Yesterday, my son Rayan looked at me and asked, “Why can’t we just open the café tomorrow?” I had no answer for him.
I couldn’t tell him the truth: that we don’t have the money yet, that we’re waiting on a response from an organization that may never come, and that I’m afraid. So I looked at the floor and said, “Soon, my son. God will draw a road for us.”
Building Rayan Sip has taught me that the hardest part was never the coffee. It’s everything underneath it.
The Financial Reality Behind Rayan Sip
When Rayan and I decided to go forward, I didn’t just buy a domain and start writing. The project is in my head from the moment I wake up until the moment I close my eyes, and most of the time I’m doing the math. Where does the money come from? How do I fund it? Do I take a loan? How do I get through the years it takes to build up capital?
I applied to 1000fikra.ma, hoping someone would see our passion and give us a chance. There’s been no response yet. The Rayan Sip website is brand new. I don’t have a large audience, a big social media following, or investors reaching out. Some days it feels like I’m shouting my dream into a void.
The Reality of Working in Cafés and Restaurants
While I build this, I still have to earn a living. I work in cafés and restaurants as a waiter, a barista, and a dishwasher. I serve customers, prepare coffee, wash dishes, and clean floors until my hands ache. It’s physically demanding, and my wage doesn’t go far. It isn’t enough to comfortably cover basics like bread, milk and gas, and that’s before saving anything for a café.
I can only speak for my own experience. I’m not saying every employer or every café is the same. But for me, balancing hard physical work, money pressure and a family has been the hardest part of this stage.
Some customers are kind and leave a small tip, and I appreciate it more than they know. Others don’t think about the person handing them a drink, and I don’t blame them. They can’t know what someone behind the counter is carrying.
The Faith That Keeps Me Going
I’m tired. The exhaustion of physical work, mixed with the weight of a dream that feels far away, is heavy.
But every time I want to give up, I look at Rayan. I remember why we started this blog, why we chose the name Rayan Sip, and why we won’t stop.
I don’t know when the money will come. I don’t know if 1000fikra will reply. I don’t know if I’ll ever have enough for the cups, the beans and the chairs. But I believe in God, and I believe He sees my hands washing those dishes and the prayers I whisper behind the counter. I believe He will draw a road for us, even if I can’t see it today.
Why I Am Documenting This Journey
This blog is my diary, and my proof that I tried. I’m writing about the hard part, not only the recipes and the dream, because the hard part is where I am now.
One day, when Rayan Sip is open, I’ll show Rayan this article. I’ll show him that we didn’t stumble into our dream. We worked for it, one shift at a time. If you want to see how this began, read The Rayan Sip Story, or the vision I’m still holding onto in More Than a Café: A Place Where Strangers Become Family.
To Anyone Following the Rayan Sip Journey
I don’t know who will read this. If you did, thank you. Leaving a comment or sharing this post helps keep my hope alive.
And if you’d like to do more, you can support Rayan Sip directly. It’s completely optional, and I’m grateful for anything you choose to do.
Next time someone serves you a coffee, a kind word goes a long way. You never know who is behind the counter, or what they’re building.
