Cedarbrook is sending off our 10th and 11th teams to Central City, New Orleans to help build a dormitory for a treatment center at Living Witness Church. But right down the block is Cafe Reconcile which has some of the best food on the planet. What's really cool is that this cafe is a ministry in disguise. The owner, Craig Cuccia, started it out of a sense that he had to give back after being so blessed in his own life. The intention of the cafe is to revitalize the area and get people off the streets and into a productive lifestyle. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Craig while I was in New Orleans last year. He treats everyone like a long-lost friend, sitting down to join you for a meal if you ask him and telling his story. I've never met anyone like him. He is the quintescent entrepreneur only he's not working to build his kingdom. He's doing it all to help others. I'd love to catch whatever he's got and help him spread it! Very inspiring.
I hope you'll read the article in the Catholic Digest about Craig but it closes out with his outlook on ministry...
I truly believe it’s the grace of God, like everything is. I try to stay tuned to the right way to go. The diving board of faith gets higher and the dark hole you’ve got to dive into gets deeper, but you’ve just got to dive off and trust that God catches you along the way. ... God can use anybody anywhere anyhow, and it’s up to us to open the door and let him use us.
May God give us more Craig Cuccia's. Maybe you are the next one!
By the way, try the Catfish and the bread pudding when you're there. I'm pretty sure they'll be serving the same recipe in heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment