Archive of "world" Category
The Hardest Thing to Do is Try
For over a year now, I have been apart of One Village Coffee.
We are a group of people trying to help children through funding development in overlooked regions of the world.
We are a Coffee Roaster, providing sustainably certified coffee to the conscious customer.
We are an educator, storyteller and believer.
There is more to starting something than being good…
With out the common value of change, wrong choices and painful experiences we would not be here still alive and growing.
This past year has tested my beliefs, confidence and understanding. Almost every day I am in over my head. For the past month I have immersed myself in coffee equipment and brewing technique. It is my goal to create a program for people who love coffee and the way it can develop community.
I long for community…
Ever since I left vocational ministry to pursue the dream that is the Kingdom: the belief that God is involved in His creation and longs for the created to take part in,
The restoration of relationships
The acceptance of the un accepted
The empowering of the poor
The development of Freedom
The community of Faith.
I wake up with a small understanding of the mess of the Gospel:
Giving up the right to do what is best for me and only me.
To consider others that I see as less than me, better than me.
I can not be who I am created to be with out the constant reminder of how scary this is:
Life and the pursuit of happiness,
True success, in the upside down world
A capitalistic tool of business, marketing, and sales:
Providing a commodity produced in the under developed countries through the industry of Coffee.
Marketing our product to the customer who believes paying more is supporting more:
I sometimes struggle with the idea of capitalistic gain through the helping of the poor.
I sometimes struggle with the sale of an idea or dream.
Concepts that we are a people who are made to co create and begin to build a better world.
I am not sure what all of this means, but it is helpful to write it out.
Sorry it has been so long…
What $1000 did for Bala
This is a letter sent from the director of NIFES, Bala Usman.
I am posting this because I want people to understand how much we have been given, and how much a little will do. This is a dear friend of our family and the reason we set off to start a coffee company, One Village Coffee, in order to support Non-Profit. We are currently working on starting an umbrella non-profit, Open Hand Initiative (OHI) for all the over looked people doing this kind of work around the world.
Right now there is a partnership forming with the MAMA project and the Nigerian leaders through my father. The reason we want to start this non profit which will be funded through One Village Coffee, grants, personal donations and other business’s is due to the rising interest in the involvement our family has internationally.
We are the connectors to communities around the world and it is time to tell the story of these amazing people do so much with so little.
Here the words of Bala:
Dear Hackman,
Warm regards to you and your family.
Beloved, you are the blessing that God has blessed to see that our vision and dream of transforming Africa through the Nigeria.
This is to personally and formally thank you for the timely gift you sent to help with our Coffee farm development which is a basis of enhancing
thousands being enhanced and empowered to make impact and reduce the poverty level of our people. The said amount came to N116, 300:00 because they gave me some lower denominations for $900@N119 (N107, 100) and the $80 @N115 ( N9,200) and the balance of ($20) was charged
as commission for the transfer from the USA. I feel deeply concerned for and loved by your act of mercy and care for the unknown. May his Love overwhelm you.
This is the summary and briefs for the total sum sent:
The sum of N72, 500 earmarked for the bore hole due to its dept and materials and labor. The boreholes work has started and will be finished by tomorrow.
The sum of N24, 000 earmarked for the cow dung manure, which has been supplied, and
The sum of N12, 500 to pay the workers for the month of December -January 2008.
The sum of N3, 500 earmarked for the fuel towards the watering.
The balance of N1000 I used it to buy phone card for phone calls and 2,800 gas for my car and movement for supervision.
These are the things that we are able to do at the school.
I used the balance to purchase 16 bags of cement @ N1, 530 and used it to floor the 5 classes (N24, 480). We also did deposit N 25,500: for the roof Hedges to cover the open areas of the roof and then fixed the window louver glasses costing N14, 160 against the cold weather to protect the children. The chicken birds were sold and we used them to settle our children fees (N135, 000: 00)
I WILL LIKE to APPRECIATE and keep thanking you for your graciousness and kindness to make us have less tension and more relaxed mind. I am humbled by your thoughtfulness.
I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE THOUGHT OF MOBILISING A TEAM TO HELP BUILD TH OTHER PART OF THE SCHOOL. You talked about working to gather the materials for the building. Sir, Can I know what and what I should begin to gather and put together? We are deeply overwhelmed over your desire and discussion to have people mobilized to support and come build or help work on the building in the school
Grace and I are praying and planning to have some time spending part of my Rest in 2008. Love to your wife and the Children.
