Me and Dawn with our table of African craftsI’ve received many inquiries via email as to the preparation, execution, and result of the opening last Saturday. I’m so sorry I left you guys in the dark for so long. The end of last week was insane with preparations. Dawn and I were rocking the manual labor, and unable to get to the internet café as often. The other result of the manual labor was that we were unable to complete many of our own gift shop errands and tasks.
We worked on the building late into the night Friday night. I learned to install window South Africa style—which is placing individual pieces of glass into wooden frames with brown putty, then hammering wood in to frame the pane. When we ran out of putty and moved on to silicon, the guys were impressed with the fact that the silicon gun (or caulk gun, at my house) was not new to me (thanks, Dad!). I also did a lot of tea and coffee making to keep the guys awake and their spirits up. I delivered a bit of encouragement or sass (on a case by case basis) with each cup.
The next day I got up ready to conquer the building and get our tables and products out, but my body didn’t get the memo that this was an important day. No. Instead, it decided that I was going to be nauseous to the point of either passing out or throwing up, and my head apparently hated me as well, and was pounding. I made an effort with the upstairs windows, but it was in vain. I ended up in bed for 4 hours while the rest of the Alabanza staff finished the building projects and got things set up.
Guests were to begin arriving at 3pm, but the coffee shop wasn’t really set up or making any drinks until around 6pm. Our meager table was set up outside and ready to go around 5pm. I guess that’s another story…
So Dawn and I had big plans for this shop of ours. We were told it would be upstairs above the coffee shop, but last week found out that what they meant by that was that there would be some rolling shelving that we could put out on the balcony during the day and then roll indoors in the evening. Not exactly what we had in mind. We also kept running into small roadblocks on errands and supplies, then on meeting with artists. By Saturday I think that Dawn and I were both dealing with a “death of vision,” and almost apathetic about the gift shop. On top of that, I could only stand up for a few minutes at a time, so I wasn’t really helping the situation. All that said, once the table was set up and we began to hang out with our friends and guests, the opening was a great night.
Opera, musicals, and a bit of gospel were performed by a group of three singers and an amazing pianist. They performed on the upstairs balcony, and most of the guests sat out on the deck to watch. The desserts that Anmerie prepared were divine, though the coffee drinks will need some work. (The only machine that they were able to afford isn’t any bigger than the espresso machine that I have at home in the States and could not handle the traffic that was coming through the building.) People stayed well into the evening, and at Dini’s request, the singers continued to perform. Listening to German art songs, latte in hand, star blanketed African sky overhead, I couldn’t help but laugh. Dawn thought I was crazy, but I think she thinks that a lot—so no surprise there.
The other great thing about the opening was that it was a chance for us to relax and hang out with each other—the Alabanza staff. The mood was so joyful and everyone kept laughing and hugging. We needed that. The coffee shop is going to be a great addition to this place and everyone can just feel that it will be an asset to the ministry that takes place here. We also hope to bring in traffic form the town—something I know that I am very excited about—but we will have to wait until the thousands of kinks are worked out and there are regular store hours.
I think the girls running the coffee shop, Anmerie and Mariet (“Mer-eet”), are going to let me run the shop some of the time—which excites the barista in me J We need to meet with them very soon about the details of where we can display what stock we do have, where more will go in the future, what to do about the items that shouldn’t be outside, how to separate and take money for the items, etc. But The Awakening starts tomorrow (the 60 people about to move in here that will be here until we leave) and they have both been incredibly busy, as we all have, with the preparations for that group.
So, honestly, Dawn and I are sad and somewhat stalled on the gift shop. I think we just need someone to care to get excited with us—but it feels like everyone is too busy to care. And we don’t know where we fall priority wise in the whole Alabanza-scheme, so we never know whether we should stay and help knock out projects here, or go out and meet artists. But I feel that this will get better—that as soon as this group is here we can at least begin to focus on the gift shop as our individual ministry. At least, I hope so.
We worked on the building late into the night Friday night. I learned to install window South Africa style—which is placing individual pieces of glass into wooden frames with brown putty, then hammering wood in to frame the pane. When we ran out of putty and moved on to silicon, the guys were impressed with the fact that the silicon gun (or caulk gun, at my house) was not new to me (thanks, Dad!). I also did a lot of tea and coffee making to keep the guys awake and their spirits up. I delivered a bit of encouragement or sass (on a case by case basis) with each cup.
