First Baptist Church of Brookhaven is always abuzz with activity, but for some time now has been home to two special members.

     Sam and Jezy Varghese have lived in Brookhaven for 16 years and are members of First Baptist. They have chosen to answer God’s call and spread the Gospel in their native India.

     To assist the couple in their efforts, First Baptist will host a large yard sale and pancake breakfast on Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to benefit the missionaries’ cause in India.

     The yard sale will have a large number of items for sale, including large items such as office copiers and tables as well as pianos. Tickets to the pancake breakfast are $4 and can be purchased in advance from a First Baptist Church member or at the door.

     The Vargheses originally came to the United States to get more education and to help their missionaries back in India, but have since become permanent residents.

     Since being here, Sam has received his doctorate in theology and Jezy received a nursing degree from William Carey College in Hattiesburg.

     They said the biggest difference from their native India to Mississippi was the weather.

     “We don’t really have a winter in India,” said Sam Varghese. “It’s normally just warm all year and more humid than here. We also have a monsoon season in the fall.”

     The Vargheses have been in the United States for 16 years now and have made their work to support their 43 missionaries preaching in some of the poorest regions of India.

     “God called me to serve,” said Sam Varghese.

     Sam Varghese said the missionaries in India earn about $65 a month, which is not enough to cover all of their expenses. But without him, the missionaries and their families would not be able to support themselves.

     Even with what Varghese gives them, the missionaries’ wives must still work because what they earn is only enough for basic expenses such as food and shelter and does not include things like medicine, clothing, or education for their children.

     Sam Varghese said his mission is to spread the Gospel and Christianity into regions that often have never heard of the Bible or Jesus.

     The churches the Vargheses have helped establish in India also aim to help people medically who are too poor to afford the medicine they need when they are sick.

     The government of India does not allow foreigners to come into the country and act as missionaries. Because of this, native Indians must perform the work.

     Sam Varghese has 43 full-time missionaries that reach out into 55 places in India. The missionaries have established 50 churches in India, however 20 operate without a church building.

     Sunday Holmes of First Baptist says the church is passionate about helping families in India and helping spread God’s word in India.

     “Our church and others in the area have worked to help Sam and Jezy and their missionaries in India,” said Holmes.