Do you live in the Lakewood/White Rock area? Free of fresh roasted coffee is coming your way! Are you ready to hear more about Well Coffee? We are securing a location for a launch party either December 4th or 11th. We are partnering with our friends at “Water is Life” for the launch party and you will have the chance to get a pound of coffee and buy a portable water filter for children abroad (http://waterislife.com/) by making a $20 purchase.

What a way to give a life-saving gift, and receive good coffee, right before Christmas!

Proverbs 13:23 Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.

So last week’s update mentioned some plans regarding coffee…here’s what we’re up to: Our friend Brooke Bowen here in Dallas has traveled extensively to coffee farms in Rwanda and Honduras and has been moving toward a deeper involvement in a market that has amazing potential for kingdom ministry. Many people don’t realize that coffee is the second most traded commodity next to crude oil. In fact, coffee is an economic mainstay for millions of people in up to 53 countries. Brooke has been directly involved with projects that directly benefit entire coffee-growing communities in those countries, partnering exclusively with local pastors and missionaries. Let me give you an example: The Cyambili coffee farm in Rwanda was completely ravaged during their conflict in 1994 and then neglected in the years thereafter. ALARM (African Leadership And Reconciliation Ministries), based in Dallas, has raised funds to not only rehabilitate the farm, but to build their own wash-station. In coffee-geek language, that makes the Cyambili farm a serious player in the market. They will produce their first crop this coming spring, and we plan to be there for the occasion.

Then what?

We will bring home the coffee, roast it, and sell it. We are called “Well Coffee” and will have a website with more information very soon. Our aim is to directly purchase coffee from these farms, eliminating the middle man and cultivating lasting relationships with our farmers. We are also in the process of forming a Roasters’ Cooperative where other like minded, Christ-glorifying coffee roasters will band together to form greater purchasing power from specific farms.

There are many elements to this approach, but here is the gist of it: Brooke Bowen, and the Mezgers will raise funds as ARM Missionaries while launching a roasting company. Most of you know I have been a coffee nerd my whole life, having started drinking the stuff in 5^th grade every morning with my great-grandfather in Klamath Falls Oregon. My love for coffee and the coffee world has become quite refined. I have been roasting my own green beans for years now and love to watch people “have their eyes opened” while sipping fresh-roasted (not just fresh ground, or fresh brewed, FRESH ROASTED) coffee.

I now present you with a plan to be directly involved with *ministry* taking place in coffee growing communities, beginning with Honduras and Rwanda. American Christians are givers, and have contributed to missions in unbelievable ways. Here’s an opportunity to invest in communities, all the while enjoying excellent coffee. We will be sending out more info in increments, including on our blog www.mezgermemo.wordpress.com but I wanted to introduce the idea to you, and present a few initial needs for funding. Our current needs to get started are:

· Roaster ($12-20,000 depending on size)

· Leasing Space (ideally $400-700 per month)

Thanks for your interest and your feedback is welcome. Love, The Mezger Clan

On my way to bury my friend, Leon. Died last Saturday at the age of 85. Married 64 years, converted to Christianity during his service in WW2 through the ministry of Army Chaplains from a background of dedicated Judaism. I will write more in time. I will miss eating lunch with him, talking baseball, singing hymns, and helping him walk, shower, etc. He finished well. What a goal!

We just returned from Denver last night. Our first week was spent at family camp with our church from Dallas. We then drove to Denver to spend time with Chris & Norma Black and their two kids. These are the kinds of friends that you only meet once in a lifetime. We met them in Sarajevo 5 years ago and they are amazing people. They came home from Sarajevo a week before we did for health reasons. They work with YWAM Denver. We originally went just to visit and have fun, but were not expecting the healing and relief that comes from a proper “debriefing”. One of the most difficult things about being a missionary is constantly being misunderstood. This isn’t a criticism, just a reality of such a vague and seemingly undefinable job. People at home don’t understand you, people on the field don’t understand you, but other missionaries, those with whom you serve side by side, those who have been there, they understand.

Is anybody still checking this site? Sorry we’ve been out of touch for a while now. After some difficult months returning home from Bosnia, I want to start updating this more regularly now that we are getting to a healthier state. Thanks for your faithful prayers and encouragement throughout our journey. More updates to come shortly.

Thomas and friends!

Yet again I’ve found myself in a deep state of mourning. I haven’t lost many that were close to me, in fact I still have all 4 grandparents, the youngest of which is 82. But last week we lost a dear friend, the first person I met at freshman orientation when I moved to Chicago 12 years ago. We were roommates at one point. Phil Penner died doing what he loved most, serving his Lord and savior Jesus Christ in Southeast Asia. There aren’t a lot of answers, but in short, he caught dengue fever, which led to a bacterial infection that became septic, killing him suddenly.

Janet and I are discussing tonight these defining moments in our young lives–losing two close friends (Nathan Taylor) in a year and a half, both men of strength and faith, fathers, husbands, men who truly lived for what was important. It is hard to cope, hard to swallow, and yet, defining.

God is so good to me, He provided a ticket for me to go home for the funeral. Surely stories and pictures will follow in the days to come, but please watch this short video clip of my friend, Phil Penner. It was an honor to know such a great man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsmisXYW06M

I had the honor to visit this island on our trip. The fortress, impenetrable in its day, until the airplane. Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and on the same day, begins their assault on the Philippines where thousands of Americans are stationed. General Douglas MacArthur in command, out of retirement, is given the order to abandon his troops, and friends, including President Manuel Quezon. He refuses repeatedly and submits finally to a presidential order coupled with promises of coming help. “I SHALL RETURN.” He departs, no help comes, and the American/Filipino force surrenders. Bataan Death March follows, along with mass killings of POW’s. They say that for 27 days, approximately 16,000 bombs fell on Corregidor before the surrender, shown below at the Malinta Tunnel. Very moving, all of it. 48,000 graves or names to commemorate it. MacArthur fulfills his promise and comes through. What a picture of him landing at Leyte Gulf! I have never heard such stories of camaraderie as those of the Filipino Scouts and American Soldiers. I love the picture of them below with the two flags flying in the backdrop.