The next day I got up ready to conquer the building and get our tables and products out, but my body didn’t get the memo that this was an important day. No. Instead, it decided that I was going to be nauseous to the point of either passing out or throwing up, and my head apparently hated me as well, and was pounding. I made an effort with the upstairs windows, but it was in vain. I ended up in bed for 4 hours while the rest of the Alabanza staff finished the building projects and got things set up.
Guests were to begin arriving at 3pm, but the coffee shop wasn’t really set up or making any drinks until around 6pm. Our meager table was set up outside and ready to go around 5pm. I guess that’s another story…
So Dawn and I had big plans for this shop of ours. We were told it would be upstairs above the coffee shop, but last week found out that what they meant by that was that there would be some rolling shelving that we could put out on the balcony during the day and then roll indoors in the evening. Not exactly what we had in mind. We also kept running into small roadblocks on errands and supplies, then on meeting with artists. By Saturday I think that Dawn and I were both dealing with a “death of vision,” and almost apathetic about the gift shop. On top of that, I could only stand up for a few minutes at a time, so I wasn’t really helping the situation. All that said, once the table was set up and we began to hang out with our friends and guests, the opening was a great night.
Opera, musicals, and a bit of gospel were performed by a group of three singers and an amazing pianist. They performed on the upstairs balcony, and most of the guests sat out on the deck to watch. The desserts that Anmerie prepared were divine, though the coffee drinks will need some work. (The only machine that they were able to afford isn’t any bigger than the espresso machine that I have at home in the States and could not handle the traffic that was coming through the building.) People stayed well into the evening, and at Dini’s request, the singers continued to perform. Listening to German art songs, latte in hand, star blanketed African sky overhead, I couldn’t help but laugh. Dawn thought I was crazy, but I think she thinks that a lot—so no surprise there.
The other great thing about the opening was that it was a chance for us to relax and hang out with each other—the Alabanza staff. The mood was so joyful and everyone kept laughing and hugging. We needed that. The coffee shop is going to be a great addition to this place and everyone can just feel that it will be an asset to the ministry that takes place here. We also hope to bring in traffic form the town—something I know that I am very excited about—but we will have to wait until the thousands of kinks are worked out and there are regular store hours.
I think the girls running the coffee shop, Anmerie and Mariet (“Mer-eet”), are going to let me run the shop some of the time—which excites the barista in me J We need to meet with them very soon about the details of where we can display what stock we do have, where more will go in the future, what to do about the items that shouldn’t be outside, how to separate and take money for the items, etc. But The Awakening starts tomorrow (the 60 people about to move in here that will be here until we leave) and they have both been incredibly busy, as we all have, with the preparations for that group.
So, honestly, Dawn and I are sad and somewhat stalled on the gift shop. I think we just need someone to care to get excited with us—but it feels like everyone is too busy to care. And we don’t know where we fall priority wise in the whole Alabanza-scheme, so we never know whether we should stay and help knock out projects here, or go out and meet artists. But I feel that this will get better—that as soon as this group is here we can at least begin to focus on the gift shop as our individual ministry. At least, I hope so.
The opera singer prepare to sing on the balcony, while coffee shop patrons wait anxiously on the outside deck
Jonathan and Anne showcase some of Anmerie's amazing desserts
Anmerie makes a latte
Our first customers!!!
Mama Lizzie got all dressed up for the occasion-- she looked beautiful!
One of the performers explains German Art Songs
Dini (the owner of Alabanza) and Volke with Dawn and me
2 comments:
The store and coffee shop really turned out beautifully!! It's so good to put faces with the names. Thank you for sharing with all of us. Beautiful people! And beautiful AND wonderful you. We celebrate with all of you.
Love you, miss you!!
Mom
XXXOOO
I GOT SO EXCITED WHEN I SAW THE PICTURES AND FACES...AND NAMES. I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE WORKED SO HARD AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A SUCCESS. YOU HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS THERE AND I KNOW THEY LOVE YOU LIKE WE DO. HOW COULD THEY NOT?
NO,I AM NOT PREJUDICE. (JUST KIDDING)
GET MORE REST. YOU KNOW HOW YOU DO WHEN YOU DON'T.
MISS YOU SSSOOOOO MUCH, LOVE YOU SSSOOOOO MUCH.
GRAN
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