- we seem to be split personalities at the moment.  The past week or so has seen Romy and I busy with workshops for the NCC on strengthening their organisation and at the same time trying to build up support for Romy.  We have been overwhelmed by the support of friends and colleagues and Romy has been deeply affected by the support from Christian Aid staff and our friends in the North West.  Aisha and Zac have been busy sending email petitions to friends... I'm not sure about the 'language' Zac uses in describing the mayor that Romy is up against.....but they are determined to get as many people around the world as they can to sign it so they can send it to the President of the Philippines.  To say this is a difficult time would be an understatement and the daily news from the Philippines continues to be worrying.  The relationships we have with the Muslims we have worked with through MuCAARD (Muslim-Christian Action for Advocacy, Relief and Development) over the past 25 years and the support they are also giving to Romy makes me so proud of the interfaith work we have been committed to for all these years. 

In the meantime we have a meeting to attend in Geneva on the implementation of the 3rd year of the ACT Tsunami appeal.  So this week has been meetings with the Churches and organisations in the NCCSL about the way the work is going.  It's basically good news and they are all confident that they can complete the work they set out to do... except in the North where the conflict and the road closure is preventing any housing or or other constructions from happening. I'm already invited to attend the handover of 50 houses, built by the Methodists in the East, to the families on March 3.  And today we had a meeting of all of the ACT members in Sri Lanka - so that includes Christian Aid, Norwegian Church Aid, DanChurch Aid (Denmark), UMCOR (United Methodists - USA), Diakonie from Germany and others to look at, amongst other things, how ACT members continue to meet and network when I'm no longer around to call the meetings.  Actually not that difficult and I'm sure will happen.

But I just had enough time to visit catch a bus down to the market in Pettah and buy lots of material to have a dress, a couple of skirts and tops made before I finally leave in March.  At less than a pound a metre I couldn't resist.

We leave tomorrow morning at 02.40am so will be in Manchester by lunchtime. Our friends in the Chester World Development Forum, the Debt Campaign and the Trade Justice groups have already planned a lunchtime meeting to show their support for Romy on Thursday. 

Plants - just say bougainvilleas ...... correct spelling!