By Alicia Lee
When working on ministry-related administrative tasks from home, I often find myself quickly distracted by a load of laundry or dishes, a pile of miscellaneous items left haphazardly on the dining table or an overambitious reorganization project. I’ve found that working in a coffee shop maximizes my productivity, and as a bonus, the coffee is way better! 
One or two mornings a week, I settle into my favorite table, enjoy a friendly chat with the staff I see often and then get into work mode. Few things can draw me out of work mode: the offer for more coffee (yes, please!) and the occasional tableside visitor. Sometimes these visitors are people I know from various circles or ministry activities; other times, they are strangers, usually selling magazines, jewelry, greeting cards or coloring books. Either way, the visits are usually brief catchups, and then back to work I go.
When you turn a local coffee shop into your makeshift office, even the strangers start to become familiar faces, and sometimes they become a welcome part of “going to the office.”
I met Mila and Viktor individually, both young adults with dreams and a desire to help their families financially. Mila sells coloring books that benefit a children’s social service organization, and Viktor works for a publishing firm that sells greeting cards and magnets to benefit a children’s organization as part of their philanthropy and social responsibility efforts. In Skopje, it is common for people to go from table to table selling items, and it can often be seen as a nuisance, so they are often ignored or simply dismissed. 
We like to buy coloring books to give to Roma children or pass along to our friends at Poraka (they LOVE to color), and there’s always a use for greeting cards, so when they get a new style, I usually buy a couple. I tend to see Mila and Viktor at least once a week and always enjoy our visits. They are both exuberant and personable people, and I learn something new about them every time we chat.
Viktor has had health challenges and finally had a needed surgery. After not seeing him for several weeks due to his recovery, he filled me in and shared how excited he was to finally be feeling well and praying that his health would continue to improve. During a family outing to the coffee shop just after New Year’s, I ran into Mila. After our standard greeting, which now includes a hug and a kiss on my cheek, she was overjoyed to finally meet Jeff and Ethan, offering them handshakes and her bright smile. She asked about our time with my sister’s family during the holidays and shared about her family’s plans for Orthodox Christmas. I’m sure when I see her at the office next week, she’ll tell me all about it, and I hope that she won the coveted coin in her holiday bread!