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