Orality Journal Volume 3, Number 1, 2014 | Page 46

44 Orality Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, 2014

we from the more wealthy parts of
the world don’t think twice about
using? These are just a few of the
questions that need to be asked to
help ensure the mobile ministry
you implement is appropriate to
your setting.

Keith Williams

locally available and utilized
technologies and services helps
ensure uptake of your ministry
as well as gives the potential for
local reproduction of it.

b. Socio-economic
Appropriateness
What makes for “appropriate
Use technologies and services that
the people can afford. It doesn’t
technology” or “appropriate”
mobile ministry? While numerous
matter that smartphones are
books have been written
being sold and 4G
Use the technologies
about the subject of
service is available
that the majority
appropriate technology,
if the majority of
of people you are
let me share a few issues
people you want to
seeking to reach
you need to consider to
reach can’t afford
have available to
either the device or the
ensure that any mobile
them and are using.
ministry you implement is
data. Do your best to
ensure that your mobile ministry
“appropriate”:
accounts for the people’s financial
a. Technological
situation and allows them to be
Appropriateness
blessed without undue financial
Use the technologies that the
duress.
majority of people you are
seeking to reach have available
c. Literacy/Orality
to them and are using. Does
Appropriateness
your proposed mobile ministry
Don’t use tools that your
require high speed Internet for
audience prefer not to use due
users to experience it without
to orality or can’t access due
developing extreme frustration?
to illiteracy (I know, this isn’t
If there is only a spotty second
news to readers of the Orality
generation telephone network
Journal!). There’s not much
the people you are seeking to
point to implementing an
reach won’t benefit from your
SMS/texting outreach among a
outreach. While Facebook may
people who are largely illiterate.
be the thing where you are, you’ll
Conversely, implementing an
connect with many more in
outreach that uses culturally
China if you use QZone. Using
appropriate audio stories and