First Baptist Church of Brookhaven will host its “I Love India” garage sale for the fifth year in a row next month.

The church will stuff their gym with a variety of donated items from clothes and knick-knacks to electronics and furniture.

The church will be accepting donations for the sale throughout the rest of the month. Small items can be brought to the church office now until April 6. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Large items can be dropped off starting  April 4 or a pickup can be arranged by calling the church office at 601-833-5118.

The sale is from 6:30 until 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9 with free admission. A sneak preview sale is Friday, April 8 from 6 until 8 p.m. with a $5 admission fee. The sale will be located in the First Baptist Church gym.

One hundred percent of the proceeds go to a ministry called Agape Outreach Mission India. The mission was started by Brookhaven residents Sam and Jezy Varghese, native Indians. The couple lives part-time in Brookhaven and part-time in India. Their mission plants churches and educates pastors in poverty-stricken areas in India.

First Baptist Church “I Love India” garage sale director Sandra Gerald said, “All of the funds from the proceeds of this sale go to support these pastors and buildings.  As you can see from the figures, not all churches have a building in which to meet. Jesus said to his disciples. ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

The mission is currently supporting 43 pastors and 60 churches that were started by Sam. They have built 31 church buildings and have two under construction at this time.

The Vargheses came to Mississippi so Sam Varghese could get an education. He attended seminary in Jackson and his wife attended nursing school and works at King’s Daughters Medical Center. First Baptist Church is one of their largest fundraising bases.

Gerald said the garage sale serves as one way to fulfill the church’s mission.

“We, as the Body of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will glorify God through joyous worship, faithful witness, biblical teaching, loving fellowship and effective training,” she said. “May all who come behind us find us faithful.”

“This garage sale is a great avenue to help send those workers out from right here in Brookhaven, Mississippi with our excess,” Gerald said. “We are blessed with so much and can help further God’s kingdom with things we don’t want or need any longer. Last year, this community raised over $22,700 from a garage sale. Isn’t that hard to fathom? God is great and really works in mysterious ways and can use us all for his purpose and glory.”