Auction proceeds to benefit mission trip to Thailand

Members of Mirabeau Chapel are trying to raise enough money to travel to Thailand in December to help orphans and refugees in the border town of Maesot.

“My wife and I had spent a year in China teaching school,” said church member Dale Schwartz. “I had visited Thailand while I was there.”

When the church began to consider a mission trip, Schwartz knew that there were a lot of orphans and refugees crossing over from Burma who needed help. “Our goal is to take a bunch of supplies to the orphans and refugees over Christmas time,” he said.

The nine people planning to take the trip will also work in an orphanage teaching English and performing skits. The church will host an auction fund-raiser next Saturday to raise money to purchase the needed items. “The easiest thing to do is to wait until you get there and buy it there,” he said. “It’s a lot cheaper.”

The group needs to raise $15,000 and has only $5,000 so far. The trip may be postponed if enough money isn’t raised. “It’s coming quick,” Schwartz said.

The fund-raiser will begin at 6:30 p.m. next Saturday with an auction preview and appetizers provided by Thai Kitchen. Tickets to the preview are $5 and can be purchased by calling the church office at 928-7600.

Admission to the auction is free and bidding will last from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Items up for bid include Mariners memorabilia, Eastern Washington University basketball tickets, tutoring, Silverwood passes, a hot air balloon ride and more. Other items will be raffled off.

The church is at 3001 N. Pines Road.

Guest speakers

Missionaries Rob and Cindy North, currently serving in Johannesburg, South Africa, will be the guest speakers during the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship services Sunday at the Valley Church of the Nazarene, 15515 E. 20th Ave.