Noah, Gideon and a Give Back Cafe

Oct 27

For many of us, coming into 2020 was filled with excitement, anticipation and hope. There was a certain buzz surrounding not only a new year, but a new decade and all the possibilities it would bring. For my work in the anti-trafficking world and Stories Foundation, the end of 2019 signified 7 years since we had begun our journey. In the Bible 7 is a number of completion and I felt God was moving us forward from a time of preparation and waiting toward a new season. For me, going into 2020, I felt this was the year for Storyteller Cafe.

A few different things occurred at the end of 2019 to water this seed of hope in my heart. A bank we had reached out to previously reached out again and was willing to talk about funding the project. Also, we had found our design and build company, signed a contract and made some crucial decisions on the building (to build instead of renovate) and an initial design was commissioned. Doors were being opened without me pushing and I felt compelled to walk through them.

Then, as you all know, the completely unexpected happened. Our world was confronted by a global pandemic. Not in a million years could I have imagined the United States shut down, so when the world shut down, along with all of you, it threw me into a bit of a shock.

Like any sane person I did some reflection on our work at Stories Foundation and as a person of faith, went to God in prayer. I had felt so strongly we were meant to move forward with the cafe this year; and now everything pointed to moving forward not being a very good idea, or even possible.

At the beginning of the pandemic everything froze, especially in the nonprofit world. The anticipation of job loss propelled a fear of loss of income and loss of giving. An already shaky foundation of income for nonprofits (donations) was shaken as the economy shut down and income, for many, ceased.

Yet, as I prayed, I felt strongly we were meant to move forward with anti trafficking work. And as I prayed specifically about Storyteller Cafe, God led me to Genesis and the story of Noah and the Ark.

In Genesis 5 God tells Noah the world has become so wicked he will destroy it but he will save Noah, his family and two of every kind of animal in a really big boat Noah will have to build. The Bible doesn’t give a lot of details here about the time between when Noah was given the specifications about what to build and when the rains started to come but I can imagine building that boat in the desert where it would have to rain more than they could even comprehend for it to ever float was a scene set for ridicule by those watching.

As I considered the story of Noah I heard God say; build this cafe. Yes, in the midst of a pandemic, when all the restaurants are closing. Build this safe place for the hurting and alone to gather and receive opportunity to know their worth.

Whether you believe the ark was real or not (I do) it was a symbol of rescue, it brought its inhabitants to a new start, a new beginning.

When I think about human trafficking and the insidious way it’s root causes have wound themselves into the fabric of our families and culture, the reality is so much of the world is not a safe place for those who have survived exploitation. There are very few opportunities for those who have lived years of abuse to find the support they need to dream again about the value and purpose they are meant to bring to this world.

As you can imagine, moving forward with fundraising for Storyteller Cafe and saying we hope to break ground in 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, brought some side eye from the people around me. It also brought a lot of you forward in support, and your support, prayers, financial gifts, and encouragement has continually propelled me forward, I can’t thank you enough.

So, we moved forward. Our April event went virtual and you all showed up. We began to really step up our search for land and in line with 2020, the world’s spotlight was turned to racial injustice, with Minneapolis at the center. Again, my soul was rocked. I spent time mourning and repenting for myself, for my city, for the Body of Christ. In the midst of all of this, no one was calling us back about land.

It was nearing the end of June and I sat down with my journal to pray. I did something I don’t normally do, I told God if he meant for us to move forward with this cafe he needed to show us where the land is, today. Then I closed my journal and took the day off of work to take my girls to the beach to meet a friend. Towards the end of our time my friend, who I hadn’t seen in a long time, asked me how everything was going. So I told my 2020 story, we were moving forward with the cafe like Noah and the Ark, but we need land ASAP. She asked if we were open to anywhere and I said yes, God has a spot, I am completely open. Her and her husband had moved in the past year and he had gotten involved in local politics. The city they were in was looking to develop land, she would reach out.

The next day she called, the city was looking to bring in a cafe and retail space (exactly what Storyteller Cafe will be) and they wanted details. Needless to say, by the end of the week we were talking with a representative from the city and beginning the process of approval to purchase land to build. The doors have been opening as we have been moving forward through the process with the city to build Storyteller Cafe. There are many reasons I will save for another day why this seems like the exact right spot for our first location. We continued to move forward.

At the beginning of 2020 my contractor told me we would need to break ground before the ground freezes here in Minnesota, which essentially means time is ticking. Of course with 2020 we have now set records for early snow fall and as we have gone through the approval process with various committees from this city and wait for our turn to be voted on by city council, I am counting the days.

Again as I was praying about the time running out for us to be able to break ground this year God led me to Gideon. If you aren’t familiar with the story of Gideon, God called him to assemble an army to fight against the people oppressing the Israelites. Gideon was timid, asking if this is really what God wanted him to do. After God confirmed it was, he assembled a large army, which then God led him to cut from 32,000 men to 300. Gideon had only God to rely on and went into battle with the 300 men, yet they didn’t even have to fight. They confused their enemies and the enemies ended up killing each other. Israel was delivered from their oppressors, only because of God.

I have felt time trickle through my fingers and watched people less apt to take up the cause this summer (our run fundraiser numbers were the lowest in the history of ever), maybe this is how Gideon felt as he watched all those men leave to go home instead of stay to fight.

Tonight Storyteller Cafe goes before the city council. I haven’t told you the name of the city because we aren’t approved yet. Tonight is the night we find out if we can move forward. I believe, and am praying, that we will be approved. 2020 isn’t over yet and I believe we are meant to keep moving forward.

I could have waited until tomorrow to write this story, I could have waited until I had an answer on whether we are approved for this land or not. But I felt compelled to write today, before we know if it will be a yes or a no, because I want you all to be a part of this story. Because I want to be authentic in the messy middle of following Jesus by faith and caring about injustice.

I have an ask for you. Will you pray? The battle for Storyteller Cafe is one happening through prayer and if you will join us in praying for a way for us to continue to move forward, for favor with this city, and for the finances to come in. The agreed upon cost of the land is 67,953.60 and the down payment needed for the bank loan is $307,046.40. I believe if we are approved tonight, whatever obstacles are in the way of this money coming in will be broken through. We aren’t done yet, but neither is 2020. Will you consider joining me in prayer for these things?

And whether you pray or not, will you share our story? 8 years ago I was very naive about human trafficking when my mom and I started on a journey to build a Give Back Cafe. We didn’t know the immense need there actually is for awareness and opportunity for survivors and those vulnerable, but God knew. He is moving, He cares about those who are seemingly unseen among us, He is the God who sees and he uses humans to accomplish his work. So will you be a part of what He is doing, whether you believe in him or not, will you share?

I still believe we will break ground on Storyteller Cafe in 2020. But even if we don’t, I know none of this has been in vain. I know God is working. I know human beings are worth fighting for.

Plus, I heard the other day that this snow we got is an insulator for the ground so it won’t freeze as fast, I see you God. I see you.