Reaching our communities through Eden is a heart shared by all our hubs, particularly in Canada.
In Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Fari leads an Eden team in partnership with Coastal Church. As they work in the community and run the Eden Café, they’re supporting people from tough backgrounds and helping them get skills and discipleship, find a community and discover Jesus. People like Jason.
Addicted to drugs and living on the streets, Jason was at rock bottom when he prayed to God for help. ‘I heard a voice telling me to go to Union Gospel Mission and there my new life started’, he said.
‘I got help for my addiction and met Pastor Fari who introduced me to Coastal Church, the Eden team and the Eden Café. I started coming along to Alpha being run by the Eden team. I really enjoyed coming along and finished the whole Alpha course and even attended the Holy Spirit weekend which was an amazing experience.
‘When I’d completed my recovery programme, I applied for the training and employment programme at the Eden Café and got on! Here I completed discipleship courses, grew in my faith, developed new employment skills, found life-long Godly friendships and loved coming along to church each week, as well as taking part in prayer walks and outreach with the Eden team.
‘I now have a permanent job with the Eden Café and I’m so thankful God heard and answered my prayers because discovering Eden has been a blessing; it feels like a home with a good family.’
As well as the Eden Café in Canada, we have several other enterprise cafés helping disciple those with barriers to employment. In South Africa, we have our GangStar cafés and here in the UK, we have Neal Street Espresso in London and The Mess Café in Manchester. Do pop in and visit us and chat to a member of the team about their story.
