Pastor Eddy Writes… : “Lim Kopi,” Anyone?

This PEW is a follow-up of my last PEW on the “Ministry of the Ordinary.” In my life, coffee holds a special place. I must have coffee everyday, caffeinated, steaming hot or iced, instant or brewed, it doesn’t matter, as long as it is coffee. It will sort of “jump start” my day. I think I am suffering from a spirit of “pro-caffeination” i.e. the tendency to not start anything until I’ve had a cup of coffee. And I could drink up to an average of about three or four cups a day. :)

I know… I know… I know it’s not good for my physical heart, but somehow it works wonders on my spirit. When I have a cup of warm coffee in my hand, it releases something inside of me and it makes connections with friends faster. I do not know why, and it is difficult to describe it.

Coffee has provided me with a meeting ground for many years. In Singapore, whenever I wish to meet up with someone for fellowship or otherwise, I would call up that person and ask, “Would you like to ‘lim kopi’ (Hokkien for ‘drink coffee’)?” It seems to work all the time. It works not only for one-on-one encounters but it also works for a gathering of a small group of friends, just coming together for a cuppa and catch up.

I think none of us can deny that asking people to “meet for a cuppa” has paved the way for new acquaintances, deepening friendships, healing hurts, reconciling differences, and even for subtle rebukes. By the simple invitation of sitting down in a comfortable place, with good ambience and sharing a beverage, walls come down, prejudices become soft, and hearts open up. I don’t know what it is, but sitting down to “lim kopi” has enhanced my relationships with many people.

Friendships and relationships can be built and enhanced over small coffee talks. “Lim kopi,” anyone?