They need you! And I promise that you will find your experience worthwhile.

Justin Bothwell

I came to JAARS thinking I already knew everything about the place, but I was wrong. My parents had worked a number of years overseas with Wycliffe and then moved to JAARS so I have lived here several years.

I figured I would do my internship here because it was convenient and I could do it quickly and leave. As a result of approaching it this way, I did not associate much with others at JAARS outside my 8 to 5 workday. Now that I look back at it, I see I learned from my job, but I did not spend any time with the other interns.

If I could do the internship over again, I would, but I would spend more time with the people here and with the interns. JAARS has a very open and friendly atmosphere that encourages one to mature and grow.

The work environment in my IT engineering department was friendly and helpful. People really supported my work and made me feel like a valued member of the team—and not just an intern for the summer. I appreciated their honesty as brothers and co-workers and the way they cared about personal things in my life too. Overall, I thought my time and work at JAARS was well spent and worth the experience. Although I am not sure if I will be a part of Wycliffe or JAARS in the future, the internship gave me guidance and skills for wherever God takes me.

Grady Houger

I came to JAARS to experience what I had never done: work in an office with cubicles where I have to dress up, and do computer repair and tech support all day. I had already been doing this kind of work freelance for acquaintances. I had finished four years of computer learn’n in college, but I wanted to see if it was just as interesting in the context of a real job.

That was one goal; the other was to figure out what do with my life now that I’m done with college.

JAARS was the place to seek those answers. Of course, like any experience, I found way more. This is an awesome place. You walk by people and hear them mention far-off, exotic locales like common folk mention the mall. Everyone has a story or twelve.

JAARS opened my eyes to possibilities beyond my own narrow self-interests. I had thought about the mission field before, but now I can really envision myself there. Translating the Bible for unreached people groups is one of the most worthwhile activities to pursue, and to make it happen, support services are necessary. There are jobs open for people who know any type of IT and computer work, multimedia artists, or mechanics, and donors are needed too to fund the effort.

I learned a lot about my own abilities, finding plenty of new areas where I need to grow and learn as a computer expert—and as a flawed Christian. After this summer, I need to do some Bible school, but I definitely want to come back to JAARS. The people are great, the place is nice, the cause is holy.

Kiel Wadner

	My role at JAARS was to work with one of the software development teams on Translation Editor (TE). TE is designed to allow translators to draft, organize, and check the Scriptures as they are translating them. I had never worked in a development role outside of school, so I enjoyed the opportunity to experience my training in the “real world.” The technical experience alone would have made my time here worthwhile. However, my 8-5 workday is only a small part of my time here.
At the time I am writing this, I still have several more weeks left of my internship. My time here has been both educational in the sense of schooling and in the sense of learning about myself. I came to JAARS seeking what God wanted from me—both in my life now and to come. He has used my time here to open my eyes to the world beyond our American culture and to what is common in the American church. I’ve grown a lot in my walk with God, and expect even greater changes in the weeks to come. Before committing to coming to JAARS, I had a very nice job lined up with the Forest Service fighting fires. It is something I enjoy, and something that provides very well financially. I tell you this because I don’t regret my decision to come to JAARS at all! I may not be making the money I would have been, nor am I near my family and those I love, but I know I am where God called me. This is key, and I hope that if you are reading this, that you would also take some time to pray and see if God is calling you to Waxhaw. If He has called you here, He will provide a way and open your eyes to a whole new world.

Jarrell Waggoner

Where can one really begin when reflecting on the thunderous roller coaster of a summer that embodies my experience here at JAARS? For me, such a starting point can be traced back half a decade ago. During high school, I had the distinct privilege of volunteering at JAARS in the Software Development Department. At the time, I was working on Speech Manager, which is now known as Phonology Assistant.

As often happens, the complications of college prohibited me from volunteering further at JAARS and I had begun to put my volunteer experience at JAARS behind me. Early in my junior year at college, I heard about JAARS internships (the number of which had increased dramatically since my last visit there), and began to explore the idea of a much-needed return to JAARS.

This, of course, was far before the roller coaster left the station, and far before I could fully comprehend what the Lord had in store for me this summer. Through an interesting series of events, I found myself at JAARS once again, but at a very different time in my life. Yes, things are different now that I am more than just a part-time volunteer and have to work 8-5, but I find very few negative things about these differences.

Another big change is where I work. The Training Department never crossed my mind as a potential place to work at JAARS, so when I first heard the idea, I didn’t really know what to think. In hindsight, it has been good for me to diverge from the software development realm for a summer, if for no other reason than to see things from a different perspective (a habit I’ve found myself slipping into more and more often this summer).

While working in the training department, I have had the chance to do a lot of technical writing, mainly editing and writing training manuals and online help for the FieldWorks project. Anyone who thinks that writing of this level requires a lesser degree of careful thought or organization than writing a computer program should seriously get a taste of what goes on here in Training. I’ve run across many significant organizational and textual challenges where I had to dip into the more abstract organizational thought patterns that I usually reserve for writing complex programs or mapping database structures. All this to say, I’ve found that working in training, while different, is no less of a challenge than working on some of the more “high profile” projects that go on here at JAARS.

I have contemplated mentioning something about the area and people here at JAARS, however since I have been living here for over a decade-and-a-half, I’m rather biased, to put it mildly. What I will say is that, if you could find a better community and work atmosphere than we have here at JAARS, you will have to look long and hard. I have found this summer that JAARS is just as great a place to work as it is to grow up (another habit I’ve indulged in from time to time). As I’ve always known, the people here at JAARS are of the highest caliber in every respect. Everyone from my supervisors to the people who invited us for dinner, to the various missionaries who pass through on their way going overseas—everyone—has displayed the very greatest Christian attitude in all things.

Then, of course, there were the, um… “less serious” times with the other interns that made the summer all the more splendid. It has been great to get to know such a great group of guys and gals this summer, visiting places, and generally hanging out. I must concur with the glowing reviews of last year’s interns regarding Hazel’s cooking. Her muffins are especially exquisite :)

Most important of all, as I reflect on the summer, it has been a great opportunity for me to, yet again, directly contribute to the task of Bible translation. Somehow, I can’t help thinking that I’ve gotten the better end of the deal. Wrapped up in the many things God has taught me this summer (a veritable treasure trove of experiences), I can only hope that my small contribution can equal the wealth of blessing that God has given me, and that there will be more willing servants to follow who can continue the monumental task of helping in the work of Bible translation here at JAARS. As the summer winds down, and the roller coaster screeches to a halt, the friends, experience, and growth that I have gained here at JAARS will forever mark one of the most exciting summers I’ve ever had.

Ben Wagner

	I spent this summer in software development on Translation Editor. The project was already in beta, so there was a lot to learn in a very short time. I spent much time fixing bugs, which was sometimes quite an adventure. The whole TE programming team has a lot of fun, especially when tests are running and someone is waiting for a build. Lots of toys! Lots of sticky notes!
When not playing in the TE room, there was no shortage of things to do. I spent a lot of time with the other interns doing all kinds of fun stuff, such as going to the beach, to baseball games, and just hanging out watching movies with my “family.” I also made friends with a lot of the college-age MKs who live near the center. Many of them have grown up overseas and bring a very different perspective to life.

What are YOU doing next summer?

Call 1-877-313-0139 or email computer_personnel@sil.org to seek an Internship with JAARS.