2. The proposed program

The program is still evolving but here are the main events where you can meet and hear our Congo visitors speak...

SUNDAY 10th February 2013                Week 1                                                                  

3pm  Official Welcome at Christ Church Anglican Church, Springwood

3.30  Welcome Afternoon Tea  Church Hall, Great Western H’way  Springwood (parking from Charles Street)

4pm   Evensong - Christchurch

7pm   Night Church - The Factory 28 Lawson Rd,  Springwood

TUESDAY 12th February:      7.30pm for 8 at The Factory Ise-somo & Grodya speak from the heart -                      

                                                      'The Church in Crisis.  The Church Rebuilding.  Where to from here?’  

THURSDAY 14th February               10.30 Thursday Church:           Bp Ise-somo preaching            

                                          7.30pm for 8 at The Factory        Ise-somo & Grodya speak from the heart - 

                                                         ‘The Church in Crisis.  The Church Rebuilding.  Where to from here?’

FRIDAY 15th February   Combined Youth Outreach     

7.30-9.30The Factory, 28 Lawson Rd, Springwood 

For more info contact Dave McPhail  47511065

SUNDAY 17th February:  

8am  Christ Church Service 

10am Family Church at The Factory, 

12noon Lunch with Family Church 

4.30pm  Arvo Church - the Factory   

7pm Night Church at the Factory 

8.30pm Q&A with Bp Ise and Timon- the Factory

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Week 2

TUESDAY 19th February   

School Visits during the day 

7pm  AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: ‘What is happening in D.R.Congo? What about the M23?’

Glenbrook Community Hall (next to Cinema)                7pm Refreshments                            7.30 Bp Ise-somo & Timon Grodya

FRIDAY 22 night / SATURDAY 23rd Feb morning interview  MEN’S KATOOMBA CONVENTION (MKC)

SATURDAY 23rd February 6-9 pm
   AFRICAN DINNER    

$10 per head or $25 a family   
Bookings 4751 1065 (office hrs) or 
0422 731 194 Evenings

SUNDAY 24th February     

8am St Georges Winmalee Anglican

9.45 St Georges Family Service

7pm Moorebank Anglican Church

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Week 3

MONDAY 25th- SUNDAY 3rd MARCH:  

GYMEA ANGLICAN CHURCH  Ise-somo speaking at 4 services on Sunday 3rd

131 Gymea Bay Rd,  Gymea 2227  Contact Rev Graham Crew (m) 0414859252    (o) 02 95246225    www.gymeaanglican.org.au

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Week 4

MONDAY 4th MARCH:  7-8.30pm   AUTUMN PRAYER MEETING of Springwood Anglican Churches at the Factory, 

                                                                                         28 Lawson Rd, Springwood  

MONDAY 4th - FRIDAY 8th March Speaking at Various Schools

FRI 8th -SATURDAY 9th Springwood Night Church House Party Grodya at MKC(afternoon)

SUNDAY 10th March  9am Springwood Community Church  Springwood Primary School

7pm Farewell to Bp Ise-somo and Timon Grodya at Springwood Anglican Night Church 

at the Factory, 28 Lawson Rd, Springwood.

This is not the complete list of activities for either Bp Ise-somo or Timon - 

For more information email <graham.toulmin@gmail.com>

1. Ise-somo and Grodya are coming to Australia in February 2013

Muhindo Ise-somo (known as 'Ise' because it is 'easy',
Bishop of North Kivu,
The Democratic Republic of the Congo

                                                                                            

Timon Grodya (known as 'Tim' or just' Grodya')
The East African Director of CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT

Our two friends from the Congo are arriving on Sunday 10th February and being welcomed at Christ Church Springwood at 3pm.  

Ise-somo visited Australia in late 1998-1999 for 6 months during the civil war to publicise the plight of the Congolese people.  5 million people died in this conflict and the world by and large didn't even notice.  

He visited again in 2003 with Bishop Masimango for a month.  Both visits made a huge impact on those who heard him.  2 years ago he was made Bishop and is doing a great job in an extremely difficult situation in the poorest country in the world.  (Google 'Richest and Poorest nations')

Timon Grodya was my first dental student in 1988 in Butembo where Ise-somo was the Anglican pastor.  He went on to become the head dentist in the clinic we built (now called the 'Mama Wendy Dental Clinic' named after my wife.  In 2001 during the civil war he was unjustly imprisoned and beaten and when released, warned to flee the country.  As a refugee in Uganda, separated from his wife and kids for 18 months, he struggled to make a living until a Christian dentist, Dr James Magara employed him and under his registration Timon was able to begin work as a dentist again.

He visited Australia in 2006 for a month and likewise made a similar impact on people who met him.

So we are bringing them to Australia this time for a number of reasons - Ise-somo to renew friendship and contacts in Australia and to share what is going on in the church and the country as a whole.    Timon is here because a group of us have formed an incorporated association to fundraise for an organisation called 'CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT'.

We hope you will come and hear them if you are able and that you might be moved to support either one of them in the development projects that they are involved in.

When you visit Ise-somo in Butembo (if you every do) you will be treated like a member of the Royal Family or a rock star with hundreds of singing children and large numbers of Christians coming to welcome you.  This is partly because of their joyful Christian faith and partly  because the number of people visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo is very few these days, most people thinking, like the Australian Government, that it is too dangerous to visit.  (It has the same danger level as Iraq and Afghanistan.)  And yet it is a wonderful place to visit as long as you do it as an invited guest of, in my case, the Anglican church who look after you like you wouldn't believe.

So they are arriving here on Sunday 10th February at Christ Church Anglican Church on the Great Western Highway at Springwood.  If you are in the area why not come and be part of a memorable welcome.  Like in Congo everyone is welcome.

Graham Toulmin, support dentist to Congo/Zaire on and off for 25 years.

Parking is available on the Great Western Highway on the Eastern direction and in the church carpark entered from the Great Western Highway (take care) or via Charles St behind.

More to come ....