traveler or tourist

"The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see" -- G.K. Chesterton

love these European streets!

I've now been in Málaga, Spain for just over three weeks. I feel like I just got here, and yet so much has happened since I arrived! Within my first 48 hours, I had consumed two Thanksgiving meals - one of which was with about 15 Spaniards -, explored my new neighborhood, and ventured out to see the Christmas lights in "downtown" Málaga (El Centro). There may not be as many famous tourist attractions here as there are in Paris, but there is so much to see and experience here - and I'm loving every minute of it!

One of my favorite things about traveling is the opportunity to truly experience the cultures I visit. I find this more difficult if I have a "tourist mindset" - having my own agenda, seeing places and things I came to see - rather than being open to the spontaneity of going where the wind takes me, so to speak. The last time I was in Spain (this past summer), I had 5 days in Barcelona and 5 days in Málaga to "see it all." I was a tourist this summer, visiting the destinations and eating the foods people recommended I see and eat before leaving Spain. It was wonderful - I had so much fun and thoroughly enjoyed it. But being a traveler this time around is SO much better. I still get to see and taste new and exciting things, but from a different perspective. I see daily life. I see families walking their children to school, old friends meeting at a café in the morning, children playing on the tire swing by the beach.... not your typical tourist attractions. And maybe not something that would particularly stand out to anybody. But these are the things that I think make up a culture more than an iconic building might.

And it's these customs that I love to see, hear, smell and experience as I travel the world. Taking the time to slow down and watch, have a conversation, truly listen to people - these things will change a person. Being a tourist can sometimes prevent me from opening my eyes to the true beauty of the country I'm visiting - if I'm too focused on seeing the sights, I may entirely miss the culture, the opportunity to engage in conversation with a local, the chance to have my perspective transformed. So, I hope that this year in Spain will be more about seeing what I see rather than what I have come to see. 

Christmas lights in Málaga

In El Centro with Irene

I feel so blessed by how well this transition has gone. I've been able to jump right into Spanish - just need to work on my Andaluz accent ;) - and people have been so kind and welcoming. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts during this time!

Below are some pictures of a recent trip I took to Ronda - a town about 1.5 hours west of Málaga. There are so many amazing places here in Southern Spain - my backyard!

Looking out over the Andaluz countryside

Puente Nuevo - the bridge over the 390-foot-deep
chasm that divides the city of Ronda

A different perspective of the bridge

Ronda, Spain

♥ mk 

see them as they are

"The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, to see them as they are" - Samuel Johnson

Oh, how I love to travel! The new sights, aromas, languages, people... There is just so much goodness in exploring, learning, experiencing and understanding different ways of life. So much of the way I live my life today is because of the different cultures I've encountered through travel. I have seen what life is like outside of the country in which I grew up and, when I was younger, it caused me to wonder which is the correct way of doing things. Thankfully, along with age came a bit of wisdom and maturity in approaching such questions. There is no right or wrong. We are all unique human beings - so how could there possibly be one language, greeting, lifestyle, or even food? I am so grateful for the little nuances that make each culture unique.

The Eiffel Tower lit up while we
were waiting in line to go up

Whenever I arrive in a new country (for the first, tenth, hundredth time), I can't help but have a giant smile on my face. There is always so much to take in - between the signs, sounds, and smells - that it can be overwhelming. And I let it overwhelm me, but in a good way. I embrace the fact that I'm out on a new adventure, seeing new sights and meeting new people. I'm excited about the chance to practice that language - or even pick up a new one! - and go out and experience the culture through the eyes of a local.

One of the most beautiful things about all of this is that, by putting myself in these foreign places, I get to see daily life from a new perspective. It's much more than just imagining how things are in other countries and cultures; it's experiencing, understanding and knowing them. It is these different views and perspectives that shape my own outlook. I love allowing parts of each culture I've experienced to form part of who I am, how I interact with the world. The traditions, music, customs, food... 

But there is one amazing detail that it evident in all cultures, countries, places and people. One thing that makes us all unique and yet ties us all together.

LOVE.

Life is all about experiencing and knowing love to the fullest. And I'm most often reminded about this while I'm traveling - my eyes falling on new forms of beauty created for me to see, my taste buds overwhelmed with the most delicious combinations of flavors, and my heart and soul being filled with the joy of knowing I am where I'm right where I'm supposed to be.

