What Would You Do With a Second Chance?

HOW A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT LED TO ONE MAN’S RADICAL SURRENDER

Coffee. It’s something that brings people together. Meetings all over the world occur at a coffee shop. People’s lives change over a cup of coffee. But have you ever considered how the lives of the ones serving your coffee are affected?

Take, for instance, the faithful barista who wakes up early every day to make sure your favorite café is open and ready to fuel you up before your 7:30 am class. Now, imagine that tired barista closing the shop for the day, and in a matter of seconds, his entire life changes.

Welcome to the story of Jerome Amada.

On the eleventh day of April 2019, Jerome showed up for his usual shift at The Good Cup Coffee Company in Cebu City. It was a day like any other, one in which he spent packaging freshly roasted coffee beans and brewing batches of cold brew. However, in a matter of seconds, an average day turned into one that he’ll never forget. At the end of his shift, two gunmen entered the café, fatally killing two of Jerome’s coworkers. Another employee, along with Jerome, was shot and both men were rushed to a nearby hospital.

While Jerome was waiting for the ambulance, his entire life was hanging in the balance. He didn’t know whether he would live or die since the bullet was only inches away from his heart. As he was laying on the floor, his entire life flashed before his eyes. Much of his youth was spent skipping classes to play video games, basketball, or go drinking with his friends. He even had a few near-death experiences before this one. As he thought about these things, he prayed to God for a second chance.

AS HE WAS LAYING ON THE FLOOR, HIS ENTIRE LIFE FLASHED BEFORE HIS EYES…HE PRAYED TO GOD FOR A SECOND CHANCE.

One’s life can change in a matter of seconds. It’s how we respond that matters. For Jerome, he spent two months in the hospital recovering from the shooting. During this time, he was visited by his church family, who prayed for both his physical and spiritual healing. Since God gave him a second chance at life, this time, he wanted to make it count.

Throughout his recovery, he was overwhelmed by the love that God showed him. A radical change happened inside of him, as he turned away from the old life he was living and surrendered everything to God. He was baptized and began attending weekly Bible studies at his church. When he returned to work at The Good Cup Coffee Company, he saw his work as a place to share the gospel. He wanted to share God’s love with his coworkers as well as the people that frequent the café.

Jerome’s goals for the future—however long God gives him to live—are to serve God, provide for his family, and share the gospel with other people. His advice to anyone who experiences tragedy or suffering is to keep going and not give up. Even though he spent most of his life running away from God, he realized that God never stopped pursuing him. Trust God, because he will keep pursuing you, even if you aren’t pursuing him.

Next time you order your favorite coffee in the midst of all your frantic studying, stop and think about the person who’s making it for you. Look up from your giant textbook once in a while and talk to the people who keep you caffeinated. There’s more to your barista’s life than you can see. Treat them with kindness, for all of us have a story to tell… a story that might be shared over a good cup of coffee.

FOR FREEDOM CHRIST HAS SET US FREE; STAND FIRM THEREFORE, AND DO NOT SUBMIT AGAIN TO A YOKE OF SLAVERY.

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)