One Café, Many Encounters
As we were praying together as a group, I was praying in tongues when I received a picture of the aunty who runs Windowsill Café in Joo Chiat. I initially pushed it aside, thinking, “Maybe I just need a coffee.” But the picture came to me a second time. When it was time to share what we had received, I waited until the very end before mentioning the vision. We decided to make the coffee shop our last stop and take a long walk towards Roxy Square, looking for someone to minister to along the way. As we approached Kopiko near the end of the hour, we saw Pauline there. She seemed full of joy. While we waited, we spoke with some of the other patrons and team members. Vinna was talking with a young woman, and when we finally approached Pauline, she took our orders and gave each of us a Bible verse on a card. We were deeply touched that Pauline was giving out Bible verses, but we also felt that she needed to encounter the Holy Spirit. So, while she was making our coffee, we prayed over the café and declared that she would encounter God. We offered to pay for the young woman’s coffee, as she had just come from a concert, but she quickly said, “No, no, no—I want to pay for my own coffee.” Pauline then gently told her, “If people want to bless you, let them bless you. It’s like saying, ‘God wants to bless you, but I don’t want to receive the blessing.’” The young woman eventually agreed, and it felt like the perfect opportunity to pray because Pauline was so open. Before praying for her, I told Pauline that God had sent us there to pray for her and that He had brought her to my mind. She replied, “I’m so touched. I feel like crying.” As I prayed, I shared that I saw a picture of her sitting in a living room and sensed the Holy Spirit inviting her to come up higher because He had an appointment for her in the upper room. I prayed that, as she continued spreading joy, she would become a prophetic voice to the nations, impact many people, and share the testimony of Christ through her café. She told us that she attends a church, and we shared that we felt the Holy Spirit wanted to encounter her in a deeper way. We continued praying for her, and it was such a wonderful experience. We stayed for a while because the atmosphere felt so beautiful. At one point, I even felt a cool breeze pass by us while we were praying. The presence of God felt so powerful. I also spoke with the young woman who had come from the concert and asked if I could pray for her. As I prayed, I sensed that she was worried about something specific. I asked if she was concerned about finding a life partner, and she said yes. She was still in her twenties and worked as a hawker, but this was something that had been troubling her. After we prayed and encouraged her, she said, “I want to cry. Can I hug you?” She was deeply touched by the prayer. Later, Pauline gave Gideon a guitar and asked him to play “You Are My Sunshine.” After that, he began strumming a worship song. It became a beautiful and powerful moment—not only for Pauline, but also for the other patrons in the café. Some of them shared that they were from China and knew Pauline because she was well-known on TikTok. What an amazing divine appointment—not only to encourage Pauline, but also to minister to everyone in the café. Gideon summed it up beautifully: “I wasn’t expecting any of this to happen, but all we needed to do was make ourselves available for Christ to use. We just have to step out in bold faith and trust that, as we partner with God, we can be His hands and feet.”
God’s Appointment at the Coffee Stall
Our destination was a small coffee stall run by an auntie who sells coffee, commonly known as kopikhoo. As we walked, we spent time praying and asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our steps. When we arrived, we immediately noticed the auntie (Pauline). She was so vibrant and joyful, radiating warmth and love to everyone around her. While we were waiting in line, another lady struck up a conversation with us. She mentioned that there was a famous kueh shop nearby. She also shared that she had travelled all the way from Clementi just to buy coffee from this auntie because she had become quite well known on TikTok. While we were waiting for our turn, I noticed a young lady pulling a suitcase and carrying a backpack. I didn’t know why, but she immediately caught my attention. I quietly asked the Holy Spirit if He was drawing my attention to her and whether He wanted us to speak with her. So I decided to start a conversation. I asked her where she was from and whether it was her first time buying coffee from the auntie. She told me she was from Penang, and I was pleasantly surprised because I’ve been there several times. I told her, “Oh, I’ve been to Penang a couple of times. I was just there last May to celebrate my husband’s birthday.” That gave us a natural starting point, and the conversation began to flow. She shared that she had come to Singapore by herself and that it was her very first time visiting. The main reason for her trip was to attend a K-pop concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Interestingly, I had also been at the stadium the previous evening. I told her that I had seen many young ladies taking photos with the concert posters, and we both laughed as we talked about it. As our conversation continued, she mentioned that she was actually on her way home. After stopping by to buy coffee, she would be heading to Changi Airport to catch her flight back to Penang. I mustered the courage to ask her, “Would it be okay if I prayed for you? Just a simple prayer of blessing as you travel back to Penang.” She looked quite surprised. She glanced around and asked, “Where? How do you pray?” I smiled and told her, “I believe in Jesus, and I believe that Jesus is everywhere. I can pray for you right here, at this very moment.” She replied, “Oh, okay.” I then asked, “Would it be alright if I placed my hand on your shoulder while I pray?” She said yes. I began to pray, declaring God’s blessing and protection over her life, especially as she traveled back to Penang. As I was praying, I sensed the Lord impressing something on my heart about blurred directions, as though she was facing uncertainty about which path to take. So I prayed that God would give her clarity and guidance, and that Jesus would reveal the way she should pursue in her life. When I finished and said, “Amen,” she looked at me with tears welling up in her eyes. Then she said, “I feel like crying. Is it okay if I give you a hug?” I said, “Of course.” We embraced, and in that moment I experienced such a deep sense of peace. I truly believe the Holy Spirit was moving in her heart. I don’t know everything that God was doing in her life, but I believe He met her in that moment. This experience reminded me not to give up hope. There are so many people around us who simply need encouragement, hope, and someone willing to step out in faith. Through prophetic evangelism, I learned to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, to take that step of obedience, and to trust God to do what only He can do. My role was simply to be available. God’s role was to touch her heart.