A person who I have enormous respect for and who is in the news at the moment is Aung San Suu Kyi, back in England after 24 years in Burma, leader of the pro democracy party in Burma.

Her father was the leader of the Burmese Democratic Party and was killed by the military when she was very young. Her mother remained in Burma and Suu Kyi came to England and was educated at Oxford and married Michael Aris and they have two sons.

24 years ago, they all went to Burma for a visit to her mother who was not well. Whilst she was there she was asked by members of the democratic party to become their leader. She had no intentions or ambitions to become leader but over time felt that she should do this.
Michael took the boys back to the UK and it was expected that before long suu Kyi would follow. It took 24 years.

In that time, she was threatened, her home was destroyed, her followers were treated abysmally in dreadful conditions and the military were convinced that at some stage she would leave to retrun to England.

Her mother died, her husband died, her boys grew up. There were times when they were allowed into the country and the military always thought that she would go back with them.Then they would not allow her to return.

An amazing story full of courage, full of quiet resolve in the face of fear, full of life’s terrible moments. She was not a woman with wealth, domination or anything else that would give her power. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1991 whilst still held in Burma.

But what she did have and I’m sure still does, is inner strength a quiet resolve and an ability to dissolve fear, which is the greatest weapon that her enemies had against her.

Portrayed so well in the film The Lady, directed by Luc Besson.

Rev’d Sue Martin, Curate in Gayton group of parishes