Crossing Paths: Jesse Watson's Journey of Faith and Service in Spain
Episode 10 | 12 Minutes | Jul 31, 2024
Jesse Watson shares his experience serving in Spain with One Collective and the impact it had on his life. He discusses the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, the cultural differences he encountered, and the growth he experienced through cross-cultural ministry. Jesse also offers advice for those preparing to go on a short-term team trip and shares his plans for cross-cultural service.
In this Episode:
Involvement is centered around Pilgrim House, which focuses on ministry along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
Contrasting his role as a team leader this year with his solo experience the previous year, highlighting personal growth and leadership development.
Insights emphasize how storytelling and journalism have become unexpected avenues for spiritual service and connection.
Cultural nuances he encountered in Spain, such as dining etiquette and the slower pace of life.
Practical advice for those preparing for short-term missions, stressing the importance of preparation, prayer, and cultural awareness.
Encouragement for potential travelers
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Jesse is a recent college graduate from California who has a deep passion for cross-cultural ministry, particularly focused on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. He initially participated in this ministry as a solo worker, then returned later as a team leader. Jesse values storytelling and sees it as a powerful form of ministry, inspired by his background in journalism. His experiences have deepened his faith and understanding of God's work in people's lives through intentional service and listening to others' stories.
Looking forward, Jesse plans to continue engaging in cross-cultural service, potentially revisiting the Camino with his father and seeking out opportunities to serve locally through storytelling and community engagement. His journey illustrates personal growth, a strong connection to his faith, and a commitment to integrating his passions into meaningful service both abroad and at home.
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Introduction and Guest Introduction
All right, hello everybody! Today we are with Jesse, and once again he is going to tell us about his trip, but first I am going to let him introduce himself. So Jesse, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi. Yeah. Thanks for having me on the podcast, Sofi. I'm Jesse and I'm a recent graduate or college graduate from California. And I recently went to Spain with One Collective.
Jesse's Trip to Spain
Amazing! So first let's just start with the basics. Now we know where you went, but when did you go, and who did you go with?
Yeah. So I went to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, for the past two summers. I've done this trip. I was serving with an organization called Pilgrim House through one collective and their ministry is centered around the Camino de Santiago, which is a pilgrimage in Spain that a lot of people go to, to backpack and if they're looking for. A change in their life if they're looking for clarity after a situation. So a lot of people are coming. They're just lost and looking for something more. So I got an opportunity to serve with them this year with my team, leading students on a short-term team. And then I got the opportunity to serve for a month and a half last year as a solo worker as a short-term worker.
That's awesome!
Returning to Santiago de Compostela
Talk to me a little bit about, it because I'm always curious, when you return and you return to the same space and the same ministry, what was that like to come back to the same area and to see either the fruit of the work you did or just to see those people again?
Yeah, it was cool. I think a lot of times with short-term missions, we think of it as you're going there and then you come back and, you can keep up with the ministry, but it feels like it's just something you did and it's done. So it was cool to have the opportunity to go back and see that, like the ministry is still there and, That there was an impact on the work I did last year and that I could bring that experience this year. I think something interesting this year was coming back, as the leader of a team versus last year going as a solo member. The dynamics were pretty different, but it was cool to have that different experience of growing in different ways last year was all about internal growth for me and, like just growing as a person, and then I was able to use that this year as a leader and kind of make that space for my team to experience the ministry that was so special to me last year.
Yeah, that's awesome!
Favorite Moments from the Trip
And I want to talk about that growth a little bit, but first, I just want to hear what was one of your favorite moments. From the trip, a favorite memory or just a favorite conversation, or what was just your favorite moment from the trip?
Yeah. Wow. One of my favorite moments from this year was, we did this thing called a pilgrim social at the pilgrim house. So that's for people who walk the trail, walk the Camino and, we spent all day prepping food and prepping this charcuterie layout. That was super awesome. But we got to just chat with pilgrims all night. It was like standing around and talking with 15 pilgrims who had just finished the Camino. And just getting to hear their stories and Share our hearts for why we love the Camino and why we love pilgrims.
