Tag: coffee

When Yahweh Makes Me Coffee

On By jenniferstoltzfusLeave a comment

One of the unrivaled joys of my life is the way that Yahweh makes me coffee.

You see, my Maker has crafted me to simply love a hot cup of joe. My addiction to the bean first started while serving on mission in Brazil. I can still smell the rich blend and see the liquid, black as the starless night, pouring from the pot to fill my mug in the morning. I didn’t drink coffee before that… it’s a life I try not to remember. 😊

Since that trip in 2009, I have grown to deeply love the way that coffee brings people together. Over coffee I have reconciled friendships, grown giddy with unexpected affection, written papers, read theology, watched movies, talked about Jesus, and shared stories. With laughter and tears, with new friends and old, in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

While in Malta last year, on one of my hardest days to date, my students invited me to her room at the refugee camp. She made me coffee and we talked about Jesus. It was a sweet way that Yahweh unexpectedly gave me that which I love most. {You can read more about that day here!}

Now in Fiji, I was struggling again, as I did in Vanuatu, with the way some of the methods we were teaching were playing out in the community. I confessed my frustration to my King, and my longing to see methods played out appropriately and effectively – something I had yet to see.

My prayers were expressed in conversation with Adina, my beautiful fellow intern from Romania. As we set out in the afternoon for our intentional gospel sharing time, we told each other of our struggles thus far. I said how much I wanted to see a relationship built with a family. She said how badly she wanted to see someone respond emotionally- not for the sake of tears, but because Jesus genuinely moved in their heart. We wanted to meet someone whose day would legitimately be better because we talked with them. Not an inconvenient nuisance, or burdened interruption, but a true blessing. Unimportantly, I mentioned that I was hungry. And off we went.

Totally by God’s leading, we ended up on a street and at the first home we passed, we saw a boy in the driveway. We told him we were helping with a church down the road and wanted to get to know some people in the area. He eagerly invited us inside where we met his brothers and grandmother, Kalo. We learned that Sam’s family had just returned to Fiji after living in the States for two years (which explains his incredible English!). We quickly discovered that Kalo is a strong believer, and she shared her beautiful testimony with us. We learned about her life and family, and she told us specific things that she needed prayer for.

When we finished praying, we opened our eyes to see Kalo weeping. She was so moved by our time together and so encouraged by our faith in Yahweh. She wiped her eyes and asked if we would stay for afternoon tea. She sliced bread and brought out butter and peanut butter.

We built a relationship. We saw true emotion and gratefulness… even in tears! She fed us. Every longing in our hearts was met in a stunning way.

Adina and I sat smiling across the table. It was easy to see Yahweh’s hand at work and hear His gentle whisper. Though it was tea instead of coffee, it was my King. Knowing what I love, seeing what I need, and stirring them together like the milk and sugar in my mug.

xoxo

A Lovely Start.

On By jenniferstoltzfusLeave a comment

I find it delightfully sweet when Yahweh takes my meager expectation and lavishes glory wildly upon it. That is the best way my jet-lagged mind can wrap around what I am currently experiencing.

We arrived in Fiji at 5am on Monday morning, and made it to the training center around 7:30am after customs, baggage, etc. For the sake of teaching our bodies to adjust, they (our leadership) encouraged us to stay awake and push through the exhaustion (by filling our day with activities).

When we first arrived at the training center, several of us noticed an adorable cottage just a few yards away from the main building. We commented on how cute it was as we followed the group up the main steps. It was here that they were sorting luggage and giving room assignments. All the other names were called and I was left standing with Sabrina, Olivia, and Charlene (a new friend from North Carolina). Langdon (intern leader) says that the four of us will be living in the cottage out front.

Umm. What? All summer? No way…

Yes way. And it’s every bit as adorable on the inside as we thought it might be from the outside.

The intern team is amazing. We have ten countries represented among us – USA, Australia, Romania, China, India, Mexico, Fiji, Vanuatu, Kazakhstan, and England. Conversation often becomes giggling about the differences between the English pronunciation of various words in England, Australia, and home. We’ve all acknowledged that we wish we had someone else’s accent and that our own is just boring.

We spent some time playing volleyball at the beach on our first day, and so the staff built us a court in our backyard. The food is delicious, the conversations are rich, and we feel God’s presence in everything. I have never in my entire life seen a more beautiful sunset than in this place. There’s a cool breeze in the morning and at night. We take morning and afternoon breaks from the schedule to have coffee, tea, and cookies. They have adopted dogs that live around the training center and one of them just had puppies. You see what I mean? Everything is simply lovely.

This week will be full of training: personality, giftedness, evangelism, and more. We’re learning from incredibly gifted people who are exceptionally passionate about seeing Yahweh become famous all over the earth. We leave for Vanuatu on Saturday and will be teaching and training church pastors and working with a team of high school students from Australia.