The journey I began this Fall started with a few days in Paris, France. Here are a few pictures of the lovely sights that city holds:

♥ mk

Best way to get over jet lag:
walk everywhere to see the sights

Sacre Coeur at night

Lunch at Cafe des 2 Moulins

Spain: the need

Did you know that over 50% of Spanish youth are unemployed? (Here's an article from The Guardian that describes the severity of unemployment in Spanish youth.) It's difficult to grasp a number so huge. How can unemployment get so high? And what do the youth do with their "free" time if they aren't working?

It is for reasons such as this that I am particularly drawn to Spain right now. And bonus: I get to put my skills as a Master of International Development to use! I cannot even begin to express how excited I am to be part of this team that will be launching a community development site in a place that so desperately needs it.

As part of this team, one of my main roles in Málaga will be to listen to the needs of those in the community, particularly the (unemployed) youth. It is not my intention to go over there and tell them what is wrong and how to fix it. Rather, I hope to come alongside the individuals in the community and empower them to feel a sense of ownership and take on leadership roles within their neighborhoods. 

This is not a short-term fix to the current economic problems, but I do believe that the relationships I build with my soon-to-be neighbors in the coming years can lead to a long-term solution.

This will have a ripple effect on the generations to come - in communities throughout Spain, Europe and the world. It starts with the change of one person's heart, perspective and attitude. I believe that the work I'll be a part of next year will have lasting effect. Would you consider partnering with me in transforming lives one community at a time?

I have two weeks until I need to be in Spain and I've still got a ways to go with raising enough funds. Because I am not a resident of Spain and can therefore not have a job, I cannot live there without YOUR SUPPORT. Please consider giving a monthly, quarterly or one-time donation to my fund through CRM. 

Below are what I need to raise:
$1300 each month for 12 months
$4600 one-time expenses
No gift is too big or too small. Every penny counts!


♥ mk

the next destination

"To travel is to take a journey into yourself" - Danny Kaye

Well, I've lived in beautiful San Diego for over 2 years now. Which means it's time for a change. ;) But really, I am so grateful for the last few months I've gotten to spend in San Diego NOT in school. I am leaving this city on a positive note - with so many incredible friendships and even more great memories.

So what's next?

To recap: I graduated with my Master's in International Development from UC, San Diego  in June. A week later, I flew to Tel Aviv to spend a couple of weeks learning from peacemakers throughout Israel/Palestine. On my way back to the States, I stopped in Spain to meet the Moens, a couple that is pioneering a community development site in Málaga. I had been put in touch with them a few months before graduating and was really drawn to their vision of empowering young Spaniards to be leaders through the context of community and community development. This was something that not only lined up with my heart for Europe, but was also in direct relation to what I had been studying.

Exploring Málaga with the Moens

Through much prayer and several intentional conversations with the Moens, and friends and family who know me best, I have committed to joining their team for one year, with the potential of serving with their team longer term. During this time, my ministry role will involve serving alongside them, being coached/mentored, and exploring and pioneering new ministry endeavors. I will also be living with the Moens, and helping with their children as they continue language study. My personal vision is to see Europeans reached with the gospel by empowering local leaders and encouraging them to engage in their own neighborhood. I’m excited and thankful God is opening the door for me to pursue this vision in Spain.

But I can’t do it alone! In order to see this work happen, I need a committed team of people behind me who also want to see this vision come to fruition. The main ways you can partner with me is by committing to pray for me and supporting this work financially. My greatest need is for people who feel able and willing to commit to a monthly contribution. I need to raise $1300 per month, as well as $4600 in one-time expenses. You can donate here.

Feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions!

♥ mk

remembering the stories

Well, it’s been two weeks since arriving back in San Diego – hard to believe how fast time flies! It’s been wonderful to be back and not be in school :) I’ve been making the most of this new free time, catching up with friends, reading (whatever I want!), and enjoying San Diego. It’s been so sweet to be able to share stories of my time in Israel/Palestine with friends, family, co-workers, and even some new acquaintances. I’m humbled to be so blessed to have gotten to experience first-hand the stories I share with others.

