Of the many fundraisers held at Highland Home Baptist Church, the largest is the Bidding with a Mission fundraiser – an annual auction to raise money for the church’s mission team. 

According to church and mission team member Alainna Del Rosario, the fundraiser has helped to send individuals around the world to share the love of God for over seven years.

“Our first auction was held in 2015 to fund a trip to Batangas City, Philippines,” Del Rosario said. “It was very informal. We were given quite a few donations and had advertised it. We had no idea what to expect! My dad was going to be the auctioneer. But, lo and behold, God brought us an auctioneer! One of the attendees, Emmett Gomillion, told my dad that he has been auctioneering for years and would love to help us. Of course, we said, ‘Please!’ He has served as our auctioneer every year since.”

Del Rosario said that trip to the Philippines changed her life in more ways than one, and the various trips she has been on have helped to shape and form the life she lives today.

“I was going with the International Mission Board through the Southern Baptist Convention and I was partnered with a local church that had built relationships with college students at different universities in the city to help disciple students who had become believers,” Del Rosario said. “This is the trip where I met my husband, Mark. He was a leader in the house church that I was partnered with.”

Del Rosario described the works that are done on such trips as she discussed her first mission trip in 2010 to Baja, Mexico with her father, Joe Davis, still new in her faith and knowing she wanted to spread the love she held dear.

“Through our first trip, my daddy and I bonded over being homesick, serving others, and being a part of the Great Commission,” Del Rosario said. “This was a trip of many firsts—first flights, first time leaving the country, first time seeing the West Coast. During our first mission trip, we built homes for families in need, held Vacation Bible School for children in the area, and did door-to-door ministry. We would share testimonies, Bible stories, and pray for people when going door-to-door. “

Del Rosario and her father traveled back to Baja three additional times, taking along other friends and family members to share in their mission. Del Rosario also traveled to serve in Cuba, where her team volunteered to teach English at local universities and met with students between classes to build relationships and share about Jesus with them. 

Del Rosario said that on her trip to Cuba the team baptized three young girls and shared God’s truth with over 100 students.

Joe Davis, Del Rosario’s father and a deacon at Highland Home Baptist said the missions at Highland Home Baptist have changed and grown over the years thanks to the fundraisers held.

“To start off with, it was just our church and we were only sending people to Mexico,” Davis said. “In 2019 we partnered with Chapel Hill and they were sending a team to Africa so one of our auctions was used to help them get there. These fundraisers and trips are so important because we are going into the world spreading the word and the love of Jesus.”

This year’s Bidding with a Mission fundraiser will be held on Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Petrey Community Center. Proceeds from the fundraiser will help send members of the Highland Home Baptist missions team to the Philippines in 2024 to assist Connect Church with their ongoing ministries in the area. 

Individuals interested in donating items to be auctioned are encouraged to bring the items to Highland Home Baptist Church, or contact a church member so pick-up can be arranged.