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This month we will talk a lot about coffee, look at why Samoa has become a missionary sending giant, get a ministry update from a North Africa outreach, hear about the harvest in Sudan, hear what needs there are in Madagascar after Cyclone Gezani, share some prayer points, garner some wisdom from Steve Ahearn, and more …
Thank you for watching or listening to the Youth With A Mission News Show Podcast, this is the 169 episode. We are your hosts, Bill Hutchison and Lidia Hugentobler …
You can contact us, subscribe to future episodes, leave comments, and find links to all the stories we talk about on the show notes for this podcast at ywampodcast.com/169 …
Stories:
YWAM Rogaland has released their latest Fruitbreaks.
YWAM Rogaland Song Cafe
YWAM Rogaland Taste and Sea Coffee Ministry
Taste & Sea is a coffee ministry started by YWAM Rogaland spring 2022. We want to value our customers by seeing them and blessing them like Jesus would. We want to start conversations, build relationships and see people saved, all while brewing the highest quality, rich, ethical coffee.
Taste & Sea has a missional focus and sources it’s coffee ethically from all over the world. A portion of our monthly profits will go towards supporting different missions initiatives across the globe. Therefore, your investment will not only open the door for locals to experience God’s love but also touch people throughout the world.
Find out more at ywamrogaland.no/taste-sea-coffee.
Coffee Ministries
So in preparation for this episode I actually had a look at how many coffee ministries there were around YWAM by using the search function on ywam.org, and also Google. On YWAM.org I found 109 different programs and places that have coffee attached ministry! There is no way that we can go through all of them, but I have picked a few for us to look at …
The YWAM Global Coffee Initiative is one of the ministries that focuses a lot on coffee. Their motivation is:
“Love, Mercy and Justice are central to our motivation. We come alongside and lift marginalized peoples with time, resources and effort. We believe training, partnering and placement into the local coffee industries, will better communities around the globe.”
They run courses around the world from roasting to barista, and bean to cup. They also run multiple internship at many different locations.
Check out ywamgci.com for more.
Australia seems to pride itself on it’s coffee, with each capital city claiming to have the best coffee out there. The YWAM locations here seem to follow the same trend, with many locations having coffee ministries, and even coffee focused schools!
I thought I should start at the place where I first got a liking to, and addiction to coffee, Townsville, Queensland.
When I first started drinking coffee there I started on “home brand” instant coffee, but they have certainly lifted their game since then, and now run a not-for-profit cafe attached to the YWAM Precinct, where they can meet people for coffee, and also interact with the public. (source)
Over in Perth they run a neighborhood cafe called Leadman, serving excellent coffee, and “thoughtful, flavourful food”. The cafe is great place for the YWAM staff and student to interact with the local patrons, and is quite popular with the people around the area. (more)
YWAM Brisbane has their own “Meeting Place Cafe”, that focuses on creating a safe place to build community and extend hope to all in our local area.
Their heart and vision is to use the café as a space filled with warmth, hospitality, and the love of God. They hope that everyone who comes will experience His presence in a way that touches and transforms their heart. By simply serving their community and building genuine connections. They pray this café becomes a meeting place — where hearts find rest, friendships grow, and God’s presence is near. (more)
YWAM Toowoomba runs a Discipleship Training School, with a focus on cafe and barista outreach. The idea is to allow students to explore their passion for coffee while deepening their spiritual journey. (more)
In Europe there is also a strong coffee culture. I already shared about the song cafe happening here, but there are many others too.
YWAM Serbia has a cafe ministry where they “love all things coffee, from making it, to serving it, to talking about it, to tasting it! Coffee is a big part of the culture there and they plan to open a coffee house in Užice.
Engaging with the young people as to where they are at with God and seeing their lives transformed as they realize the love He has for them. (more)
In YWAM Amsterdam they have their “Priesthood” cafe, right in Amsterdam central. They want to create community with their neighbors and show hospitality to the tourists. Their desire is to reflect on God’s kingdom in the way they live out their faith. They use coffee to connect with people and to tell them about what God has done in our lives. (more)
The Oval Cafe is a specialty coffee shop on the YWAM Harpenden grounds in the UK; It actually started out as a meeting place for staff and guests, and now they have so much people from the community.
What’s fun is that their cafe not only serves the community but also provides training in hospitality, excellence, and discipleship. (more)
In Constanta, Romania, YWAM runs the “Next Door” community centre, that includes a comfy cafe as well as themed nights, neighbourhood BBQs, and more to engage their city, introducing them into an atmosphere of life, peace, and joy. At the community centre they also offer Alpha Courses, and other seminars to give the visitors the opportunity to discover Jesus. (more)
YWAM Budapest opens up their ministry location every Friday night to the public for live music and quality, artisan coffee. They have found this to be a fantastic way to engage with the local community, and to build deep and meaningful relationships with the people living around them. (more)
Even in Moscow YWAM is doing Coffee Shop / Cafe Ministry Evangelism. Understandably, we don’t have a lot of information about it, but there is a link in the show notes where you can try to get in touch. (more)
Bouncing over to the America’s we again have many locations engaging in coffee related ministries.
