update #1 - what's next?

"the journey is my home" -- Muriel Rukeyser

I haven't been so good at updating this blog regularly, so I've taken the advice of a friend and decided to commit to writing 5 days a week - focusing on a different topic each day of the week. Yesterday, I wrote a review of a Spanish tapas restaurant I'd visited while in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago.

Today I'd like to write a (somewhat) brief update on where I've been and what's next. As you may know from having read this blog over the last year, I moved to Spain last fall to apprentice with a team through CRM Empowering Leaders. Our team focuses on community and leadership development, both of which are desperately needed because of the current economic situation in Spain. There's still a high unemployment rate (about 56% among people ages 18-35) with no real hope of it improving soon, which means there's a huge population of educated, but un-experienced and unemployed people throughout Spain.

My neighborhood in Malaga

This past year, my position on the team with CRM allowed me to put to use my passion to train and disciple leaders, the skills in sustainable & economic development I gained from grad school, and my Spanish language abilities. My primary focus was to assess the need in our neighborhood in Malaga and the results were not at all surprising, though still difficult to bear. One thing became very clear, though: there is work to be done and God has blessed me with the heart and exact skillset needed to address the situation.

Over the last several months, I've gone through the interview and assessment process to join CRM full-time in Spain. I will be serving with the same team, assisting to build up local leaders by providing them training, meeting their needs for English learning and practice, and giving them opportunities to both make a difference in their neighborhood and add volunteer experience to their resumes. It's an exciting time, thinking about all the opportunities for growth that lie ahead!

So that (roughly) brings me to today. I'm currently in the States (based out of Seattle and traveling a bit) as I work on my visa application and raise support to return to the field full-time. I would greatly appreciate prayers during this time - for safe travels, ease during the visa application process, and that God would provide financial partners who desire to be part of what He's doing in Spain! If you would like to be part of my support team by giving financially to CRM, please see the DONATIONS section on the sidebar of this blog or go straight to CRM's giving page and enter "Mikaela McGee" in the search bar.

Being with family is awesome

Since arriving in the States this summer, I've been enjoying the extra time with family and friends, just soaking it all up because I don't know the next time I'll get to be around for this long! What a gift. :)

If you would like to hear more about what I'll be doing in Spain, please comment below - I'd love to share more stories!


♥ mk