On Our Way
By the time you read this newsletter, these bags will be packed and we’ll be waiting in Detroit for the second leg of our travel to Thailand. The complete trip will take about 27 hours with stops in Detroit and Seoul, Korea, before we finally arrive in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After three long years of waiting, the day is finally here! We keep saying to
ourselves that He makes all things beautiful in His time, and now is the time. Our storage room has been filled over the last three years with a large accumulation of items to take to Thailand. We’re even taking an extra suitcase this time.
We ask for your prayers that this trip will be fruitful and that we will quickly acclimate to the culture change after the long gap in time from our last visit. We will try to keep you updated on Facebook and look forward to reconnecting with our family there.
We plan on visiting supporting churches after our return to update you on the ministry. If your church or group would like to hear about the ministry, please contact us. Your support of Under the Son Ministries makes all of this possible. Thank you!
Cricket World and Asia Cup
In our September 2021 newsletter, we told you that two of the girls from Gethsemane were playing cricket for the Thailand National Women’s Cricket team. This year both girls are still playing on the world stage. After failing to qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 held in Abu Dhabi in September, the Thailand National team headed to Bangladesh to play in the 2022 Women’s T20 Asia Cup. There are seven teams in the tournament which includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand, and UAE. On October 1st the team from Thailand will open the 2022 Women’s T20 Asia Cup against host and defending champion Bangladesh. The goal of the Thailand women’s team is to continue to improve and to eventually qualify for the Women’s T20 World Cup. We are very proud of these two girls!
New Beginnings
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of Donella’s favorite verses in the Bible. It says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares
the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” On October 8th a dedication service will be held for the new boys’ dorm which is on the property of UTSM staff members, Moses and Yuri. Moses and Yuri are answering God’s call as they continue to work with young people. The new opportunities these boys will be given to further their education and grow closer to God will change their lives for the future. In talking with Titus and Moses, it is our understanding that five boys are prepared to move in after the dedication so they can begin the next semester of school. All of them will be attending the same school the children from Gethsemane attend. Donella and Steve will have the privilege of attending the dedication service and look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for the boys who come to live in the new boys’ dorm. While we are in Thailand, we will also learn more about the role Under the Son Ministries will play in the future of this ministry.
Christmas Homes Tour
Plans for our 6th Annual Christmas Homes Tour are underway. We held our first Homeowner’s Meeting on Sunday, September 25th. The four homes in this year’s tour will be exciting to see with different styles of decorating in each home. A special thank you to Chris and Elizabeth Bowles, Wyatt and Melinda Eubank, Coby and Teresa Hayes, and Scott and Jayne McGinness for opening up their homes for our sixth tour.
We have started a new Facebook page where information on the Christmas Homes Tour can be found. Watch for posts on this page with giveaways, décor ideas, and more. The link below will take you to that page.
Upcoming Fundraising Events
In early September, we sold 200 mums in a few days! We may need to add to our order for next year. We also had several Pop-up Shops in our home, and we just participated in the Fall Fest at Dot Family Farms in Maryville. This has been our best month yet for fundraising! Thank you to everyone who purchased flowers and bought products.
We will have a four day Pop-up Shop in our home on October 26-29, details coming soon. The Christmas Craft and Vendor Fair at the Community Center in Maryville will be held on Saturday, November 12th. This is our second year to be a part of the Makers’ Monday at the Courthouse Square on November 28th. Our last fair of the season will be the Worth County Holiday Bazaar in Grant City on Saturday, December 3rd. The 6th Annual Christmas Homes Tour will take place on Sunday, December 4th. Tickets will be available the first of November. We hope you can join us at each of these events.