That's awesome. That's so cool. And I think that's also just a really fun part of ministering to others is just hearing who they are and how they've lived. And so we did talk about growth a little bit and you talked about how there was a big difference in that growth opportunity for you.
Spiritual Growth and Storytelling
So something that we consistently acknowledge is that God has consistently used these trips to work through us and other people. And so tell me a little bit about that. How has God been at work since this trip as a result of your experience?
Yeah, these trips have been a big way that I've experienced God and experienced him through a different lens rather than my normal day life. I think I experienced growth with God in my first trip because there was a lot of solitude there and a lot of time of I walked the Camino on my own. So I got a lot of time to pray and a lot of time to be in the word. That impacted my relationship with God because it was, it pointed out to me that it was something intentional that I had to seek. And then I think in doing the ministry, I saw more of God's character in his presence in people's lives and, how he uses our talents, to further his kingdom and for his glory.
One of the big reasons that I went to Spain was because I love storytelling. And I studied journalism in college and I never really thought of that as a type of like way that I could serve. I just thought of it as like a vocation. One of the big things that I learned this last year was that, God uses that uses those talents that he gave us, and we can give them back to his kingdom in ways that we never thought could be service. I never thought sitting with someone and hearing their story or just about how the Camino was for them could be an active service, but I think God pointed out to me that that is service. That's a gift he gave me and that's a gift I can bring back to his kingdom.
So even now in my everyday life, given me these talents. He's given me these passions for people and storytelling. How do I use that every day? And just chatting with someone and helping them feel seen. It's not something that has to happen in Spain. It's something that can happen every day.
I think that is a very unique perspective, Jesse. I think that A lot of people don't always consider that and I think storytelling is so powerful I love that you're able to see your passion for journalism within the ministry. You're doing. I think that's super cool. I great answer. I want to go back to the beginning.
Cultural Differences in Spain
You were talking about the differences. And I want to acknowledge that a little bit. You are going to a different culture and though you've been there before, it's still very different than what America's culture is like. And so I want to talk about three new things that you experienced from the Spain culture.
Yeah. Okay. Let me think. I'd say. The first big thing was just like food slash like dining culture. I remember my first day there, my first year I was, or my first day on the Camino, I was alone and I was getting ready to eat dinner. And there was this restaurant with like filled and I was just standing there for 10 minutes, waiting for someone to seat me. And I was like, Oh, I think I like seat myself. And then I sat down and was waiting like a server came up and at the end of my meal, I'm just sitting there and I'm like, okay, I got to get back to my hostel. Like my hostel is about to close and I'm just like waiting for someone to bring the check. And then I realized like, Oh, it's a little bit different. Like I have to ask for the check here. So that's just like a silly, like small difference. But like when you're in that situation, I was like, so anxious about Oh my gosh, am I doing this right? Am I all these things, am I wrong? I think another different thing culturally. In Spain was seeing how people slow down a lot. Just the way that people shape their day is very different. It's a lot more intentional about taking time to rest and taking time to chat with your friends and catch up with people.
I think there's like a break in the middle of the day where people are just like, like things slow down, nighttime when you're walking through the streets, like dinner, people don't usually don't have dinner till like after eight. So people are just sitting out. And chatting and catching up with friends. So I thought that was something cool to see. Then a last cultural thing. I think just like the language barrier was an interesting thing to navigate. Like I speak a little bit of Spanish, but I realized I don't speak as much Spanish as I thought I did when I got there. But cool to see how people come in and help you, and how you can use like the little knowledge you have to get around, and even learn more while you're there.
Yeah. Did you guys have a translator or was it mostly just motions and just trying to communicate?
Yeah, we didn't have a translator walking around with us at all times, but when we were working in the Pilgrim House, all of the staff spoke Spanish, so that was super helpful, and then this year, I was the interpreter for our team, but, that didn't go super well at all times.
Once you've gone once, they think you're a master in Spanish, but you're not.
No, I'm not at all.
Gotta rack up those Duolingo streaks.
Exactly. Exactly.
