I am blessed.
I want to share with you about how incredibly cool my daily job is at UBean Coffee House & Roasterie.
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| UBean Coffee House/Grain of Wheat Community Center |
It's 12:05 pm, and I just walked 2 miles across the city streets of Ulaanbataar, Mongolia to arrive at the Grain of Wheat Community Center, where the UBean Coffee House rents space on the first floor. I pass by the white board propped up against the handrail outside listing the soup of the day. As I open the door, I hear the bell ring. The sound of the small brass bell that rings when the front door opens and hits it and has become a pleasant and familiar sound. Each time I hear it ring, it means someone is coming into the building to either visit the cafe or use the community center.
I hear the muffled sound of electric guitars and drums coming from the basement stairwell, which means students are downstairs using the new music room. Today I go down and listen to their latest song their learning and give them an encouraging smile.
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| Inside UBean Coffee Shop & Roasterie |
I walk back up the stairs and enter the cafe. The cafe is buzzing with people and the usual sounds & smells of a coffee shop. I can hear the beeping sounds of the cash register as the barista rings up an order. I say hello in Mongolian to the two young female students sitting on the first couch drinking hot Lipton tea. I pass by two men drinking cappuccinos who are deep in conversation with one another, discussing a passage from the bible. I recognize one of the men. He's a pastor who is discipling the other man who is a new believer in Jesus. The whirring sound of the coffee grinder comes on, and the barista is filling up the portafilter with fresh ground coffee. The coffee house is filled with the smell of coffee. I love the smell of fresh roasted coffee, and it is even more amazing when mixed with the delicious smells that are coming from the bakery case. The baker is filling it with a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls just out of the oven, covered in white icing that is melting on the tops of each warm roll.
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| Barista, Ariuka |
The baker and baristas faces light up with huge smiles, and they greet me with Mongolian greetings of hello, how was your rest? I smile back and bravely answer them that I rested well, trying my best to speak and pronounce my newly learned foreign language correctly. They are so encouraging, patient, and helpful giving me opportunities to practice. The barista tamps the coffee and attaches the portafilter onto the espresso machine to pull a shot. She starts the timer.
I pass by one of my American co-workers having coffee and chatting with a large group of Americans from YWAM Idaho visiting Mongolia. Steam shoots out the steam wand nozzle of the espresso machine and begins to make the milk sing in the cold silver pitcher. The Weepies are playing on the ipod shuffle, giving the coffee house that hipster background music vibe that adds to the peaceful serene ambiance.
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| Garid, Head Roast |
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| Ganna, Assistant Roaster |
As I walk closer to the kitchen the hum of the coffee roaster motor grows louder. The roaster drops green coffee beans into the roasting drum and starts the timer. He carries over the lastest batch of coffee from the roaster so I can smell and see the quality of coffee he roasted. He does his job with such joy and pride because he knows he's the best roaster in all of Mongolia. I put my nose near the coffee and inhale the scents of butter, warm nuts, and dark chocolate. I set my backpack down and hang up my jacket. After tying on an apron, I grab a spoon and sample the soup of the day, mmmm White Chicken Chili.
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| Ethan, MaryBeth, and Zach from YWAM Idaho |
I walk back out into the cafe and say hello to the group visiting from Idaho and ask if I can take their picture to put on UBean's facebook page. I tell them that I live in Wyoming, and learned that one of the young men in the group, Ethan, had stayed overnight at my church in Evanston. I told the group a story about one time when a group of teen YWAM'ers from Idaho stayed over night in our church and someone had lost a wallet down the couch and I had returned it to his mother this past spring. Ethan tells me that it was his wallet, and we both laugh in amazement realizing this little story has come full circle and we are now reconnecting with each other on the other side of this small planet.
I know I am truly blessed getting to serve my amazing God this year overseeing the UBean Coffee House and Roasterie. I sometimes still have to pinch myself to know that it is a reality.
I can see God at work everywhere in the building, using his faithful followers to invest in and disciple the people who come into the community center and cafe.
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| Anu |
If you don't mind reading just a little bit more, I'd like to share with you a more personal story on how God uses a small coffee shop in the middle of Mongolia to further his kingdom. A young college medical student named Anu began coming to Open Mic Night on saturday nights. She sings like an angel! We encourage her to sing every time she comes. Anu is a Christian, and got involved in leading a Campus Crusade group at her college. This fall Anu asked if she could use UBean Coffee House as a place where her CC group could meet on friday nights in the cafe. Anu's group came and met at UBean every friday night for 4 weeks where she shared with other medical students the good news of Jesus Christ. Because of Anu's heart for God's lost people, there are now seven new believers in Jesus.
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| Campus Crusade Mongolia |
Please continue to pray for God's blessing upon UBean and the Grain of Wheat Community Center, that we can continue to reach out and make an impact in this community. That this new business would continue to grow and prosper and become known for having the best fresh roasted coffee in all of Mongolia. Pray for Erik & Christina Wahlen and their family during their year in America.
~ God's Coffee Servant
