Riva Sharples | Editor
Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend a Belize Mission Team fundraiser happening this Sunday, Feb. 1, at 5 p.m. at the Alcester Community Center.
The event, which will include a meal, silent auction, and trivia night, will raise money for a group of area youth and adults who will be traveling to Belize this summer for mission work. The trip is being organized through Alcester Baptist Church and the Merge youth group there.
The trip will take place for a week in July.
“The group of area youth and adults who are going will be working and serving alongside a local church directing a vacation Bible school, helping with a food distribution ministry, and completing various service projects,” said Pastor Scott Conner, who is organizing the trip. “Those going on the trip were called to go on this trip to grow in their faith, experience another culture, to get out of their comfort zone, and to experience God’s work as they share Jesus with others.”
The trip is hosted by Praying Pelican Missions, a mission organization that organizes group short-term trips around the world. The mission of Praying Pelicans is to establish long-term relationships with local churches and ministries, providing opportunities for groups to make a lasting impact. They also provide lodging, food, and transportation for the groups.
The cost of the trip is around $2,000 for each participant, including the plane ticket to Belize. Through Sunday’s fundraiser, along with other efforts, the group is hoping to raise much of the funds needed for the young people and their sponsors to take the trip.
Conner hopes everyone will come out for a fun evening and to support the youth on this mission trip. The silent auction will have many goodies up for grabs.
“Many organizations and businesses have donated items to bid on,” said Conner. “Besides the pork loin meal, there will be an ice cream and coffee bar and then a trivia contest with prizes to close out the evening. For those trivia buffs, there may or may not be a Belize category, so study up! More auction details, including a list of items can be found at www.alcesterbaptist.com.”