Joe Barnes Blog » africa

Wake-up Call

Joe Barnes — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:58:18 +0000

I woke up this morning to my wonderful iPhone buzzing. I looked at the number and it was a 512 area code, which is local to me. Then I noticed the prefix was a 938, which is what my MagicJack is. So I answered it. It was two of my awesome friends from Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa!!! David, who is the missionary, and Cedrick, my friend that I met while on the mission trip last year. He is their IT guru. It absolutely made my day. I want to go back so bad. God Bless you guys!!!

I got them a MagicJack when I went on the mission trip last year. They finally got some electricity and were able to get some use out of the MagicJack. I just think that is so cool, they are able to make phone calls to the United States for free! It sounded great and was awesome. Their world now has been opened because they can make phone calls to the U.S. Crazy huh! With all the technology out there these guys are just now able to use it. God is AWESOME!!!

Magic Jack – Update

Joe Barnes — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:12:21 +0000

www.magicjack.com

So, I have now had my Magic Jack for 6 months and I have to say that I am very impressed with this little gadget. Everything that the website has said about this gadget has been the truth. So, what can you do with this Magic Jack?

1. Get rid of your expensive phone bill! As long as you have fast enough Internet access, the Magic Jack will work. I was in DR Congo, Africa and we were using satellite for Internet, when it was up. The speed was not fast at all, maybe around 128k or so. The Magic Jack worked! Yes, in the middle of no where in Africa! So, if you can get out of your home phone bill, do it and get one of these. Again, it cost me $50 for the first YEAR and then $20 dollars every YEAR after. Yes, YEAR…not month.

2. If you travel outside of the U.S., this is for you! I bought a second Magic Jack and left it in Africa so they could call back to the U.S. It does not matter where you are in the world, you can call back to the US, and I believe Canada, for that small yearly price. Oh, and you do have to have internet access. I you know of a missionary, this would be something so awesome to give to them.

I have a cousin that her and her husband are in Italy. He is in the Navy and is stationed over there. I told my aunt about the Magic Jack, so she bought one for them. They will not need to get phone service while they are in Italy. As long as they have internet access, they will be able to use this and call back home.

I also have a buddy of mine that is teaching a class for my company over in Germany. He bought a Magic Jack so I told him he needed to bring it with him to Germany and use it. He told me that AT&T cell phone service for him over in Germany would be .99 cents a minute. WOW! So he brought his Magic Jack and is making free calls back home.

My daughter is getting to that age where she likes to get on the phone, and stay on it. Instead of getting an additional phone line from TWC, I am going to get another Magic Jack and connect it to her computer. Then she will have her own phone and it will not tie up the home phone. Plus, it will save me a lot of money each month.

With all that said, I do not work for Magic Jack. I have never met Magic, or Jack. I got it because I was tired of paying my $30 – $40 dollar a month phone bill. I saw the commercial and thought, you know what, for $50 dollars, why not try it. I did and I have been so impressed. The I got a second one for the DR Congo, Africa mission trip I went on and that was truley a gift from God.

So, if you have any questions about this, post a comment and I will answer your question. I get so many “hits” on this blog site every day from people that are searching for Magic Jack, and if it really work. YES, it does, and again, if you have questions, post a comment and I will answer them.

A Present from Cedrick in DR Congo

Joe Barnes — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:49:27 +0000

I got this present the other day from my friend Cedrick. He lives in Mulungwishi, DR Congo. This dude is awesome! He has a big passion for Information Technology, but an even bigger passion for God.

From Africa Gift

Here is a picture of me and Cedrick.

From DR Congo Africa – Joe Barnes 2

New DR Congo, Africa Pics from George

Joe Barnes — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:30:12 +0000

George Etheredge and a team went to Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa around the first of Semptember. They went to the same place I went to on my mission trip. Here are links to the pictures he took.

Boys’ Orphanage at Lubumbashi

Trip to Mulungwishi from Lubumbashi

UMC sewing center in Lubumbashi

Mulungwishi Station, D.R. Congo

The Mission Trip Team

Joe Barnes — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:40:11 +0000

Here is a photo of our mission trip team that went to Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa.

The Connection Church in Africa

Joe Barnes — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:23:03 +0000

This is a picture of me and my new friend Cedrick. Notice the Connection Church shirt he is wearing! Cedrick is the seminary’s IT guru. The room we are in is the computer lab. The computer lab was not operational while we were there because we had no electricity.

Mulungwishi, DR Congo Misson Trip

Joe Barnes — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:46:19 +0000

I got most of the pictures up on my Google album. I still have pictures that I need to take off my iPhone and upload. My Google album has the pictures from most of the team that went on the mission trip. I am still waiting on two of the other team members that I am getting pictures from.

DR Congo Africa Photos

Mulungwishi, DR Congo Misson Trip

Joe Barnes — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:32:14 +0000

I made it back home yesterday evening safe and sound. It is so good to be back home. I actually got to take a hot shower…it felt so wonderful. Melanie and I went to Whataburger for supper and let me tell you, a hamburger never tasted so wonderful! I was so happy to see the kids again, I thought my heart was going to explode when they ran up to me. I will be posting a lot more about the mission trip. There is so much to tell. I took around 1000 pictures, plus with the pictures I got from the team, we have around 2000 total. Plus we got some digital video. It will take some time to upload everything, but I will start to post pictures in a couple of days. I have so many emotions going on in me right now. I am so happy to be home, but yet my heart is broken because I could not do more.

God Bless Your Day!

DR Congo, Africa Mission Trip June 19 – July 4 – Update June 18th

Joe Barnes — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:57:36 +0000

Well, I am heading off tomorrow for Africa. Please be praying for me, and our Mission Team, excpecially during my fights. My back does not do too well when I travel and am on long flights. Here is my flight schedule:

Leave Austin 6:19am to Chicago 9:00am (06-19)
Leave Chicago 3:46pm (06-19) to London 5:55am (06-20)
Leave London 8:00pm (06-20) to Nairobi 6:30am (06-21)
Leave Nairobi 8:05am to Lubumbashi 12:20pm (06-21)
Leave Lumbumbashi ??? to Mulungwishi ??? all I can tell you is this will be around 120 mile drive on a dirt road. (I might be off on this, it might be around 84 miles) I get car sick if I’m not in front or driving…so hopefully this goes well.

I don’t know how often I will be able to post while I am gone, but I will try. God Bless!

DR Congo, Africa Mission Trip June 19 – July 4 – Update June 9th

Joe Barnes — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:40:06 +0000

10 more days until I leave. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. There is so much to do and so little time to do it in. I was looking at the weather conditions where I will be and found this website. It doesn’t look too bad, but take this into consideration: there is no air conditioning or heating in the buildings, and from what I found out today, no running hot water. I was told I needed to try and get some type of heating bag, 2 gallons, to take so I can at least take a warm “shower”. All I have to say is I will be having flash backs from when I was in the Marine Corps!!! Yikes!!!