Sometimes we see things that stay with us, they return when our mind is still and they serve as a trigger to consider our actions and choices.
On the 5th of June this year one of our homes welcomed in a young girl by the name of Jip. She was in desperate need of medical attention to treat the serious conditions her frail body was battling. I don’t think it is a stretch to suggest that if medical intervention did not soon occur she may not have survived. She was brought to our home by members of her family who left her there in a physical condition that is distressing at the least and bordering on criminal neglect at the worst. How it took this family so long to seek the attention that poor Jip needed beggars belief. Thailand is not a country bereft of good medical care, although history does tell us access to such care discriminates.
The many images of Jip that accompanied the one I have chosen to share with you below, caused me deep concern and cause to reflect deeply. I remain troubled and without answers as to how Jip could arrive at our home from the care of the family in such a condition. I truly hope that there are circumstances of which I do not understand that go some way to explaining her condition and it is not a case that people, those she should be able to rely upon most, simply did not care enough.
Whilst my questions remain unanswered my belief in the greater humanity and the good that exists in people goes without challenge. You see within a short five months Jip received access to the medicine that would give her tiny body the chance it needed. Clearly she had the will, she just needed what was missing.
The medicine, the care and treatment has rebuilt her tiny body. Her medical challenges, they’re not going away anytime soon, but now they are at least in check.
The wonders of medicine have healed her physically, but it is the love that she has received that has restored a smile to her beautiful face.
At Hands we focus on creating a life of choice. We have some big plans now that borders are opening up to pick up with some of the initiatives that will bring huge change not just to our kids but the communities in which they live. We pride ourselves on the 27 kids who we have fully supported through University via the scholarship programs and we smile deeply when we see the kids excelling at school.
But today, it is the work of the incredibly generous community of Hands supporters that I celebrate and give thanks to that empower the work of our dedicated and selfless teams across our homes in Thailand. The love that they shower the kids with is endless, but the supply of and access to the medical needs comes at an expense which can be hugely significant so to ensure that Children such as Jip have continual access to that care. Today, we ask for your support and a donation towards ensuring all our kids, those we care for now and those who will come in the future have what they need to sustain and grow.
