The Cost of A Dream - Cafe Diego

It is true that behind every success, there is a story of deep belief, resolve, diligence, and great struggle. That was most certainly the case with Diego, the farmer behind one of our most popular beans, Nicaragua (cafe Diego). His story inspires us at Twin Valley Coffee and deposits in our hearts that a dream is worth fighting for. 

That is why we chose to highlight this incredible man and story. While we can only provide a small snippet of this truly remarkable journey, we hope this inspires you never to give up and follow the vision laid before you.

Difficult Beginnings and Deep Convictions

After living in Canada for many years with his family, Diego felt the call to move back to his home county, Nicaragua. Understanding that the road ahead would be difficult, especially for his young daughters who had only known their current home, a timely word from a friend and deep conviction in his faith made him consider it. Things became more apparent with time, and the conviction grew as loud as a shout. With each difficult step of preparation, he knew that nothing was happening by coincidence, and divine providence was beckoning him ever forward.

What would this kind of move entail? How would his family adjust? How would their lives change from that point on? Could he really make a difference in his home country? These were all questions that stayed with him daily. Ultimately, deciding to "obey," he packed up and moved his family to Nicaragua.

The Unknown 

With hope and a dream, Diego and his family bought a multi-acre coffee farm. While it seemed like a solid plan with the potential to help his family and many others, they soon started experiencing challenge after challenge. The price of coffee dropped by 40 cents per pound, interest rates on loans became outrageous, and people depending on this livelihood faced destitution. 

So, while the dream placed before him was simple, financing it was not. The loan he had went from $300,000 to $1.5 million in seven years. Diego and his family found themselves in a position of losing everything. It seemed impossible under the debt and despair. Was all of this worth it? Was there anything left for him and his family there? How could this be turned around? 

With so many questions swirling around in his head, Diego considered the obvious: moving back to Canada. But to do that would be to forget about the dream and call he felt from the beginning, and that price was far too steep to pay. His resolve was to stay and see why God wanted him there. 

Making the decision to stay was big. Diego went from owning the farm to stewarding it, as the bank had taken ownership. He wondered how he could help himself and anyone else. Little did he know that help was on the way. 

An Answered Prayer

Diego started seeing requests being answered, and the first one was when he met a missionary named Andy Troyer, who deeply wanted to help. He had a heart for Nicaragua and its people, so it was a no-brainer when he and his wife heard about Diego and his hardships.  

What was Troyer's plan? To sell coffee in the States. While this didn't pan out the way that either of them expected it to, it did cause Troyer to think about what else he could do to help. Like a light bulb magically appearing, he knew just the person to contact—a coffee roaster known for helping other people in the coffee business, Paul Kurtz. That is when he told him about Diego and his coffee farm.  

With many twists and turns in the in-between (as detailed in the fantastic documentary Cafe Diego: The Cost of a Dream), what seemed like an impossibility started turning around.

These two worked out a way to get a whole shipping container of coffee to the US to start what would be a series of other containers and business. The cherry on top of this situation? A letter from the bank offering an opportunity for Deigo to buy back his farm at a fraction of the price.

(You'll just have to watch the documentary to find out what happened 😉) 

Finishing the Race

While Diego and his family's challenges have not entirely subsided, he has lived a life on-mission and continues to. He is able to employ many from his community, pay them 30% more than most, and has helped plant and provide for over 20 churches.

The story of these beans came at a cost. And it is our honor to be able to sell them and share in the good that is happening through them. If you would like to purchase Nicaragua, stop by one of our stores or purchase it here. 

It's always bigger than us.