Prayers for peace.
Wailing Wall - Jerusalem

As I continue to process through the things I heard, saw, and felt while in the Holy Land, I am struck by a strong sense of hope. Despite the deep-rooted pain and generation-old arguments on both sides, many of the everyday peacemakers with whom we met had a hope that I could not understand. How, in the midst of a conflict the likes of which most people have never experienced, can there possibly be any hope? Sure, there are daily frustrations that may chip away at the confidence they have for change – this is not exactly a quick-fix issue at hand. But the overarching themes throughout the conversations were peace and love, two very hopeful outcomes for the conflict.

Rock art at Tent of Nations:

"Peace, Justice and conservation of the creation"

"Peace and justice for all mankind"

"Never stop fighting for a better world"

Most individuals that we met with (from both Israel and Palestine) have a genuine desire to know their neighbors, engage in conversation with them, listen to what they have to say, that they might actually understand them. I was taken aback by the patience everyone has, knowing that a peaceful resolution is one that can take years, decades, even generations.

It makes me think about how impatient I am about the little things in my life. What an experience to help put things in perspective! As I continue to share the stories of these everyday peacemakers, I hope and pray that the stories impact people in such a way that causes a shift in their way of approaching conflict in their own lives.

One of the most impactful quotes from this trip came from the owner of Taybeh Brewery (the only brewery in the West Bank).

“Love not just your neighbor, but love also your enemy.”

Much easier said than done. But I do believe that love is the answer.

♥ mk

Seeking first to understand

It's already been a week since I arrived in Jerusalem, yet it feels like I've done at least a month's worth of exploring, adventuring, seeing new things and meeting new people. I don't have as much time to write, but below are some pictures that I hope help tell the story of this journey...
It's been an incredible blessing to be in such a beautiful land, surrounded by some truly amazing people who are living out everyday peacemaking in the midst of terrible conflict. More than anything, I see and feel a deep sense of love here from the israelis and palestinians - for the land, for family, and, most important (and, at times, shocking), for their neighbors. The people in this land are here for the long haul, so peacemaking practices are relevant and necessary. This has been so evident in the conversations we've gotten to have with israelis and palestinians in the last week.
In a place that is ridden with conflict, there are seeds of hope.
♥ mk

seeing both sides

"To travel is to live" - Hans Christian Andersen

It is hard to believe that in a matter of weeks I will be getting on a plane to begin my journey to Israel/Palestine. Though, really, this journey began months ago through the Understanding Phase of The Global Immersion Project. My knowledge of this conflict was fairly limited coming into this experience. I knew and understood the Israeli side of the conflict, my heart breaking for these people with no home, no safe place to go after the Holocaust. But I had somehow disregarded the Palestinians, without even realizing it. In preparing for this trip, I have been studying this conflict through a brand new perspective: one that includes both sides. Throughout the Understanding Phase, we have read books, seen documentaries, and heard stories told by both Israelis and Palestinians.

As if my heart didn't break enough for the people in that region of the world before, it began to feel crushed with the pain of these Palestinians who had been kicked out of their land so that the Jews could have a place to call home. For the first time, I saw that the people of Palestine, who had once lived in peace with their Jewish neighbors, as victims of this same conflict. The documentaries showed children growing up on either side of the walls that have been built to separate Israel from Palestinian territories. These children are being raised in the midst of this violent conflict, quite possibly with no real escape. It pains me to think that they may never know or experience peace in their lifetimes.

And yet, I find hope in the knowledge that there are everyday peacemakers in both Israel and Palestine seeking the common good. Through understanding both sides of the conflict, my eyes have been opened to the great importance of pursuing a peaceful solution to this conflict. There are many different ways to go about this, as I am learning through some of our texts and lectures about peacemaking and conflict resolution, and I look forward to meeting and talking with some of the peacemakers on the ground in Israel/Palestine.

Processing this conflict has not been an easy journey, but it has been incredibly necessary, useful and insightful. I feel like I have already shifted my perspective on how I approach conflict in my own life; I can only imagine how much more my heart will be impacted and changed by spending time with the people living in the midst of this conflict.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue this journey of becoming more knowledgeable, compassionate, and humble, that I might be refined into an everyday peacemaker.

