Daily Offering Even non–coffee drinkers seem to relish the aroma of fresh-ground, fresh-brewed coffee. Its essence evokes feelings of warmth and comfort, especially on cold, damp days. For those of us who drink coffee, that first sip of the day fortifies us for the challenges ahead.
Imagine now if that same coffee that steels us for the tasks ahead can also help provide for the most basic needs of the poor living in the Third World. Our morning beverage can provide for life-sustaining food for children and the elderly, job training programs that enable the needy to become self-sufficient, or even access to medical and spiritual care.
Coffee, or as its aficionados refer to it, the nectar of the gods, can be the means to participation in the Corporal Works of Mercy promulgated by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Even tea drinkers may join in without violating their palate. That is, if the coffee is Saint Basil fair-trade coffee.
The Ground Floor Saint Basil Coffee was started by Jim and Mary Margaret Boyles and their children in 2004 at the urging of Fr. Vincent Thompson, a Basilian missionary working with the poor in Bogota, Columbia. Fr. Thompson urged Jim to use his gift of creativity to aid the missions. After much prayer and research, the idea of selling fair-trade coffee to raise funds percolated to the top. Since 2006, the all-volunteer company has provided nearly $400,000 to the missions around the world.
Brewing Hope Coffee lovers know the ecstasy of a bottomless cup of coffee. A nod of the head and a raised cup produces another round of joy. The crew at Saint Basil Coffee does their best to mimic that alert waiter by answering the needs of others. Just this year, as of September 19, 2013, they have distributed $36,500 to the missions from the sale of their coffee and from donations by generous benefactors. That’s $36,500 from total sales of $61,350. In February, Saint Basil Coffee sent money to the Congregation of Saint Basil (the Basilians) to fund a Saint Vincent de Paul program in Cali, Colombia, and to Medellin, Colombia, to purchase much-needed equipment for a carpenter job training program for youths.
In May, funds were sent to the Basilians for Fr. Oscar Soto in Bogotá, Colombia, for his project to feed children and the elderly.
In June, Saint Basil Coffee sent money to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit to purchase a 4WD vehicle for Saint Joseph’s Nyamirama Parish in Kabale, Uganda. The parish is very remote and roads are nearly non-existing, and a 4WD vehicle is necessary to provide pastoral services and transport the sick to medical facilities.
Money was also sent to a school for girls in Arusha, Tanzania, operated by the Sisters of Our Lady of Kilimanjaro. The funds are to be used to purchase a mill to hull and ground maize for food at the school and to provide some income for a nearby village.
Click here to continue reading about Saint Basil Coffee and learn how to order.
Find more work from Dennis McGeehan at Warriors World Dad. Dennis writes from Pennsylvania, and is available for speaking at your next store or parish event.
Stephen Weisenbach
Stephen Weisenbach is a freelance copy editor and proofreader, and guest-posts editor for the Catholic Writers Guild blog. He has worked with a number of Catholic media organizations, including Scepter Publishers, Circle Media, Catholic News Agency, Tiber River, and FultonSheen.com, as well as ad agencies serving national accounts. You can reach Steve at sweisenbach @ ymail.com.
Thanks for the tip.