There are two parts of Kansas: the east and the west. The east in more populated and therefore has met and embraced the 21st Century. The west part of Kansas, is different. It is easy to suggest many of the things I have experienced personally in a more rapidly moving community, yet the reality is that those are just not going to happen yet. I have been to churches that have websites with services available on iTunes the next day. With over 20 churches in a population of 40,000, there is a exactly 1 church that has embraced this technology. I have been in churches that livestream services for people who are maybe home bound, or who maybe across country that service. There is no church that provides these services yet.

I have not counted all the churches here, but like I said just where I live there is a population of 40,000 and only a handful of churches have a web site. Five churches have a Facebook page and no one here is heard of Twitter. I mentioned my Twitter account in passing this week and someone passed my a tissue.

What can be done to close this gap between the east and west? The phrase keeps coming to mind “build it and they will come”. I didn’t coin it but I will explain what I mean.

I have had so much interest just in my every day life, keeping my schedules on my phone thereby eliminating the need for extra paper in my wallet. Online storage of my photos so that if and when my hard drive dies, I have back up of those precious moments. These are valuable, tangible services friends have seen and implemented in their own lives that they didn’t know existed. I am in the process of building a web site for the church I attend. I want to expand the services that will be on that web site, but just having a web presence is a nice start.

I’ve wondered if my presence in the plains is for the better and I have to believe it is. Bringing useful technology to people isn’t a easy process, but it is a satisfying one. I feel optimistic that “if you build it, they will come” philosophy will pay off.

Editor Note: Mobility in the Midwest is a weekly series looking at some of the mobile technology challenges presented in the Midwest US, and what the transition to mobile and connected communications means towards these communities.