Starting in Zapopan, Mexico we have the Cerquita café, a project that was born as an idea to create a non-profit cafeteria, where all profits from the business are offered to Christian missionaries who work full time.
The cafe in the Zapopan area is a place where they can share the joy of friendship, coffee and coexistence with all types of people, reflecting the character and love of Christ. (more)
Over in Colorado Springs, they are running the Kairos Coffee House, where their goal is to impact their community and the world for the better. It’s a ministry that values the people, more than the coffee, and where they want to be a “go to place” for the community, a place to recharge and connect with like-minded people. (more)
YWAM runs “Coffee at the Hub” in downtown Wylie, Texas. It is an inviting coffee shop with a purpose. Their delicious coffee beans are grown around the world, and 100% of the profits from each cup are used for local and global missions. The shop is an amazing place to connect with the community, read or study, and be refreshed. (more)
Way up North in Alaska, YWAM’s Last Frontier Ministries runs “Last Frontier” coffee. The goal for Last Frontier Coffee is to reach out to the local seasonal workers who come to work at Denali national park for the cruise lines and build relationships with them Through our pavilion area relationship strategy. (more)
The Bridge Cafe is a ministry of YWAM Denver, and is dedicated to be a Bridge to their Local Community and the Nations. They want to partner with what is happening both locally and overseas by offering the coffee shop as a place to gather. They believe the gospel can transform the hardest and darkest places on the planet so they are committed to equipping those who have been called to “Go.” This could be through worship nights, prayer or a conversation over coffee. (more)
Over in Asia there is again, many places running cafes or ministry centres where Coffee plays an important role.
The Gospel Cafe at YWAM Okinawa is a welcoming space where community, creativity, and the message of Jesus naturally come together. Located on the base, it serves as a bridge between the YWAM community and the wider Okinawan public through good coffee, simple hospitality, and authentic conversation. More than just a cafe, it is a place for connection, outreach, and discipleship where relationships are formed, stories are shared, and the love of God can be expressed in everyday moments. (more)
In Cambodia, Café Eden is a Business as Missions project that is focused on investing in the future of the Khmer people. The aim is to empower Cambodians through teaching them new skills and creating jobs; allowing them to become stronger and more resilient, while maintaining their dignity. (more)
The goal of the Café is to create jobs and pour the profit back into the community through ministries that will create more jobs, get children off the streets and continue to empower Cambodians to create better lives for themselves.
Café Eden has been since December 2010, and have been achieving those goals. (more)
Elsewhere in Cambodia you will find the Yutika Cafe. Yutika means ‘anchor’ in Khmer. The cafe is a safe place to enjoy drinks and snacks together. They have trained other baristas in town, catered events, and did promotions for the youth in their YDC and Soccer programs.
They said that it was also a blessing for themselves aswell, to have a place to rest, meet. (more)
In Thailand, two different ministries run Outreach Centres, where they engage with at-risk communities and refugees. The Baan Dem Rak Community centre (more), and the Shan Outreach Centre (more) both work with their corresponding communities to provide training, employment, and a safe place to experience Jesus’ love.
You’re probably asking where’s the coffee or cafe part is. The centres are also place to meet, eat, and of course, engage in conversation over a hot (or cold) coffee.
That is definitely not an exhaustive list of coffee ministries in YWAM. Back in 2021 in episode 123 of the YWAM News Show I shared another half dozen or so coffee ministries in YWAM. You can head over to ywampodcast.com/123 to check them out, and search for “coffee” on ywam.org to see what current opportunities and ministries are happening.
YWAM Thailand
We heard about two of the ministries that YWAM Thailand is doing in their country, here is a short clip about some more of what they are doing.
Over at ywamthai.org you can find out more about their ministry, including the over two dozen locations, and many ministry opportunities.
YWAM Juba, South Sudan sent us this Ministry Update
“Today we witnessed something beautiful in our community that reminded us that ministry is not only inside church walls — ministry happens wherever Jesus leads us.
God has blessed YWAM Juba with a piece of land for agriculture, and as we went to dig and prepare the ground for planting vegetables, something unexpected happened. Members of the community gathered around us. What began as digging the soil became an opportunity to sow seeds into hearts.
We shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them right there in the field, and together we prayed. As we spoke about God’s love and His salvation, people listened with open hearts. Some shared their struggles and needs, and we could see that God was touching lives.
This became a testimony for us: when we obey God, He creates opportunities beyond what we imagine. We thought we were going to cultivate land, but God was already preparing a harvest of souls.
People often say in Juba, “People don’t dig.” But God spoke something different to us: “Dig and plant.” So we choose obedience — not only planting vegetables for the base, but planting hope, faith, and the Gospel into the community around us.
This land is more than a garden. It is becoming a place of provision, prayer, and transformation.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” – Matthew 9:37
Please continue to pray with us as we dig, plant, and preach the Good News. The field is ready, and God is moving.”
