Justin Jundante
From Relief at Death to Joyful Life - Justin Jundante
Episode 115
Justin Jundante, born in the Philippines came to the US at 10 years old. Raised in West Covina, California. He was in the US Marines for 6 years and has been out for 2 years.
Justin’s MOS was 0811 field artillery cannoneer. He is currently a salesperson for a coconut milk company called KokoMoo at a farmer’s market in OC. Some of the previous jobs he has worked at are babysitting, accounting assistant, server, and HVAC assistant.
I’ve been a believer for 2 years now. Some of the hobbies Justin enjoys are working out, hiking, volleyball, drawing, and interviewing people about their Testimonies on how God found them. What he aspires to be is to not be limited in how he helps people and to not be limited in the tasks God has for him.
Justin Jundante Takeaways
- Justin Jundante is from the Philippines and was raised in West Covina, CA.
- In his childhood, Justin was bullied relentlessly.
- Justin has two siblings who are both autistic
- Justin spent 6 years in the United States Marines
- Justin currently works as a salesperson for a coconut milk company, KokoMoo
- Justin Jundante is a very religious man and gives every praise to God
Justin Jundante Quotes
- “There’s like the big American dream. And people are just thinking, oh, I’m being oppressed, but, no, not really. If you go to a third world country, you’ll see you’re actually blessed to be in a country where there’s so many opportunities.”
- “It’s difficult to speak English. So when the teacher calls you up in front of the class, you get made fun of. So that became a fear.”
- “What should I do? What should I do with my life? And you’re scared to go venture out on your own because, you know, are they gonna accept me for being me, or would they accept me for me being fake?”
- “I started consuming [alcohol]. And I was like, this is fun. And it’s a temporary blessing. It takes your problems away for a temporary time. But the thing is, once you wake up, you’re basically stealing from your tomorrow because you feel worse than you did before drinking alcohol.”
- “So what I do on my Instagram is I interview people on their testimony because I have this belief in which, not every testimony is gonna touch everyone. So I wanna have a collection where people in my life could share their testimony. I need to provide hope for others. It’s called the scars of glory.”
Show Notes
What is Justin Jundante’s connection to the San Gabriel Valley?
Justin sells coconut milk in Orange County, but he grew up in San Gabriel Valley in West Covina.
Was Justin Jundante born in West Covina?
No, he was actually born in the Philippines and moved to San Gabriel Valley when he was 10 years old.
He still has detailed memories of some incidents in the Philippines, such as being attacked by dogs and all the poverty and people fighting just to get food.
This gives Justin a different mindset on the American dream and finds it ironic when people in the USA claim they are oppressed. It is nothing like 3rd world countries.
Did Justin know he was living in poverty while in the philippines?
He kind of knew a little bit since his mother raised him for 10 years and his father was often away. His father, a provider, was away to make ends meet for the family. He ended up bringing Justin and his mother to the United States.
What is a difficult time in Justin’s life that he had to overcome?
Justin admits while growing up that, he was rather peculiar; he likes to think of it as ‘thinking outside the box.’ He doesn’t relate to many people and was even bullied in the Philippines.
And in America, he spoke very broken English, so at school when he would be called on or have to go to the chalkboard he was commonly made fun of.
Unfortunately, Justin had a friend in school who wasn’t truly a friend. She manipulated Justin and their relationship and always made him feel alone and worthless.
This led to Justin developing a deep depression and feeling of loneliness. It got to the point that even suicide seemed like a fantastic idea.
Did Justin’s family know that he was being bullied?
No, Justin’s family was very absent and distracted by trying to work and keep the family afloat.
What happened next for justin?
He was working with his father for a while doing AC units, but he hated it and his body started changing. He gained a ton of weight. He felt he needed a drastic change and ended up joining the Marines for about six years.
It also was a way of rebelling against his parents. They were trying to control who he was, so he wanted to throw them a curveball.
He still felt an empty void and turned to alcohol. Which, looking back, he knew was unhealthy but he couldn’t help it. It temporarily took his problems away.
What does Justin Jundante do on his instagram?
Justin likes to interview people on their testimony, in terms of their relationship with Jesus Christ. He likes to have a collection of testimonies to give people hope and be a lighthouse, so to speak, for God’s messages and word. He calls it the scars of glory.
Justin believes God gives him signs as to whom to reach out to and interview.
Is there a specific bible verse that speaks to Justin Jundante and his life?
Yes. Justin believes it is Joshua 1:9. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Justin Jundante
Friendship Park – where Justin liked to play Pokemon Go and discovered a great community.
Bridge to Nowhere – a scenic hike in La Verne, CA.
RH-BBQ 2 – a local Korean restaurant where Justin enjoys eating barbecue.
