Korean Community Presbyterian Church of Atlanta (KCPC)'s youth group and English ministry (EM) members recently went to the Dominican Republic from June 23 to July 2 for a short-term mission trip. The trip consisted of VBS, street evangelism, orphanage visits, engaging with refugees from Haiti, as well as using skits and worship music to share the gospel.
The team of 21 members received training with the Word and prayer for four months with the guidance of Pastor Sam Baik, who pastors youth at KCPC, and Elder Kyu-Jung Hahn. Street evangelism began the evening of the day the team arrived, and the team also paid a visit to a native church later that night.
KCPC had visited the region for the first time in three years, and some members were able to see that many churches had grown since the last time they visited.
Haitian refugees had villages around sugar cane fields, and many of the children participated in voodoo practices, which was a concern for some of the team members. However, every place that the team set foot turned into a fun atmosphere of love.
"I felt that embracing them and all of the things we were able to share with them was a glimpse of Jesus' love, and the calling of missions," said one of the mission team members. The team also helped to build a well for the villagers, who lacked access to clean water. Members also witnessed villagers in the isolated hill areas who lacked access to churches launching their own church.
Meanwhile, some members of the Korean youth department of KCPC also went on a mission trip to Mexico from July 6 to July 16, and shared the gospel through street evangelism, VBS, sports ministry, teaching English, providing eye glasses, and helping build homes.
"We were able to experience firsthand the lives of the natives through street evangelism and had the opportunity to listen to their difficulties and hurts," said the team.
This team launched the eye glasses ministry for the first time this year. Two teachers and one student received training for several weeks, and went into Desco village to provide glasses to the villagers. The three also shared the gospel and prayed over the villagers during their stay.
The Mexico team also built homes for two families.
"We were able to experience a short glimpse of the difficult lives these natives must feel as we helped to build these new homes for the families," said the team. "We began to understand why these natives -- despite their illnesses and broken bodies -- continue to carry on in their daily lives."
