 John Sage, accomplished businessman and Christian, spoke of his new company’s outreach to charities worldwide. |
The sold-out audience for the Silicon Valley Prayer Breakfast on March 30 was captivated by the inspirational talks of Kim Woody of Jeremiah’s Promise and John Sage of Pura Vida Coffee. The theme of the event was “Finding a Purpose in Your Life.”
Through prayer and experience, Woody found her purpose. A turning point came at a church camp where, as a volunteer, she encountered a foster child who had never experienced love.
As a result, she left a corporate position to begin work on what would become Jeremiah’s Promise of Palo Alto.
“Jeremiah’s Promise,” Woody described, “provides a loving home, mentoring and educational opportunities for foster youth who turn 18 and have no other resources.”
The second speaker was John Sage, a former executive with Microsoft, Disney and Starbucks. Sage described how three seemingly disparate items - coffee, capitalism and Christian faith - came together to give him purpose and direction.
Inspired by a Harvard Business School classmate who chose to help disadvantaged children in Costa Rica, John decided to start Pura Vida Coffee, a for-profit company which generates ongoing financial support for charitable organizations worldwide.
The focus of Sage’s talk was his path from self-sufficiency to dependence on God and the grace that he found in Jesus.
“Self-sufficiency is not sufficient,” Sage said. “It gives the illusion of being in control and in so doing we are robbed of the experience of grace. Grace is the realization that we are loved and cherished not because of what we have done, but for who we are.”
Skip Vaccarello of Los Altos, one of the volunteer organizers of the event, noted, “The audience was moved by the transparency of both speakers. It had a profound effect on those who attended.”
The Silicon Valley Prayer Breakfast, formerly called the Los Altos Prayer Breakfast, is in its 12th year. It was started by volunteers from Los Altos and continues to be led by people from the area.
For more information see www.svpb.net.
