For the last several year I have been studying technology in missions and especially in addressing poverty. Working alongside churches and NGO’s, I see both concern and optimism for the future. We often think of tools in terms of shovels for wells, bricks for schools, or medicine for the sick. These are vital. But in 2025, a new tool has emerged that is just as critical for fighting poverty in marginalized communities: Artificial Intelligence.
It sounds like a contradiction. How can high-tech AI help a village in the Amazon that struggles with basic internet connectivity?
The answer lies in a massive global economic shift. We are transitioning from an “Information Society” to a “Knowledge Economy.” In this new world, the primary drivers of growth aren’t just raw materials, but specialized knowledge, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities.
And this is where you—and your laptop—come in.
For communities in places like Autazes, deep in the Amazon, the “Digital Divide” is a poverty trap. Without access to the digital economy, the youth are often left with few options. In these high-risk areas, the lack of opportunity too often leads down the rampant paths of drugs and prostitution.
But technology is changing the narrative.
Rural Resilience Community - Coming in January
We will explore how the knowledge economy is reshaping the future of work in rural communities. To help support this work, please consider making a donation through PayPal.
At the Missional Living Academy, we are seeing firsthand how global connectivity and AI are acting as catalysts for change. We aren’t just “giving” things; we are equipping missionaries to shepherd communities into this new economy.
We aren’t talking about abstract algorithms. We are talking about practical, dirt-under-the-fingernails technology.
Take the “Electronic Nose” (E-Nose) project, for example. In agricultural hubs like Goiana, Brazil, we are developing systems that use AI to “smell” the air, detecting specific gasses and environmental changes.
But the device isn’t the point. The education is the point. To build and maintain these systems, we have to teach local students data analysis, basic coding, and technical problem-solving. We are staffing data analysis labs that provide mentorship and high-quality jobs to locals.
We are taking the devices people already have—smartphones—and teaching them how to use them to generate income. We are using low-cost Raspberry Pi computers, pre-loaded with offline versions of Wikipedia and medical databases, to bring the library to the village even when the internet is down.
This is the heartbeat of our approach. Through our tech agency, Unswivel, we don’t just do consulting work for Western clients. We use those projects to mentor local Brazilian talent giving them real-world experience.
We use modern infrastructure—AI Copilots, asynchronous communication, and offline web apps—to allow us to work from anywhere. (In fact, the same algorithms that allow you to Zoom from your home office are what allow me to take a business call from a boat in the Amazon jungle).
This creates a virtuous cycle:
We Work Remotely: Funding our lives through the global market.
We Teach locally: Transferring “Knowledge Economy” skills to the community.
We Hire Locally: Creating jobs that keep youth out of the drug trade.
You might be reading this thinking, “I’m not an AI engineer. I’m just a project manager/writer/admin.”
That is exactly what the mission field needs.
The barrier to entry for missions used to be a seminary degree or a medical license. Today, the barrier is simply the willingness to integrate your work with your purpose.
If you have a remote-capable skill, you have a passport to impact. You can structure your life to fund a mission, mentor a student, and bridge the digital divide.
But you have to know how to set it up. You need resilience, you need automation, and you need a plan.
This is why I built The Missional Living Integration Framework.
It is a guide born from 20 years of crisis, corporate bankruptcy, and eventual triumph in the Amazon. It teaches you:
The “Tentmaker 2.0” Strategy: How to align remote work with mission.
Automation for Ministry: How to use the same AI tools we use in the field to buy back your time.
The Ecosystem Model: How to build projects that create jobs, not just dependency.
The world is shifting. The internet has opened the door. The only question is: Are you ready to walk through it?
Thank you for your support.
Although, I live as a digital nomad, I have also been housing insecure. I have struggled to maintain long-term housing, and have had to move several times over the past couple of years. I have put a lot of time into researching poverty and the future of work in rural communities. I only need $150 more per month to stabilize things. Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Or if you can, consider a one-time donation to help out. Extra money I receive often gets invested into the communities I live and work in. Plus our team has a new baby expected any day now.
I have continued to struggle to replace funding I lost over the past couple of years. If you have any questions you would like to have answered regarding AI or other technology, please use my “Ask Chet” feature. It is $99 for a call to discuss any questions you may have. Simply having one person a month use this, I would be able to cover rent.
I have been working with a sport/fitness coach to build an AI powered coaching and marketing tool he will use to customize workouts and fitness tracking for his clients. This system will be the backbone of my custom Rural Resilience system as well as my Missional Living Training Programs. I am looking for another online educator interested in a project like this. It would be a great opportunity for our team to get some more hands on experience with AI tools. If you would like to discuss, please schedule a consultation with me. To learn more about our technology consulting or to schedule a consultation visit:
Coming in the new year will be my communities around missional living as well as the future of work in rural communities. Keep praying for us as we move forward with these initiatives.
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