by Robert Crow
Without warning, smoke began pouring into the upstairs office I was renting from a local church pastor. Jumping from my chair, I ran out of my office as fast as I could, down one flight of stairs looking for the nearest exit.

Racing into the lobby, I saw a smiling young man emerge from the smoke. By then, my voice had reached a loud roar, “What’s going on?” In the midst of my panic, he walked towards me grinning from ear to ear. At the same time, Pastor Jonathan walked out of his office to help calm me down.

The young man reached his hand out and introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Patrick from Rwanda and I’m roasting coffee beans to help my people.” I felt rather sheepish as I realized that the smoke was from Patrick’s first attempt at coffee roasting, which at that point had started smelling pretty good.

Neither the pastor nor Patrick acknowledged my angry reaction, as Pastor Jonathan gave a simple explanation for Patrick’s presence. He began to share how he was actively involved in a new ministry with the Rwandan people.

Curiosity has always been part of my nature and I wanted to know more.

Originally, I’m from northern England and had relocated to the U.S. I was renting an upstairs office from Pastor Jonathan that overlooked a sleepy tree-lined street in the quaint village of Roswell, Georgia. Running my travel agency from this location worked well for me. I liked the pastor; he was a good man. But, I could take or leave religion.

A Rwandan Bishop had visited Pastor Jonathan’s church, seeking support for a home for children orphaned by the war. Through his church’s subsequent involvement with Rwanda, Pastor Jonathan had several discussions with Bishop Rucyahana to determine if his church could do something to get the people back to work. It was during one of those conversations that Jonathan learned about Rwandan coffee: its rareness, high quality, and the good that production of the coffee was doing in Rwanda.

Several conversations sparked the idea of creating a coffee roasting company that would lend a hand to the people and help rejuvenate the Rwandan spirit and stimulate the economy. Thus Patrick, fresh out of college in North Carolina, helped jump-start a business-ministry that would market Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee.

I was deeply influenced by what this pastor and his church were doing in Rwanda, and after Patrick’s family called him home, I offered to use my sales background to help grow the coffee business-ministry. I had been impressed by the sacred grounds principle the company was built on with its focus on justice, reconciliation, excellence and entrepreneurship. Over this period of time, I listened to story after story of changed lives. I heard about the Rwandan style of living that requires forgiveness toward your enemy, or in this case, your brother. The Rwandan people’s love for God had touched my heart and it moved me to want to know more about Christ and his teachings. Through this exposure to Christianity-lived-out, I made the decision to become a follower of Christ.

As I planned my first trip to Rwanda in 2005, just saying Rwanda to my friends caused them to envision the genocide, people killing each other, neighbor against neighbor.

Despite their objections, I had a strong desire to experience what I’d been hearing about; I wanted to see Jesus in action. What the Gospel had done for the Rwandans, I wanted it to do for me.

My trip provided me the opportunity to see firsthand what was happening in the Rwandan culture. Living in the aftermath of violence, they were dealing with the stigma of what had happened. Left to deal with the repercussions of how the world now viewed them as a people, I learned that most Rwandans resented how the media as a whole had portrayed their struggle. What the world was not being told is that the Rwandans have developed deep roots in Christianity and it was changing their hearts.

As a people, they have literally laid down the tools of war and are now working hand-in-hand, neighbor with neighbor to grow their country. Sales from Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee provide proper living wages for growers, genocide survivors and perpetrators, and profits are invested in the war widows and orphans to help them start small businesses through microfinance enterprise.

I’m of the opinion that frequently charity perpetuates charity. I have heard stories in Africa how one traveler giving money to someone standing on the corner, the next day produced five more men standing at the corner waiting for a handout. Really, what they needed was a hand up, not a handout.

In 2005, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee was selling just $300 per week. Now, through the marketing efforts of the business-ministry, they are selling $4,000+ per week and the Rwandan people are being blessed by a return for their efforts.

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee:

• Makes it possible for farmers/growers to receive a fair living wage
• Provides loans to start small businesses
• Is helping establish platforms for ongoing true reconciliation
• Gives their customers the opportunity to have a great cup of java

Robert Crow holds dual honors degrees in European History and Modern Languages from Plymouth University near Cornwall, England. A former tour guide in Europe, his career choices have provided him the opportunity to live in England, Spain, and the U.S. With an innate curiosity to observe and understand human behavior, his God-given zest for life and people keeps him actively involved with the Land of a Thousand Hills business-ministry. To know more about Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, or place an order, and/or join the Coffee of the Month, please visit the website: www.drinkcoffeedogood.com

Buy one, get one free (up to 3 bags)

During the month of June 2008, Land of a Thousand Hills will double the size of five orders. The purchasing party needs to fill out the online comment section with the name of the person they intend to give the extra bag to, using the coffee as a tangible example of sacred grounds:
Justice • Reconciliation • Excellence • Entrepreneurship

Share it with a neighbor, your pastor, believers, and nonbelievers. We want to hear about your heart for Rwanda, Christ, and COFFEE!

Pastors looking to serve Rwandan Coffee at their church or are interested in starting a “Coffee Ministry” for their church—visit us at www.landofathousandhillscoffee.com/ministry_kit.htmf or call Robert Crow at 866.875.4369