Sale to benefit church mission trip to Africa

When the Oxford Christian Academy (OCA) closed its doors in May of last year, the First Baptist Church of Oxford was left with numerous pieces of school furniture and other items they needed to get rid of.
This weekend those items can be yours for ‘pennies on the dollar,? all while benefiting a good cause.
OCA will be hosting a surplus sale of all their teacher’s desks, children’s desks, bookshelves, chairs, books, lockers and other miscellaneous items from the school on Friday, May 25, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Saturday, May 26, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The proceeds will help six youth from First Baptist on their mission trip to Ghana, Africa August 1-28.
Dan Wells, the Youth Director at First Baptist Church of Oxford, said proceeds from the sale will help cover extra costs to ship Vacation Bible School (VBS) items and purchasing T-shirts for the 1,500-3,000 children they will be ministering to.
Of the five churches the youth will be visiting, three are located on the Atlantic ocean in local fishing villages.
Wells said the youth chose to use the VBS program called ‘Set Sail,? which combines the gospel and a nautical theme.
‘As we selected the program, we based it on what the kids would most likely understand and relate to,? he said.
The surplus sale had already been on the minds of those at the First Baptist Church of Oxford, but Wells said the mission trip provided a way for three entities to benefit from it ? the community, the church and the youth group.
But you don’t have to buy a desk to help the kids.
‘Some people may see that they don’t want anything, but they may want to help the kids go (to Africa),? Wells said. ‘They can just give a donation and we’d be delighted to give them a tax receipt.?
The First Baptist Church of Oxford is located at 150 Pontiac St. Call (248) 628-2911 for more information on the sale.