[Source: Paul Kim]
From July 1st to July 14th, a total of fifty people from Cornerstone Church visited Peru to participate in missionary work.
Cornerstone Church is a Christian church that is located in Harbor City, California. It’s a church that consists of mostly Korean-Americans that was founded in 1993 when a small group of young adults gathered together and started worshipping. Cornerstone Church has an unique tradition in that it goes on a short term mission to countries in need, helping and spreading Christianity to the people. The first mission started in 1995, when 25 of its original members went to Russia and Uzbekistan. Decades passed and in 2018, 50 of the church’s members including myself went to Peru for the church’s 14th short term mission.
Our mission team took off from LAX to go to Lima, Peru for 2 weeks, on July 1st. We spent the previous months training and preparing for this mission. We practiced and prepared body worship, songs, VBS (Vacation Bible School) and many more stuff for the kids in Peru. For our first half of our ministry in Peru, we went to a school called Colegio Good People School near Peru’s capital, Lima. The school was in one of the more poorer sides of the city but we were able to do our ministry there because of a missionary who built that school a few years ago. We got to meet many of the children there and help them have fun and gave them some daily needs.
Our church had a great time there and my dad, Timothy Chun, who went along with me said, “It was a blessing to be able to serve many of the grateful kids there. The kids really were joyful for the small things they recieved like little games and toys.” The children responded with joy and happiness which encouraged all of the mission team members to continue serving in the next school. We went to another Christian school nearby our first school and helped out as well. We were able to help renovate the school and add new equipment there as well. We also held VBS there and were once again able to help the children there.
After returning from this Mission trip, I was able to see the world in a different perspective. I got to see the children of a different country be so happy even though they live in tougher conditions. As I reflect upon this Mission trip to Peru, I can say that this changed my life forever.
To some people, missions can be thought as laborious and unreasonable, yet, it’s a great opportunity to mature in oneself and develop one’s own character by helping others.
Jonathan J. Chun, Grade 9
West Ranch High School
