The first two weeks of the tour have produced little sleep, but have caused a great wave of momentum in bringing Change for Burma! During 19th - 21st January, we met with John Bercow MP, David Drew MP and Lord Alton. All members entertained us hospitibly and took a great interest in the message we had to share. We used this time to explain the need for cross border aid to some of the most vulnerable people inside Eastern Burma. Earlier in the week we also shared this need with the Department of International and Foreign Development (DFID). A Partners programme was introduced to them and we were later informed that the proposal was sent to the charge office in Rangoon and was given to the Secretaruy of State for International Development. We will continue to be a voice stressing this great need.

After our meeting in the offices of Parliament we took a plane to the beautiful island of Jersey. There we were greeted so warmly we nearly didn't want to leave! We lodged in the lovely Chateau Vermont where we later presented to a large group of people in partnership with Side by Side charity and the Jersey Action 4 Burma group. The people were incredibly generously giving a number of cheques on behalf of the people of Jersey. Whilst in Jersey we spoke to classes at Victoria College and De La Salle College. A young student around the age of 13 asked towards the end of the presentation, "How do we let this happen?" I was somewhat taken aback by the question, perhaps this may be the greatest question humanity ever asks. In the end it will be our decision as to what we tolerate, how we let people treat each other and ultimately how we stop what we find so dreadful. If this young man will continue to ask how and why, he may ultimately turn his question into a statement, "We don't HAVE to let this happen".
Wes Robinson

I landed at Heathrow in the early hours of 5th January to be welcomed with a layer of snow on the ground...and I have to admit that I loved it! One thing I miss the most living in Thailand is the dramatic change of seasons, so I wasn't dissapointed. My colleague Wesley Robinson arrived from the US just last week and since then our feet don't seem to have touched the ground.

The Change for Burma! UK speaking tour officially started yesterday at my home church in Addlestone, Surrey. It was great to be back home sharing information about Partners and Burma as well as more personal news on how my life has been for the past couple of years. It never ceases to amaze me how much the plight of the people of Burma touches people's hearts and we were so encouraged by the response of those who heard what we had to say. It certainly helped us to look forward with excitement for the next few weeks.

Today we were in London, on the first of three days of meetings with MP's, Government offices and other people of influence.

We were so happy to meet and spend some time with Zoya Phan from the Burma Campaign UK, whose father Padoh Mahn Shah was assassinated on the Thai/Burma border last year. She is an amazingly brave and dedicated young woman passionate about her people and their freedom. During our time we were invited to speak at a future meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy for Burma...an exciting prospect indeed.

Our day ended with a meeting with John Bercow MP who has worked on behalf of the people of Burma by raising the situation in questions and debates in Parliament. He was able to offer us some great advice for future meetings as well as putting forward a funding proposal for cross border emergency relief on our behalf to the Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander.

Please do remember us in your prayers over the coming days and weeks as we continue to be a voice for those in Burma who daily face suffering we cannot even begin to imagine. May God bless you.

Well, 2008 is now behind and I am looking in 2009 with excitement. On Sunday evening I fly home to London for three months..during which time I will be joined by a friend and colleague Wesley Robinson, who has worked as a medic here on the border for the past two summers and is now a member of staff for Partners UK, to undertake the Change for Burma UK Tour 2009. We will be travelling the length and breadth of the UK - from Cumbria to Jersey and from Suffolk to North Wales - visiting churches, schools, universities and focus groups, doing as much as we can to speak out for those in Burma who cannot speak for themselves and to encourage people to take a stand for Burma themselves. We also plan to meet with Foreign Office staff, prominent MP’s and other Burma focussed organisations. For more info visit our website www.uktour2009.info

I will also be speaking at the Burma day of Prayer on 7th March at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham Street, Westminster.

I hope to see you there!