Merry Christmas!!!

So Christmas is finally here and what better way to celebrate the birth of our savior than with a blog update! Merry Christmas to everyone, I hope you were able to appreciate the birth of Christ on a deeper level than with a pair of socks or a new iPod.

I am very blessed to have so many supporters out there. Thank you to everyone who has given. To those who have given much, much will be given to you! To those who have given little... (I am REALLY JUST KIDDING!!!) I really can't thank all of you enough. I find it hard to express gratitude for the $200 gifts, but just as much I find it difficult to thank those who gave $5! Just knowing that you care so much about where the Lord is leading me and that you want to be a part of that is incredible to me! Thank you!!!

I have also been blessed with some work of my own to raise money for the trip. The day after I sent out the fundraising letter, I put an ad out for work (labor, construction, whatever I could do...) to work for some funds. The following day, I separated my shoulder putting me out of work for 5 weeks! I figured I would have to come up with some out-of-the-box fundraising efforts to get the finances I need to go. Well, God opened 3 doors for Espresso Bar Catering where I was able to raise almost half the money I needed for the trip! The great thing about doing those was that I was able to share with everyone at the events about what I am planning to do in Guatemala. Praise God!

I have just 2 weeks to go before I head out and I am fully confident that God will either provide, or open doors for me to get to the amount I need. Thank you all for your support and I will keep you updated on the trip!

Bless You All!

Coffee for Christmas???

So here we are... Christmas is fast approaching and you still don't know what to buy your co-worker for that lame Christmas party your office is having. I know, you really didn't want to go because everyone will be drunk and Gary from Human Resources is going to be hitting on everyone again... even the men, but you feel compelled to go and share what the true meaning of Christmas is to your inebriated friends.

What a better way to present the Gospel to these drunkards than through the purchase of a pound of freshly roasted coffee! But that's not just any pound of freshly roasted coffee is it? Well for $13 I certainly hope not! Through the purchase of this pound of freshly roasted coffee, you will help send a poor visionary missionary to Guatemala to harvest the next crop of that very same La Armonia Hermosa that your drunken friend will be enjoying on these cold winter mornings. Also, you will help ensure that the farmer will get an even larger amount than fair trade companies guarantee. Finally, you will be assured that every step along the way, we are raising both the standard of living of the individual involved as well as the quality of the coffee itself. How can you loose?

If you are interested in purchasing a pound of this coffee (and who wouldn't be, I mean... honestly?) Feel free to contact me at emailphilroberts@gmail.com or by phone at 937.232.1793

Thanks!!!

Preparing to go...

I am currently preparing to head down to Antigua, Guatemala on January 10, 2010. I will be staying in Antigua and working in Santa Maria de Jesus at a coffee co-op called La Armonia Hermosa. During the first two weeks of the trip, I am planning to take Spanish lessons through an intensive language school the first half of the day and heading up the mountain to work the rest of the day. In Santa Maria de Jesus, I will be harvesting coffee and so much more!

The purpose of this trip is multifaceted. I will be making a trip "to origin" to increase my overall knowledge of coffee production for professional purposes, but I will also be researching how this project was brought underway with hopes of replicating it in another coffee producing country.

As a ministry, I want to be available to serve God's people wherever they are, however they need served. This is an opportunity to combine a few passions of mine; serving God, serving people, and serving coffee! In a cross-cultural mission setting, I don't want to go without a purpose other than to just preach. I want to invest in the community and the local's lives, while raising their standard of living and providing a way for them to continue after I am gone. During this time, I will be living out the gospel, both in word and in action. I understand that I can have a greater influence on a community after living, working, and loving them.

Please pray for me and this exciting adventure! Thank you if you are supporting me financially or through prayer, I need each equally! I had planned on working to raise some finances on my own, but separated my shoulder this past weekend playing football! I will be unavailable to work for 3-5 weeks! Please stay tuned for fundraising opportunities you can be involved in!