Judy’s Jotting – July/August 2026

Greetings from a hot wet and sticky Thailand! I apologise for this missing July and swiftly moving into August – I returned from the UK in the first week in July and hit the ground running. God is good though and He sustains with energy and joy in the moments.

This will be brief, and maybe a bit note form this time….more chatty the next one.

Firstly I had a relaxing and refreshing time in the UK with family and with friends, and also visiting the churches. I think I inadvertently brought the Thailand hot weather with me this time! You were all so welcoming and I thank you. My time in the UK finished with the BMS EXPEXT 26 partner meetings and this was a time for fellowship, learning and increased understanding in the way BMS is moving forward in mission from everywhere to everywhere. There were times for quiet reflection too which was a welcome break to refocus and commit to this next term back here in Thailand. The goodbyes are always hard and get harder each time, but God brings comfort to me and I trust to those I leave behind too. Back to daily What’s App chats which is always something to look forward to.

So I landed back in Chiang Mai and was met at the airport by a happy Phil and Becca, and then came home to a beautiful welcome sign made by the children. Satang was still in hospital and we had a few more days juggling to get her back home. In the midst of this I was also straight into interviewing new night staff ( and day-but that hasn’t worked out yet) and am doing mostly night duty for now to get them trained up. They are two younger ladies who are enthusiastic and seem to enjoy having fun with the children in the evenings. They are speedy learners thus far so I am quietly optimistic. Pray for them – Mary and Mujat. One of my stable mainstay night workers leaves the end of August to handle family affairs in her home country but she , I trust, will be back within a few months and her job will be there for her.

No sooner had Satang got out of hospital, it was time for a wonderful visiting team of professionals and students from the USA to conduct physiotherapy assessments for us. The students also held a sort of vacation bible school time and a lot of fun was had by all, including the staff. Becca and I are now trying to process all we learned from them and present it in a way that creates new working PT schedules for the staff to follow. We really appreciate their help and hope they can keep coming back each year! There were a few days then of seeming normality, whatever that is, and then Becca headed off for a week on her mission time away. Phil was at Hope Home in the day and at night had one or two staff members with him at home so he could keep to his routine as much as possible. Generally it worked out well, and Phil enjoyed the extra TV privileges I think, not that that compensated for missing Becca. We also squeezed in a delayed birthday on Satang and the 30th – yes 30th birthday for Wichai.

When I was away Becca handled Aydin and Satang needing hospital admission and care and all the staff juggling that goes with that. Coinciding with this something always breaksdown at Hope Home too ( it is weird but consistent) -this time the washing machine and the fridge. Becca headed off and it was my turn – broken down washing machine again and Tada hospitalised with a ruptured appendix. This is something I dread in all our children since it is very hard for them to explain what is happening to them. Tada came through the trauma fairly well and is now home and recovering. He needs to be careful on not lifting things that are heavy for a while -easy to control in adults, but Tada sometimes has the desire to be over helpful, which we are currently trying to curb. I am trusting he will stop doing something if it hurts significantly, but no certainty on that. The rest of the children are mainly well thankfully and enjoying playtime outside as much as possible.

This weekend we are all off to a Thai family retreat, for families caring for individuals with special needs. We go on alternate years only since we are an unusually large family, so take up quite a few spaces. Pray we have a good time, the staff and the children. Each year our non Christian staff come away enthused and encouraged and amazed by the way Christians reach out in such love and compassion and generosity. Pray that the children stay well, and that we all get along. We are all sharing one ‘house’ at the retreat place, so it will be a fun experience. More on that when I do the next jotting.

My other workplace at the Church of Christ of Thailand ( SDSU) have been incredibly forgiving and patient with my inability to come back fully yet-though God willing I am there tomorrow. I can do things via computer from home, as I did in the UK, but it is not the same as in person. Also at Baan Sabaay Foundation I am trying to help with their proposal work for future funding, and they too are being very patient with me. Hopefully things will be a bit calmer, and as the night staff settle in, I can do less night work too.

Sorry for the not so short jotting in the end- I trust you are all doing well, and enjoying the hotter weather in the UK especially. Also that this holiday season is a time for refreshment. It has seemed chaotic these last few weeks, but yet there is a peace and a calm from knowing God is in charge!

Much love and prayers-Judy