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Thank You MRC
"There I was, just started treatment for Lung Cancer.
Could hardly breathe or move and then the sump pump
stopped working. Nothing I did helped and the rain wouldn't
stop. When I called, I was told they were booked.
Within a half hour, to my surprise, MRC was there.
So what am I trying to say? MRC cares about their community,
customers and employees. Words are not enough. "
Grateful Always,
Barbara of Warrenton
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MRC Plumbing & Heating LLC
Your Local Hometown Plumber for over 25 Years AVAILABLE 24/7
540-347-3013 · 703-376-1755
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Bonded
Insured
Well Pumps · Water Heaters · Water Conditioners · Waterline Replacements
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~ Lynnette Esse
Denny Baumann and Jack Dunlop are
concerned about the future of their nonprofit,
Bethel Computers for Education (BCFE),
a mission program of Bethel United
Methodist Church. "We have funding and
we have computers," Denny explains, "but
we need new, younger volunteers. Without
new blood, our successful and meaningful
outreach efforts won't be able to continue."
Since Denny's move to Florida, Jack,
the shop foreman, "works" each week
alongside Dave Weedling. Jim Hunt and
Bob Sowers provide additional support.
This small team of retirees has been
responsible for refurbishing and distributing
over 4,000 computers to impoverished
students all over the world, including many
in our own country.
When donated laptops with expired
warranties come in from Fauquier County
Public Schools and other sources, the
team gets to work. After the laptops are
inspected for damage, the hard drives
are wiped clean. A new open-source free
operating system and word processing
program are installed, along with a large
array of educational programs in the
requested language, including English,
French, or Spanish. "You do not need to
be a computer specialist in order to help,"
Denny stresses. "It is an opportunity to be
the hands and feet of Christ."
BCFE has also developed a computer
device called Internet In a Box (IIAB).
This modified laptop is used in schools
which typically have no internet access. It
contains all of Wikipedia, plus over 2,000
books and an online educational resource
containing an extensive selection of lectures
in math, science, technology, art, and
history. Another version, containing medical
educational material, is used in remote
medical clinics with no internet access.
Through word of mouth, availability of these
free laptops has spread to church mission
teams across the country, bringing in a
continual flow of orders. Over 2,000 laptops
have been hand-delivered by mission
teams to Haiti alone. "Bringing technology
to Haiti makes all the difference," Denny
says. "One school has gone from a 35%
to a 100% pass rate on the national high
school graduation exam. The positive
feedback we receive keeps us going. It's
our incentive to continue in our efforts."
Computers have also gone to many other
countries, including Uganda, Nepal, Ghana,
Honduras, and South Sudan.
Ten years ago, after merging with Literacy
Volunteers of Fauquier County, Denny met
Jack and together they began meeting
the needs of poor schools throughout the
world. Jack had extensive experience as
a volunteer with Literacy Volunteers and a
strong commitment to their mission. "We
started providing computer classes to
adults here in Fauquier County and found
out that very few of the students had a
computer," Jack shared. "We then started
giving computers to students who had
completed the Microsoft Word and Excel
classes. After our merger, we also gave
computers to organizations in Fauquier
County, such as the Boys & Girls Club, the
Fauquier Women's Shelter, and Community
Touch in Bealeton."
When most of the program effort began
supporting foreign missions, they separated
from the Literacy Volunteers, and became
part of the Bethel UMC Mission program in
2015. The nonprofit remains in their space
on the second floor of the Summit Bank
building in the Warrenton Village Center.
"We are convinced that these donated
computers change lives by improving
education and opening up a world of
possibilities," Denny says. "We just need
a new crop of volunteers to grab the torch.
The ideal volunteer is retired and just wants
to spend a few hours per week working
on computers for the benefit of the poor.
Experience is not needed; we will do the
training." To learn more, call Denny at
(540) 878-3056 or find them online at
www.bethelumc.com/programs-and-
outreach/missions/computers-for-
education/.
Donated Computers Change Lives
Bethel Computers for Education Seeks Volunteers
Students in Medor, Haiti using the
computers at school
Jack Dunlop and Denny Baumann
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