A Long-Standing Prayer Answered - Café Initiative
After years of prayer and preparation, we’ve stepped into a new and exciting chapter of ministry. This spring, God opened the door for us to begin managing In the Midst Café, a small restaurant strategically located at the entrance to our neighborhood and directly opposite Grace International School. The café serves both the Thai and expat communities, but has lacked consistent in-house leadership for over a year. The owners, our friends Zane and Ning—faithful believers with a heart for community transformation—have developed a thoughtful neighborhood around the café, designed to evolve into a Gospel-centered ecosystem of homes, small businesses, and shared spaces.
The name In the Midst is drawn from Matthew 18:20 (NKJV): “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” That verse captures our shared vision for this space—to be more than just a place to grab a coffee, but a gathering point where people encounter the presence of Christ through hospitality, friendship, and intentional community. With five full-time Thai staff—none of whom know Jesus personally yet—we are grateful for this opportunity to rub shoulders daily and share the love of Christ with each of them. Traci’s years of Thai language study are also bearing much fruit, enabling us to engage more deeply and naturally with the staff.
We’ve entered a six-month pilot partnership wherein we have been given freedom to revamp operations, improve food and drink quality, and invest in staff development, both professionally and spiritually. While we won’t receive income (nor do we need to contribute capital), a portion of the proceeds will be funneled into a ministry fund we’ll oversee, allowing us to bless the local community in tangible, Kingdom-minded ways.
Nick will remain in his role at the school and help with the café in a more behind-the-scenes manner; Traci will continue studying Thai, walking alongside new believers and seekers in a discipleship capacity, and will be in the café about 50% of her time—this new opportunity aligns closely with our long-standing heart for Business as Mission. We believe God uses everyday workspaces to reveal His character and invite people into a relationship with Him. Through consistent presence, quality service, and Christ-centered leadership, we pray that In the Midst becomes a space where lives are transformed—not only for our staff, but for each individual that comes through our doors.
Please join us in prayer as we steward this new opportunity. We’re asking God to do far more than build a successful café—we’re asking Him to make His presence known in the midst of it all.
Prayer Requests
1. Busyness
The summer was a whirlwind, where we were perhaps even busier than usual. Thankfully, we still squeezedin some fun activities with the kids, but pray that we balance our time well, especially with this new ministry.
2. School Resumes
The kids return August 6th. We’ll have one in High School, one in Middle School, and two in Elementary.
3. Café Staff
Two of our staff are Muslim-background Thais, another comes from a hill tribe (with animistic beliefs), and the other two are Buddhist-background. Pray for us to find ways to bring Christ into our conversations effectively.
Throughout the week we pray for our ministry partners as a family. We would love to know how we can be praying for you specifically. Click the button below to send us your prayer requests.
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