Believing People Can Change

A Story from Cynthia (Cymp) Stemple’s Journey

Cymp and her husband Scott spent decades serving others as missionaries in Ukraine. What she did not expect, however, was that one of her most demanding seasons of ministry would take place not overseas, but in an area of the United States that has been deeply impacted by the opioid epidemic.

A Transformative Purpose

As she settled back into the U.S. after living abroad for so many years, Cymp looked to God for direction about what to do in this next season of life. At that time people in her community began asking if she would start a café which became Coffee Hub Xenia. Once started, people then began asking if she would hire their son, daughter, or a relative who was recovering from addiction. As she did, in the years which followed people then invited her to create two more cafés like this in their towns as well. At first glance, Coffee Hub Ohio looks like other well-run cafés. The coffee is good. Regulars often greet one another by name. But stay a little longer and a deeper purpose becomes clear. Each café has the same unique focus: to help women break free from addiction, and become emotionally, spiritually, and financially healthy people.

Unexpected Friendships

As the mission unfolds through each business, a picture of the Kingdom of God begins to emerge. A college student who was just hired is being trained by a woman in recovery. A professional from the courthouse stands in line next to someone who slept in a shelter the night before. People who would rarely share space are sitting at tables together, disagreeing, laughing, listening, and learning from one another.

“I’m not in the coffee business, I’m in the people business,” Cymp says. People matter to her and that value has shaped the culture and what people experience through these businesses. People who visit and work at these cafés have together built communities of encouragement and hope. Together trust is nurtured and there is a sense that we can all change.

Creating More Options 

Coffee Hub Ohio works alongside Hope Hub, a nonprofit that Cymp and her manager Missy from the Xenia location at that time started. Hope Hub intentionally supports women coming out of addiction by providing a transformational home and additional services that improve their chances for recovery.

Within Hope Hub, Missy and the Hope Hub team created a non-profit apparel company called Print for Purpose. Through that company they create custom apparel designs while providing additional skill training. Every purchase supports Hope Hub’s transformational living program and fosters its long-term economic sustainability.

What began as an initial café in Xenia, Ohio has now expanded to three cafés, a residential option to support women, and this new non-profit apparel company. Each grows out of a heart to help women truly recover.

Since many carry criminal records, they can often be turned away repeatedly by potential employers. By creating multiple pathways including employment, housing, and skill development, Cymp and her team increase the likelihood of long-term recovery.

Why The Future Is Bright

Cymp does not believe her most meaningful years are behind her. “The best is yet to come,” she says, smiling. “Not because life gets easier, but because God keeps working.” In these cafés and Hope Hub faith does not announce itself loudly. It shows up early for a shift, trains someone who might not stay, and chooses patience when efficiency might be easier. Often it tastes like good coffee, shared in a place where people are slowly learning again that they belong. And when these “next chances” truly exist, they often begin not with a sermon, but with a shared table and someone willing to say, “Let’s have coffee together.” In that simple invitation lies a powerful belief that no one is beyond hope.

To read a longer version of this article in Christian Daily International, click on the following link: https://www.christiandaily.com/news/a-cafe-owner-in-the-transformation-business.

Written by Ben Mudahera & Mary Lederleitner