He obeyed God’s call to leave the Air Force and run a café – only to lose S$70,000 of his savings

“It’s time to leave your job. Trust Me and go.”

It didn’t make sense. I was raking in a good salary in the Republic of Singapore Air Force. I had two young kids. I had loans to pay off. I had no backup plan.

But as I prayed and fasted, the stirring deep in my heart would not go away.

Finally, when God showed me in Genesis how Abraham had obeyed His call to leave his homeland, I obeyed and resigned from the Air Force.

I had no idea what I would do next. My boss thought I was crazy. I, too, couldn’t believe what I had just done. But I knew God was calling me to step into something new.

An unlikely opportunity

During my three-month notice period, I spent a lot of time in prayer and soaked myself in God’s Word, asking Him to reveal to me what was next.

I thought about being a property agent, but didn’t pass the exam. I tried applying for jobs online, but couldn’t find a good fit.

There was a lot of back and forth between me and God. I was scared that I was “talking to myself”, or that I was pursuing my own selfish ambitions.

In the end, I felt God telling me to be patient and wait.

During Andy’s time in the Air Force, he was chosen to undergo pilot training, though he eventually did not pass. Photo by the RSAF.

Nearing the end of my notice period, something strange started stirring in me: A desire to bless the community through food.

But I had no experience in business at all, much less an F&B business.

One day, however, I chanced upon a Kith Café franchise opportunity in West Coast. I didn’t go looking for it; it just popped up. And somehow, doors began to open in ways I couldn’t explain.

As I explored taking over the franchise, everything aligned supernaturally. The café’s location was even at the same serviced apartment that my family had stayed in previously during our renovations. It was like God had gone before me and laid everything in place.

Despite my doubts, I felt peace and strength to go ahead.

With my wife’s full support, I used S$140,000 of my savings to take over Kith Café West Coast. For me, it wasn’t a business decision, but a step of obedience.

Honestly, it was never about selling coffee or food. I felt God telling me this was going to be an altar. A place of testimony. A space where people could feel safe and seen, and hopefully encounter Him through community and conversations.

Though the future was uncertain, my wife and I believed that God would take care of us.

But we didn’t expect what came next.

Zero in the bank

Within the first few months, I lost half of what I had invested.

Unlike the highly structured environment that I was used to in the military, running a café was messy, unpredictable and tiring.

I had to learn everything from scratch: building an inventory, staffing, negotiating with suppliers, running operations, managing café culture. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know what I was doing.

From being in a position of power in the military, Andy had to roll up his sleeves to clean, scrub and serve as a café owner.

We faced issues with staff and problems with processes. Food quality was dropping. Footfall was poor. On some days, we only had S$100 in sales.

There were months I didn’t know how to pay rent and food supplies, days when I avoided checking the sales report because it would stress me out, times when I had to hold back from buying things for my kids because we had to stretch every dollar.

There were many days I wanted to give up, especially when things felt out of control. Every day, I had to surrender and pray: “God, help me.”

The business began to bleed rapidly – first about S$2,000 a month, then up to S$15,000 a month. For the first time in my life, I saw zero in my bank account.

It shook me, and I started to panic.

I cried a lot in my car. I remember asking God: “Are you sure You called me to do this? Did I hear wrongly?”

That was a really deep valley for me. It came to a point where I gave myself three months to turn the business around. If things did not pick up by then, I would have to close it.

Though things were looking dire, I knew deep down that the café had not been a random idea. I didn’t come up with it. I knew how God had led me out of the Air Force, how He had shut every other door, and how this door had opened in such a divine way.

God had put a dream in my heart. And if it was truly God who had started it, then I had to trust that He would finish it – not in my way, but in His.

I held on to Isaiah 43:19, “See, I am doing a new thing.” And through it all, I prayed: “God, even if I lose it all, let me not lose You.”

Peace in chaos

I kept going not because I had confidence in myself, but because I had seen God’s faithfulness.

His grace always showed up – through people, through small wins, through moments of peace, even when things were messy.

On some days, as I worshipped in the quiet of the café before opening, I would sense His peace.

On other days, I’d be on the brink of giving up, and someone would walk in just to encourage me, without knowing what I was going through.