I love it. That's awesome. No, I think those are great things. And I think that's been a pattern that the people I've interviewed, who've gone to Hispanic cultures, both the like silly little eating differences and also, there's a slower pace and you're like, wow, this is very interesting. So yeah, I think that those are, they're really interesting. Intriguing cultural differences.
Advice for Future Travelers
So now that you have had time to process this trip and now that you're back, I want you to think about people who have started to get themselves involved in short-term team trips. What advice would you have for someone who is preparing to go on a trip?
Yeah. I would say lean in, the preparation process is a big part of what your experience will be like there. I would say, be in prayer, be thinking about. What things you, are asking of God at this time, what, growth do you want to see, it's okay to have expectations like that. Your expectations might not, be exactly what you thought they would be, but it's okay to set those things and and see that. then also just learn about the culture you're going to, and learn about language differences, the cultural differences that I talked about. I had wished the first year that I had maybe just, done a quick Google search before I left practices in Spain, so I wasn't like sitting there waiting for the check for 15 minutes and stressed out about all these things So I would say lean into the preparation and like it's okay to have expectations But don't let those like Control what, how you experienced the trip.
Yeah, I think that's super helpful, for sure. And also, as you went on the trip, when you first went, did you know a lot of people you were going with? Or did you not know many people?
Yeah. The first year was, I just went on my own, so I was like meeting people as I got there. And then the second year when I went with the team, I knew one or two of the people on my team pretty well. But we had to do a lot of work beforehand just it's to know each other and getting to our communication styles was very important. And even, on the trip, we needed to be still working on time. figuring out how to live together and how to be in a community with this group of people that were thrown together, for a month.
Yeah, so I would love to hear what advice would you have for someone a bit timid to go on a trip because they don't know a lot of people.
Yeah, I think you should still do it. Like it's, you're going to meet new people through it. I'm not always the most extroverted social person, but it's cool to have this group of people who are experiencing the same things as you and no one's going into it, knowing what it's going to be like, and like fully feeling like maybe they are going with their best friend, but they like are still with a new dynamic of people. So you're all going to be in the same situation where you're getting to know each other while you're serving, which is a cool experience and a cool way to bond with people.
Yeah, for sure. There's nothing more bonding than trying a new culture in a new area of the world with new experiences. I think there's nothing more bonding. And we wouldn't want that any other way. I think the longevity of the relationships you make over these trips is really important. Speak volumes for sure.
Future Plans and Reflections
I have one last question for you. As you have understood cross-cultural service, and as you've witnessed the impact that it's had on your life, what will cross-cultural service look like for you now? Do you plan to go back to Spain? Do you want to go on another trip somewhere else? Are you investing in some service locally? What is that kind of going to look like for you?
Yeah. That's a great question. I think that's interesting for me because I had done this trip or I, even before I did the first trip, I was like, I had done mission trips in high school and I was like, really what I feel called to that's a good thing at that time, but I feel like my ministry is elsewhere. And then I just felt like a tugging on my heart. When I heard about this trip last or two years ago, I went and I think it redefined to me what service looks like. And so I ended up going back again another year. And yeah, I think it sparked a passion for cross-cultural, ministry for me. And, I would love to go back and do the Camino. I want to go back with my dad next year. And I think. Even, though like, has sparked a passion for me I might not be working with Pilgrim House next year if I go, but, I still have that passion for hearing people's stories on the Camino and, for hearing those stories elsewhere. So I think the, to bring that home as well, I would love to serve people just by hearing their stories daily. Like we talked about and, seeking out those opportunities for cross-cultural ministry. No,
Yeah, that's awesome. And I don't know why I didn't ask this, but have you ever done the full Camino?
I haven't. I want to. I may, my first year was like 10 days. And then this last year was five days.
But on the bucket list, I'm assuming?
On the bucket list. Yeah. I would love to do it sometime.
Amazing. That's so cool. Best of luck when that happens.
Thank you.
Podcast Conclusion and Future Episodes
Well, thank you so much for joining us. This is very helpful. I'm sure it will help a lot of short-term team workers, and it was amazing to hear about your trip and the memories and the moments that had an impact on you. So thank you so much again, and we will talk to another person soon.