30 Days Without Coffee

So, as a challenge from my Cultural Anthropology class, I went 30 days without drinking coffee. I haven't gone thirty days or a week or even more than two days without coffee since 2003. 

This is the year I began to drink coffee. I was 31 years old, newly arrived in Africa, and on a tour of Nazarene higher education. 

The family and I were joined by Russ and Donna Lovett, borrowed the Cyr's 4x4 and drove from Jo'burg through Swaziland to Maputo, Mozambique. We had just been evacuated from Cote d'Ivoire and were still reeling from the change of events we'd just endured. I think the trip was to serve as a distraction, and it worked.

My first sip of coffee in 30 days on Thanksgiving 2017 around 5:30 p.m. It was Dorman's from Kenya in a Roosevelt Coffeehouse mug with a little whole milk and some Stevia.

Left to right: Jon, me, and Russ with the Indian Ocean behind us. Maputo, Mozambique, March 2003.

 We were on our last day visiting the Nazarene seminary in Maputo where we met this extraordinary young leader serving as president, Filimao Chambo. I remember whispering to Sonya that this guy was going to be a GS some day. I'm no prophet; it was just obvious as light is to day.

​We joined the Restricks for dinner, and were hosted by Jon and Margaret Scott. She was overseeing the theological education by extension program in Mozambique,  an inspiration for the model we were to use in West Africa. And Jon oversaw church multiplication in Mozambique. They were, and still are, a good team.

Jon and Margaret took us to a wonderful Portuguese restaurant along the coast. Jon was surprised I had never really had coffee before, except for a nasty cup of American Sunday School  coffee a time or two. So, he ordered a single shot of espresso and mixed in six cubes of sugar. "Here, try it this way," said Jon. I did. It was like liquid candy with caffeine! 

I have never turned down a cup of coffee since then.

I have reduced the amount of sugar, obviously, since those days. I've also increased the shots of espresso, of course. Thankful this weekend to have another cup of coffee. It is truly the small things in life no matter where we find ourselves. 

Jon and Margaret Scott taken from Jon's Facebook profile.