Helping Out Villages - Little by Little

by Harvey Moriyama                                                               

Coffee – it’s that dark drink that gets most of us going in the morning. Many of us don’t really think too much thought about it when we are drinking it. Most likely the coffee beans are from some far away land. Someone actually had to take care of the coffee shrubs and eventually pick the fruit at just the right time. Then the beans are sold in large quantities to a reseller. Eventually they make their way to a roaster and then gets distributed to a nearby store.

Last April we had the opportunity to work on a water project in Thailand with Integrated Tribal Development Program (ITDP). Having worked alongside them, we have come to learn that they are really good friends in Thailand. Because of that, we are always searching for ways to support them. Constructing water filters is only one facet of what ITDP does. They also oversee a large co-op of villages that are farming coffee for Starbucks of Thailand. It is sold under the label Munjai.

They also sell this same coffee in the United States under the Lanna Coffee Co. in Fresno, CA. After much prayer and discussions, it has been decided to start using Lanna coffee here at Evergreen SGV. We have begun using it for coffee hour and staff usage. It is slightly more expensive but our purchases are making a difference in a Thailand village. If you happen to enjoy the Lanna coffee and want to make a purchase for your home use, you can see about home delivery at www.lannacoffeeco.com. We can make a difference, one cup at a time.