There were also quiet moments when I was alone, cleaning or restocking, and I’d hear God remind me: “I am with you. Don’t be afraid.”

Andy, seen here hosting a group of his secondary school friends, wants to avail his café to be a space where people can feel safe, find community and encounter God.

There were so many times when we were on the verge of running out, and then God would provide just enough. Not always in the way I expect, but always on time.

He also brought along business mentors and like-minded business owners who helped us improve the way we operate. One part-timer, who had interned at a Michelin-star restaurant, came to work with us as a chef and helped to improve our processes.

This April, just two months after we hit rock bottom, we finally broke even. I started being able to draw a small amount of salary.

Looking back, I learnt that God’s provision doesn’t always come the way you expect. Sometimes, it’s not in the form of a financial breakthrough. Sometimes, His provision looks like strength to endure, or divine help in the form of people He sends to encourage you when you’re running dry.

A son, not a servant

At the start of 2025, while I was praying in the Holy Spirit, God showed me that I would experience growth and acceleration in the year ahead.

Then, I had thought: Wah, money ah?

But the growth and acceleration that came wasn’t financial. It was a spiritual transformation that took place in the valley of dry bones – a season that God used to mould and refine me.

I used to be very achievement-driven. My identity was in my work, my rank, my success. I loved planning things, having control, predicting outcomes. But this journey stripped all that away – my fear of man, my fear of failure, my pride, my striving.

There were moments I had to let go of control.

My old self, before Christ, would have tried to hustle my way through, to fix things, to force results. But now, I’ve had to learn how to surrender.

I still do my best, but I leave the results to God. I used to measure success by numbers and KPIs. But now, I measure it by obedience and peace.

“God uses surrendered spaces,” said Andy (left), who hosted a Christmas gathering at his café in December 2024.

In the valley, I began to find my worth in being a son, not a servant.

He taught me how to rely on his daily provision of manna, instead of on myself. He taught me to find security in His love, instead of in results or my bank account. He taught me to focus on my relationship with Him, instead of on others’ voices and opinions.

While I used to splurge on material things, God taught me prudence. When I struggled with not being able to buy things for my kids, he taught me that my time is more significant to them.

My wife and I grew closer. We learned to pray together. My children saw me not as a “successful” man, but as someone who depends on God – this, to me, is my greatest legacy.

Most of all, I learnt that God is more interested in who I am becoming than what I am building.

A small mustard seed

As time went on, I began to ask how this café can become a platform to serve people, to give others a space to dream again. 

That’s how the Mustard Seed Market, a faith-based flea market, was birthed. On November 1 and 2, we opened up our café space for creatives and entrepreneurs to run booths for free.

Andy and his wife, Sheryl, at The Mustard Seed Market, held on November 1 and 2.

We wanted to create a safe and encouraging space for those with little or no capital to take their first step.

But it was more than just commerce. We wanted people to experience something different: Joy. Community. Even hope. I believe that when we create space for people to step into their God-given gifts, they begin to flourish.

The Mustard Seed Market featured faith-based art, craft, apparel and books.

People asked: “Why do you do this even when your café is struggling?” And I could only say: “Because it was never mine to begin with. God gave me this café, and I’m just stewarding it.”

I took that small step, and God multiplied it.

Vendors who never had booths before came and left with encouraged hearts and sold-out products. A 15-year-old boy came, twice, to pray for people. We had live worship. There were testimonies shared, with tears, laughter and encouragement.

People being prayed for and encouraged during the market.

It wasn’t just a marketplace. It became a place of ministry. A space of hope. A place of communion. God took my tiny seed of faith and made it into a tree that gave shade and life to many.

And I believe this is just the beginning of what He is doing – not just through the café but through every surrendered space and every surrendered heart.

Just enough light

I don’t know how long we’ll be able to keep this café open. Eventually, there will be an end to this season. But if at any time I need to close it, I’m fine.

Despite my shortcomings and my failures, God will still take care of me. He will still establish His plan and steps for me. He will still grow me and use me, wherever I am.

I’ve learnt that God doesn’t shine a floodlight to show us the end of our path. Instead, He gives us just enough light to see our next step.

But most importantly, through it all, He walks with us.

Read how Andy came to know Jesus here:

One mistake tore his marriage apart, but “God rebuilt everything I had destroyed”

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