Glendale Korean Church's very first youth mission team took off from Los Angeles International Airport to Colombia. Led by Pastor Peter J. Ahn, eight young people participated. Despite their own fears about traveling to an unknown country, the young people were excited.

According to Ahn, the group chose Cartagena, Colombia, as their destination to help reach the family of an Adventist member from Los Angeles. “I met a woman in the L.A. Central Korean church where I was associate pastor about seven years ago,” Ahn said. “She is married to a Korean member and was praying for her relatives in Colombia, since she is the only Adventist in her family. She asked me if I would take a youth group to Cartagena where her family lives.

“Our youth group at Glendale Korean church responded to her call. They planned a trip to an Adventist academy in Cartagena, which has 400 students. They conducted two-hour ESL classes each weekday morning for junior and high school students, as well as vacation Bible school classes for the children. Evenings from Thursday through Sunday the team conducted youth rallies.

"At the end of two weeks—and following pre-work done by local pastors—six adults were baptized. Among the new members was one family member of the Los Angeles woman who had persisted in prayer and in asking me to go to Colombia,” Ahn added. “The Lord blessed!”

The group returned after two weeks, sharing their experiences and happiness at the ways in which God had blessed them on the trip.