Things are not so great right now. Life has been really stressful. We lost the shop we signed the contract for in May. The owner backed out of the deal and so this shop is no more. It is back to the beginning for us. We have been looking at realtor listings again and have viewed a few places that would not really work for us. So, we are still looking around. The whole team is feeling very down about this.
I had visitors! A coupe of volunteers from Poland came to give some coffee training. It was great to be with them again. We spent the days touring different coffee shops around Copenhagen and the evenings learning about coffee. It was nice to have friends visit. And we went to a roastery here and we were served coffee by the first World Champion Barista. That was an exciting experience! I forgot how much fun it was to visit shop after shop. It was a good time.
I have a crazy few weeks coming up. In a week I leave for summer camp. I think it will be a lot of fun. And the day I get back from camp the work team from West Virgina arrives. Also that night my parents arrive. I am getting really excited for that. It will be a good time. The work team will be doing different projects around the church and the house since we do not have property. But, I think it will turn out ok.
I am still studying my Danish for my immigration test. I am feeling very positive about the language part. I am getting nervous about the culture part.
Hopefully we find a new shop soon. This trial has really been weighing on our spirits.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
shop owners aka craziness begins
It is official, we now own a coffee shop in Copenhagen!! This one-
It is really close to the center of the city, on Nanensgade. I am so excited that it is all official now! But... this means the craziness shall begin! Life is getting busier and busier for me. When I stop and think about all that needs to be done and all that will be happening soon I feel overwhelmed. I am EXCITED about the shop!!! And all of the preparations ahead. We have some volunteers from Poland coming at the end of June to help us with some coffee training. Then in mid-July we have a small work team coming to help us get things prepared. And then we open around August first!! Yea! :)
Saturday, May 26, 2012
past the halfway point...
Time is flying by and I realized I have now been here for 7 months! That is crazy! In a lot of ways I feel like I have just got here, like I am just getting started.
I have started my "official" Danish lessons. In July I will have to take a simple immigration test. I will have to be able to answer cultural/government questions as well as language questions. All of them will be done in Danish. I am feeling more confident about the language questions then the others. Classes this week went well, I am behind because they started me in the middle of a book, but I think I will catch up.
Things in the white house are going well. We are getting ready for summer vacation and planning or final activities before summer break. We have had some ups and downs with attendance, but that's the way it goes with youth. You can read about the ministry in this article- white house ministry
And with the future coffee shop church in Denmark we have BIG news!!!!! WE HAVE A LOCATION!!!! Everything is approved and the contract is waiting for our John Hancock, and then we will own a coffee shop in the center of Copenhagen. The shop we have bought has been in operation for a little while. The owners are selling EVERYTHING along with the shop. Basically we are just taking it over from them. In July we will close the shop for a couple weeks to do some simple remolding and touch-ups to make it our own. We will officially open the first of August. There is a lot we need to do before then. We still need a lot of help with fundraising, the good news is that we will not have a huge project, just a big one. We also, need to be trained and prepared for when we do open. There is not only a lot of building paperwork, but personal as well, such as a taking a hygiene course. Yeah, I have to take a hygiene course in Danish to be approved to work in a kitchen. That will be an interesting experience. We have a menu that needs to be planned. Also, we are having a very small work team for a week in July. They come at the perfect time to help us get the work started in the shop. So, A LOT is going on and soon I will busily be working daily in a coffee shop again. I kind of miss that.
Things are no longer slowly moving, but flying forward and I am excited to see where God is taking us!
I have started my "official" Danish lessons. In July I will have to take a simple immigration test. I will have to be able to answer cultural/government questions as well as language questions. All of them will be done in Danish. I am feeling more confident about the language questions then the others. Classes this week went well, I am behind because they started me in the middle of a book, but I think I will catch up.
Things in the white house are going well. We are getting ready for summer vacation and planning or final activities before summer break. We have had some ups and downs with attendance, but that's the way it goes with youth. You can read about the ministry in this article- white house ministry
And with the future coffee shop church in Denmark we have BIG news!!!!! WE HAVE A LOCATION!!!! Everything is approved and the contract is waiting for our John Hancock, and then we will own a coffee shop in the center of Copenhagen. The shop we have bought has been in operation for a little while. The owners are selling EVERYTHING along with the shop. Basically we are just taking it over from them. In July we will close the shop for a couple weeks to do some simple remolding and touch-ups to make it our own. We will officially open the first of August. There is a lot we need to do before then. We still need a lot of help with fundraising, the good news is that we will not have a huge project, just a big one. We also, need to be trained and prepared for when we do open. There is not only a lot of building paperwork, but personal as well, such as a taking a hygiene course. Yeah, I have to take a hygiene course in Danish to be approved to work in a kitchen. That will be an interesting experience. We have a menu that needs to be planned. Also, we are having a very small work team for a week in July. They come at the perfect time to help us get the work started in the shop. So, A LOT is going on and soon I will busily be working daily in a coffee shop again. I kind of miss that.
Things are no longer slowly moving, but flying forward and I am excited to see where God is taking us!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Once again, almost a month flies by and I realize I have not updated my blog in awhile... I can not believe it is May. Since, I have returned from Sweden, the time has flown by with a lot of practical work. I have gotten busier, which is nice, I like being busy. So... how have I been keeping myself busy??? I don't know! :) A lot of my focus has been on getting Danish lessons and figuring out how I am going to be able to pass a test this summer on the language and the culture. Right now, it seems I will not be able to get into the official classes in enough time before work in the cafe and the test happens. But, I think I will be able to study to pass the test. That is the not so exciting project that has been keeping me busy.
Cafe Shopping... We have been looking at different possibilities for the cafe. We have also been pushing forward with figuring out paperwork, foundation legal stuff, and budget things. But, the most exciting thing is we are pretty set on a property! We have visited a shop for sell that we REALLY like! It is a little small, but it is a great deal and will not have a lot of work to get it reopened. We all feel like this could be the place and we are now in the middle of the paperwork for taking it over. We are also continuing our need for fundraising! Right now a couple from the team is in the US speaking at different churches. And I am slightly jealous that they get to be Stateside....
This past Friday was National Prayer day here. A few of us went to an international service held in a state church in the center of the city. It was international! I think there were a lot more immigrants there, then Danish people. It was a great experience to worship with so many different nationalities. And to hear and see them pray for the leaders of this country even though it is not their "home land". It was amazing to be a part of.
Things have been busy with Danish lesson, meetings, and such. But, we are really moving forward and I am excited to see where we are heading with the shop.
Cafe Shopping... We have been looking at different possibilities for the cafe. We have also been pushing forward with figuring out paperwork, foundation legal stuff, and budget things. But, the most exciting thing is we are pretty set on a property! We have visited a shop for sell that we REALLY like! It is a little small, but it is a great deal and will not have a lot of work to get it reopened. We all feel like this could be the place and we are now in the middle of the paperwork for taking it over. We are also continuing our need for fundraising! Right now a couple from the team is in the US speaking at different churches. And I am slightly jealous that they get to be Stateside....
This past Friday was National Prayer day here. A few of us went to an international service held in a state church in the center of the city. It was international! I think there were a lot more immigrants there, then Danish people. It was a great experience to worship with so many different nationalities. And to hear and see them pray for the leaders of this country even though it is not their "home land". It was amazing to be a part of.
Things have been busy with Danish lesson, meetings, and such. But, we are really moving forward and I am excited to see where we are heading with the shop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)