♥ mk

new eyes

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” - Marcel Proust

Israel/Palestine (the Holy Land) is a place of great interest where history unfolded and where it continues to unfold today. It is a place of great hope and expectation as well as a place of injustice and pain for Jews, Muslims, and Christians worldwide. It is the place where an ancient conflict plays out: the conflict between Abraham's children.

As mentioned in my previous blog post, I've been invited to join a unique learning community made up of men and women from all different professional backgrounds to travel to the Holy Land this June. The experience is being guided by The Global Immersion Project (TGIP), a Christian humanitarian organization that seeks to develop peacemakers through immersion in global conflict. TGIP so believes that conflict is the best classroom for peace – and that those engaged in the work of peacemaking are the best instructors – that the organization has carefully developed a network of Israeli & Palestinian friends who will help train us for the work of peacemaking. Ultimately, TGIP takes seriously Jesus’ call to everyday peacemaking and believes in the local and global impact that North Americans can make as we learn to live in Way of Jesus.

As you know, I am someone who longs to participate, both locally and globally, in God's work of restoration & reconciliation. I view this experience as an environment in which God's cultivation of me will further focus and fuel His just and compassionate reach to others through me. Would you please consider financially investing in my cultivation in this way?

The entire cost of the experience is $2750 + flight ($1375 is DUE May 1; the rest is DUE June 1). All donations are tax-deductible and will be processed through a California registered 501(c)3  organization called “Rama de Olivo Ministries” (TGIP’s affiliated non-profit host).

To contribute financially:

1.  Please write a check made out to “RAMA”.

2.  Write my account number (NOT my name) in the memo: 2002

3.  Mail your contribution directly to Rama de Olivo Ministries:

255 20th Street

San Diego, CA 92102

4.  Upon reception of your contribution of $250 or more, a receipt will be mailed directly to your mailing address. (For contributions under $250, a copy of your check will serve as a receipt for tax purposes.)

Please feel free to contact me directly through email or phone if you have any questions. Thank you in advance for your consideration and your partnership - I am excited for you take part in this journey with me!

♥ mk

plans

"a good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving" - Lao Tzu

It turns out that the second year of this graduate program can be just as time-consuming as the first... I've managed to go nearly an entire school year without writing a single blog! Oops.

But guess what. I am DONE with school in under 2 months! And that means a new season of adventures filled with travel :) To catch you up, this year has been jam-packed with 4 to 5 classes each quarter, an internship on campus, volunteering twice a month at my home church (Flood), visiting friends for weddings, hosting several other friends in sunny San Diego, and the ever-present job search... Needless to say, I'll be grateful to have a bit more time on my plate once classes are over.

In the midst of the chaos of this year, I was presented with the opportunity to join a cause that cultivates everyday peacemakers through immersion in global conflict, specifically in Israel/Palestine. The Global Immersion Project (TGIP) is a non-profit organization started by a couple of friends of mine that "curates four-month long, experiential Learning Labs that culminate in two-week immersion experiences into the classrooms of global conflict. They do this because they want to see a global generation equipped for everyday peacemaking." They believe that everyday peacemakers are men and women who are equipped & released for conflict resolution and transformation within the spaces of family, neighborhood, local context, & global context.

About a month ago, I began the first phase of the learning lab, which has involved an extensive historical background on the conflict in Israel/Palestine, the diverse theological frameworks of the people living in that area, international politics, and peacemaking practices. This phase is intended to equip us to enter into relationships more intelligently and into the conflict more compassionately. I will continue this phase of the Global Immersion Project through the end of June, when we will leave for our two-week stay in Israel/Palestine. That phase of the learning lab will allow us to experience, first-hand, the tension and trauma of conflict, the contributions of slanted theologies and rigid nationalism to conflict, and the tangible impact that the peace-making Way of Jesus has on conflict.

I am beyond excited for this trip! :) It has been incredible to see the way in which my perspective on conflict has shifted in the short time since beginning the learning lab - I'm looking forward to how my heart will change after spending time with those directly involved in the Israel/Palestine conflict.

I will update my blog with more updates about this experience as I continue in the learning lab... Can't believe we'll be heading to the Middle East in just two months!

♥ mk