This is, hands down, one of the most humbling communities I have ever been a part of. I’m so grateful for your prayers and look forward to sharing more. Now while you greet Tuesday, I will bid it farewell. I hope it’s as sweet for you as it was for us.

Goodnight.

xoxo

H, Coffee, and Motorcycle Rides in Malta: The Perfect Day

On By jenniferstoltzfus1 Comment

Friends,

We serve mighty and glorious God who loves us personally and intimately. Today I was amazed again by His precious love and the way that He speaks to me so sweetly. Refusing to allow me to stay in the place I am, He urges me ever onward until He is all I desire. Today was a manifestation of the divine at work and I am more than humbled to be a part of it.

Yes, I’m learning to find the beauty of the gospel wrapped in the package of the alphabet.

My morning in the first camp was lovely. Ruhia was there on time and ready to learn. I anxiously wrote the letters A through J, as we practiced yesterday, and hoped with every ounce of my being that H was retained in the night. A through G was perfect, and when I pointed to H she said, “X. No, H!”

HORRAYYY!!!!!!!!!

Let’s be honest, this sweet woman says X for everything (which is unfortunate because it’s probably the least used letter in the English alphabet!). But she remembered!!! Before I even had a chance to respond she was correcting herself. I’m so proud of her.

This precious heart might not hear an articulate gospel presentation from me, but I am confident that she will know the alphabet by the end of the week, and I’m beginning to see the gospel in that.

While riding the bus today I was reading Shaney’s book through email on my phone, while listening to Jay’s music. I can’t help but brag about how proud I am of my precious siblings. Kelly just got a wonderful job in the city of all of our dreams (and Jason’s reality..). They are each are so amazing and I’m incredibly proud to be their sister.

The day only got better from there. Yesterday I met Kradga (pronounced Kra-dee-ja) in the afternoon camp. She is very smart and learns so quickly. She also had one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen. We had such a fun time yesterday giggling and learning the alphabet.

Armed with her pen and journal, she arrived right on time and was so excited to learn. After successfully identifying letters, their sounds, and numbers, I decided to take her outside on a walk to learn things like sky, trees, leaves, etc. She grabbed my hand and held it as we walked. I picked her a pink flower to help identify plants and colors (and because I wanted her to know she was so loved).

There was a man in the camp and Kradga started talking to him. I came to learn that he is a good friend to many in the camp. He is from Algeria and he came to Malta to play football, sought refugee status and was accepted; he speaks English very well and was very kind to talk to. Kradga was talking to him in Maltese and pointing at me. He stopped and said, “She loves you very much!” (Oh, my heart!) She kept talking. He told me that she wanted to make us coffee in her home upstairs.

We went upstairs to her sweet little home. It is smaller than my living room in Towers, and the bedroom that she shares with two other women is separated from the “kitchen” by a sheet hanging from the dresser. It was both humble and humbling. She made three cups of coffee and we sat and talked.

Muhammad is Muslim, but told me that he has been attending church for many years to learn the difference between Christianity and Islam. He asked why I was in Malta and I told him that while I wanted to teach English, I more so want them to know the love and joy that I have found in Jesus Christ and how it had changed my life. He translated that for Kradga and she smiled and nodded her head. This was right about the time that she had to attend another lesson in the camp and we all left. What a great start to conversation about Christ!

Now, my favorite thing in the world is to make a pot of coffee and enjoy conversation with old (or new) friends. How absolutely lovely was it that I not only got to share my purpose for being there, but with a cup of coffee, in my new friend’s little home, by means of a personal (Muslim!) translator.

God is good. And He is sweet. And He knows our hearts so intimately. He knows what we need and how we need it and how we can be the means of simultaneously giving others what they need. It is too beautiful. Please let Him do that in your heart and life. He will show Himself holy to you. He will meet your needs and exceed your wildest dreams.

We met up for dinner in Valletta with the rest of the team (who goes to a different camp in the afternoon). Then we went to the prayer house for a weekly meeting. The Maltese church members prayed over our team and it was powerful and moving. My heart was rid of selfish desires and prideful tendencies. Forgiveness. Restoration. Love. Grace. Mercy. So underserved. My cup overflows.

As if this day wasn’t wonderful enough, Eve (our missionary) said that one team member would have to ride home with Ben (her husband)… on his motorcycle. Naturally, I volunteered for the adventure! I now understand why folks are so set on driving those ever so dangerous forms of transportation… it was SO dang fun!!!!

Ah. The perfect day.

I lay my head to rest with a full heart, anxiously awaiting the rest of our time. And I thank you profusely for keeping up with me. It means more than words in a blog could ever express.

God bless you precious people,
Jenn