Coffee that can inspire the soul

  • Published
  • By Joel Mease
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Airmen here will soon have a free coffee café to relax, have a cup of joe and hang out with friends. 

The Soul Fire Café, which is located next to the library, is a project created among the chaplains and Airmen in the dormitories to provide an alternative location to hang out. The café is scheduled to open Feb. 15 when the Chief of Air Force chaplains visits Dyess to dedicate the café. 

The café will serve free coffee, offer contemporary worship services and provide an outlet to mentor Airmen, said Chaplain Lt. Col. Dan Crawford, 7th Bomb Wing head chaplain.
 
"It started about four months ago when I was talking with Col. (Timothy) Ray about providing a fun, non-alcoholic environment where Airmen could hang out at," Chaplain Crawford said. "From there we got a team of Airmen together, where they made this project really their own." 

From the name right down to the design of the light fixtures, Airmen came up with the plans for the Soul Fire Café, Chaplain Crawford said. 

"The Airmen have been extremely excited to watch their plans come to life as the café has progressed," Chaplain Crawford said. "They wanted something that didn't look like their dorms, and I think the café really reflects what they wanted." 

Airman 1st Class Stephen Reyes has been one of those Airmen, who has been involved in the Soul Fire Café from the beginning. 

"I think this will be really good for Dyess," Airman Reyes said. "It gives Airmen in the dorms an opportunity to get out, socialize and be together as 'Airmen.'" 

The strong desire to have something different, to which Airmen on the base can go, is why Airman Reyes says he believes it has strong support now and will in the future as the café grows. 

In addition to receiving help from the base community, others in the Abilene community took notice and wanted to assist in the café, as well. 

"I wasn't really actively looking for outside help in the project, but the word spread around Abilene fairly quickly about what we were doing," Chaplain Crawford said. "We've had multiple churches in the community ask 'what can we do'." 

Volunteers from the community have helped with almost every part of the project. Even when the project is finished many churches plan to continue volunteering their time to the cafe. The chapel plans to have a full-time employee and availability of a chaplain there for mentorship and counseling, Chaplain Crawford said. 

"The support we've had for this has been fantastic, Chaplain Crawford said. "There hasn't really been difficulties, just hard work from those involved."