Coffee, Patience, and Vocation
I hope while you read this, some of you are enjoying a nice cup of morning coffee. I know I’ve been enjoying plenty of them during our time in Rwanda, and the coffee here has been so so yummy! But it gets better! Not only have we been drinking delicious coffee, we also had the chance on Friday to get a glimpse into how the coffee is made!
We had the opportunity to visit a coffee farm here in Rwanda to learn about the whole process — up close in real life — and man it was incredible! The land and the views by the farm were some of the most breathtaking I have ever seen, the workers were so kind and welcoming, and it was amazing to see how a seed planted in Rwandan ground turns into the drink that we all know and love. There are quite a few steps to the process, and each of them requires caring and patient hands before the coffee becomes something so tasty and can serve its fullest purpose. It reminded me a lot of the ways that God grows each of us and shapes us more and more into His image as we walk with Him. The process takes time and effort, but our Creator is present and helps us at each step along the way. The workers on the farm beautifully represent this in the process of helping the coffee beans grow. Each part of the process requires their attention, and many of the steps require their patience as well. By providing these things, the workers on the farm are able to make the coffee beans into something wonderful and of the best quality.
Watching the coffee-making process also felt like an example of what God intended vocation to look like. The fellows have been learning a lot about vocation throughout the year, so it was cool to see it in practice in a new way. Through vocation we are invited to participate in God’s creation — to take what He has made and to steward and cultivate it. And that’s exactly what the workers at the farm do! They take God’s land and vegetation, grow it, nurture it with loving hands, and make it into something that brings joy to so many people all around the world!
More than this, these men and women are not just cultivating the earth, but are doing so with a heart that I think the Lord would take much delight in. When we arrived at the farm, they were more than ready to welcome us in with joyful song and dance. Many of them took us by hand to dance together, and we got to participate in rejoicing in the work they were doing, the beauty of the land, and the things growing all around us. They were so happy to share it with us, and it felt like a form of worship and a huge gift to enter into that with them.
So, now, when I drink my morning coffee, I will be reminded of the care and joy with which it is made, of the beauty of God’s creation, and of His people who are taking part in cultivating it.
Tess