Yes, I have a dream to change hearts through a cup
of coffee.
I want to open a coffee shop where
homeless people, business people, and blue-collar people (essentially all of
God’s children) can come and sit and fellowship in a faith based atmosphere.
God has had a lot of time to reveal things about this coffee shop, as He placed
it in my mind back in New Zealand. This will be a place where people will come
and be edified and encouraged. The rich will come alongside the poor. Both will
be able to realize opportunities and their giftings. Then the shop’s call is to
encourage each person to bring those things to fruition. There will be local
and global awareness of the things that mean the most to God displayed
throughout the shop. I want the shop to outwardly look like a coffee joint. But
once people walk through the door, they physically feel different—loved. I want
it to shine, to be a beacon to onlookers who are so intrigued by the luminosity
that they can’t help but come inside for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.
Each person should be greeted as if they had just come home. They should see
the love toward them. They should then see the love between those
working/volunteering there. The coffee shop will work with clubhouses for the
mentally ill and with homeless organizations. Ultimately, I’d love to see the
homeless person working alongside the college student, and the mentally ill
person working beside some big-wig corporate person. The way in which the shop
will do business is honestly, morally, and fair. The shop will run IN ORDER
to empower the less fortunate. The atmosphere will automatically draw people to
get involved despite demographics or social status. This coffee shop won’t
necessarily tell the Gospel, but rather it will SHOW the Gospel. It
would have programs for people (ex. art classes, room for Bible studies,
concerts, etc.). I have a sense from the Lord that this coffee shop should be
in Colorado (lucky you, mom and dad). I remember walking along the 16th
St. Mall in downtown Denver with my mom, grandma, and aunties back in September
2009 and a place like that seems to make a lot of sense. I want to be in the
business of changing hearts. What better way than over a cup a Joe? Hearts will
be changed not by what humans do but by what Love (God) does. It will be the
Church disguised as a coffee shop.
I decided that really this dream would only
continue so long as the Lord saw fit for it to. I am going to dream, pray, and
walk through open doors. If the Lord wants to close the door on this idea at
any time, I have a peace about it. But so far it’s been funny to see how God
continues to bring this up. This month in Uganda, we were beyond blessed to be
where we were. It’s absolutely breath taking where we are and where we’ve been.
God 
took us to the land of Arabica Coffee. Our translator, Brutus, taught us
everything about how coffee is produced right from his very own coffee trees.
He’s also committed to working hard on his crop and having others in his
community to do the same so that when my coffee shop is up and running, I can
do direct trade with the members of Buganiyana. Oh and in case you’re
wondering, this coffee is, hands down, the best coffee I’ve ever had.
With that in mind, I am asking you all to be
praying. If you hear anything from the Lord about this coffee shop, please let
me know what He’s telling ya’ll. With my new 54 brothers and sisters (my squad)
I’ve heard lots of awesome exciting things about starting a non-profit and such
but I’d love to hear more about what ya’ll may know. I’ve heard that there can
be grants that you can get for restoring old buildings (I’m hoping for a big
one, so that it can facilitate the entirety of this dream). Also, there may be
grants for helping with rehabilitating homeless/mentally ill people through
organizations. Do any of you know of any cool buildings that need some lovin’
in downtown Denver?
I have a dream. It’s a big one, but I’ll continue
dreaming a dream so big that only God can fulfill it!
