New Braunfels coffee shop using prayer wall to connect with customers

A coffee shop in New Braunfels is getting creative to help bring the community together. Boba Tea and Java Haus started a prayer wall for their customers and in the six months since they've opened, they said every single request has been fulfilled. 

For a display that only took a little effort to create, the wall is already making a big impact. “It's wire, metal and paper,” said customer Lisa Debartolo-Martin.  “It helps me feel that I'm not alone in struggles,” she added. 

Owner of Boba Tea and Java Haus, Nusha Bladinieres, couldn't stand how helpless she felt after two families close to her lost their children. “Really all you can do is pray,” Bladinieres said.  

Her daughter Beatrice Pelicano reminded her just how powerful prayer can be.

“People always say that praying is the least that they could do for someone, and, in reality, it's not, it's the most that you can do,” said Pelicano.  

Beatrice and Nusha put together a prayer wall to help their customers heal. 

“I like leaving my prayer and picking one up for someone else and pray for them,” said Robin Rogers, a frequent customer at Boba Tea and Java Haus.  

“We wonder who they are, who are these people? And you really want to see that prayer come to pass,” Debartolo-Martin said.  

It's a free reminder to everyone here that they aren't alone. 

“Because we’re all struggling with something,” said Debartolo-Martin.

The concept is simple. Customers pick out a piece of paper and write down whatever is heavy on their hearts. “You see them thinking and really taking the time to think out their prayer and to pour their heart out and put it up,” Pelicano said.  

Then someday, someone will pick up the prayer request and fulfill it.  

When Nusha started the prayer wall, she said she purchased about 600 coffee-shaped pieces of paper for people to write on. Six months later, she already needed to purchase more.