June in Rwanda (2011)

Yesterday, while I sat waiting for my flight to Rwanda, I was catching up with a friend on the phone. She asked me, “Is it true? Is coffee in Rwanda really bringing people out of poverty, helping them reconcile? And really, is it some of the best coffee in the world?” - I love a good skeptic.

I ask you, the reader, if your country fell apart and the nation turned in on itself, how would you start to reconcile with your neighbor? If it lost 10% of its population in just 100 days at the hands of brainwashed militia, how would you start to forgive? How do you even begin to function again as a people, how do you start to rebuild?

The answer in Rwanda was to start to get people back to work, working together. For the rural communities, this work came in the shape of coffee.

It is now widely accepted that Rwanda produces some of the finest specialty coffee in the world! 100% arabica, all natural beans, grown on heirloom trees in volcanic soil. The coffee is exceptional, but Rwandan farmers need to work together to grow this coffee. As they come together, they prosper, and communities start to reform and embrace a greater purpose.

A people once only known for genocide is now becoming known as a nation of peace and coffee. By drinking their coffee, you are blessing their work. They are blessing us too, as we experience and embrace their unique stories of restoration.

So yes, the coffee is great! People are providing for themselves. Forgiveness can be felt all around. To learn more, all you have to do is read this blog and Drink Coffee. Do Good.