(source)
You can follow along for more updates on Facebook at YWAM Juba South Sudan.
YWAM Koha Update
Last episode we shared a praise report from YWAM Koha ships that they had gotten all the funds for the ship, and now we come with the newest update, it is back on the water!
Head over to ywamshipsaotearoa.org.nz to find out more.
Samoa Missions Movement
Even though Samoa only has a population of about 210,000 people, it has become a powerful sending nation, and the way that it happened is an amazing story …
Head on over to ywamsamoa.org to find out more, and to get involved with the amazing missions sending coming out of Samoa.
North Africa Outreach
YWAM San Salvador was recently in North Africa on ourteach, and sent this update:
Two weeks in North Africa, where nearly 99% of the population practices Islam.
As a team, we’ve been walking through cities in small groups, praying, interceding, and building genuine friendships with the people God places in our path. Through prayer walks and simple conversations, we’ve seen the Lord open doors to share our faith and pray for personal needs.
We also had the opportunity to gather with local believers, other teams, and long-term workers to pray for this nation and encourage one another.
The culture here is deeply rooted in tradition and religion, yet we can also see a real spiritual hunger in many hearts. We continue believing that every conversation, prayer, and act of love can plant an eternal seed.
You can find out more about YWAM San Salvadors ministry and outreach on their Facebook Page, which will be linked to in the show notes.
Reunion Even in Kansas City
If you have said yes to YWAM years ago and then life happened. YWAM Kansas City wants you to know that God is not finished with you yet and invite you to THE REUNION.
Don’t forget, June 11-13.
Kansas City.
And for anyone called to the Great Commision.
For more information visit their Instagram or website to register for free at ywamkansascity.com.
Wilderness Encounters: Hiking Retreat
The YWAM Location, Place of Springs in Spain, will be hosting the Wilderness Encounters: Hiking Retreat in October of this year.
This is a week-long retreat combining guided mountain hiking with daily reflections shaped by the theme Wilderness Encounters — exploring how we meet with God in wild and spacious places.
The retreat is facilitated by certified spiritual directors and a trained mountain leader, offering a unique integration of spiritual direction, reflection, and safe mountain walking.
We anticipate a rich time of encounter in community and in nature.
Check them out at placeofsprings.net to find out more.
Neighbours and Nations – YWAM Harpenden
Neighbours and Nations is a touring ministry of YWAM Harpenden. They are sending teams of young missionaries to partner with local churches across the UK and Europe.
They believe God is calling a generation to live fully-surrendered lives for Him. They want to empower to make Him known in their schools, universities, workplaces, communities and the nations.
With that YWAM Harpenden started the School of Mobilization.
If you’re a YWAM base, church or ministry and interested in hosting one of their teams, you can reach out at https://www.neighboursandnations.co.uk/.
YWAM New Renaissance – Florence
We have a really exciting update as a brand new YWAM location is added to the map. YWAM New Renaissance, in Florence Italy.
This is a very unique YWAM base that has a big heart for the arts. They will run their first Arts DTS this July that will be partnered with the professional Florence Classical arts academy. They want you to Make art to make Him known.
If you have a heart for missions and art consider joining their team as staff. You can find them on Instagram or Facebook Page at YWAM Florence.
Check out the Florence Classical Arts Academy website too for what you could take out and learn in this opportunity at artac.org.
PRAYER POINTS
Cyclone Gezani Hits Madagascar
The East coast of Madagascar is still recovering from a devastating cyclone that hit them on 11 February.
That video showed some of the work that Mercy Ships is doing in Madegascar, and what the situation is like there. YWAM Ships Switzerland also has a ship there, the Island Reach, working to provide relief to the people affected by Cyclone Gezani.
If you would like to find out what the YWAM team is doing there, and donate to help with the relief work, you can do so on their web-site, ywamships.ch.
The Invitation
Once again YWAM Globally joined together on the second Thursday of the month for “The Invitation” …
The invitation is a great time to join with the tens of thousands of YWAM staff and students around the world to pray. It’s exciting to see revival happening in our youth, and to be able to partner with God in that.
You can find out more about The Invitation, read the letters, and subscribes to future prayer letter at ywam.org/theinvitation.
TRAINING
Roast to Cup
YWAM Coffee School in Walker, Louisiana is be running their next Roasint, Brewing, and Barista school from July 19 – August 8. So if you want to learn how to make coffee for your own coffee ministry, or even just feed your own addiction, you have that opportunity though the Global Coffee Initiative ministry
Head over to ywamgci.com to find out more.
Words of Wisdom
We are now reaching the end of this episode, but before we do, I want us to take away some wisdom from Steve Ahearn.
That concludes this months episode.
If you want to follow along with the work that Lidia is doing with her team you can find us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at Ywamrogaland.
If you want to follow the YWAM Podcast you can find links to everything at ywampodcast.com, and for Bill, his personal web-site is billhutchison.org.
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