3.22am Australian time: Text message received:
"Thank you for your prayers. I am now in Kampala."
"Thank you for your prayers. I am now in Kampala."
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
He is on his way.
22 hours till check-in at Entebbe.
10pm (2pm Uganda) Bishop Ise-somo sent a text just now:
" I left Butembo early in the morning and travelled to Beni. From Beni to Kasindi on the border with Uganda. I have crossed the border, travelled through Kasese and I am now in Fort Portal. God willing I will arrive at Kampala in 5 hours. (ie 7pm his time and 3am our time.)"
(Check out Google Maps to see his journey)
So it has been a long journey but this brings him into Uganda earlier than the planned flight on the Wednesday (which could have had problems with the plane or the weather) so the cancellation of the flight, despite the hardships of road travel in Central Africa, may turn out to be a blessing.
10pm (2pm Uganda) Bishop Ise-somo sent a text just now:
" I left Butembo early in the morning and travelled to Beni. From Beni to Kasindi on the border with Uganda. I have crossed the border, travelled through Kasese and I am now in Fort Portal. God willing I will arrive at Kampala in 5 hours. (ie 7pm his time and 3am our time.)"
(Check out Google Maps to see his journey)
So it has been a long journey but this brings him into Uganda earlier than the planned flight on the Wednesday (which could have had problems with the plane or the weather) so the cancellation of the flight, despite the hardships of road travel in Central Africa, may turn out to be a blessing.
3 Days till Arrival - and guess what?!
You won't believe this but you WILL need to pray!
At 11.08 pm tonight (Monday night) - three nights before Bishop Ise-somo arrives - I received an email from him.
It is 3.08pm in DRC. Cetraca, the only aviation company flying into Butembo and then out again - without chartering a MAF plane - has just cancelled it's flight out to Entebbe on Wednesday. This flight was to connect with the Emirates flight bringing Bishop Ises-somo to Dubai and then on to Sydney.
So Ise has to get his money back, do some mad packing tonight and then tomorrow he will somehow take a bus or taxi north to Beni ( try looking this up on Google Maps) then turns right and heads for Kasindi on the border and then across Uganda to the capital and hopefully making the plane on Wednesday 3pm. I think if things go well it is an 11 hour journey - and not a particularly comfortable one.
You may remember my story in my other blog <dentalsafariafrica.blogspot.com> about Cetraca (Congo what a way to go!) and my own difficulties getting out of Butembo last October.
The airline in question have two old Russian planes. Sorry - they HAD two planes. The one I started the journey had the left engine blow up while waiting to take off (Phew! it was still on the ground) and then the second one which I left on was a unique flying experience and just 6 days later, the same plane overran the Butembo runway (yes the same one Ise is leaving from) in bad weather and crashed, fortunately without loss of life. But the plane was totally crumpled. :- (
So would you all pray for Bishop Ise-somo's safety and travel to Entebbe airport.
I will keep you posted.
Graham
At 11.08 pm tonight (Monday night) - three nights before Bishop Ise-somo arrives - I received an email from him.
It is 3.08pm in DRC. Cetraca, the only aviation company flying into Butembo and then out again - without chartering a MAF plane - has just cancelled it's flight out to Entebbe on Wednesday. This flight was to connect with the Emirates flight bringing Bishop Ises-somo to Dubai and then on to Sydney.
So Ise has to get his money back, do some mad packing tonight and then tomorrow he will somehow take a bus or taxi north to Beni ( try looking this up on Google Maps) then turns right and heads for Kasindi on the border and then across Uganda to the capital and hopefully making the plane on Wednesday 3pm. I think if things go well it is an 11 hour journey - and not a particularly comfortable one.
You may remember my story in my other blog <dentalsafariafrica.blogspot.com> about Cetraca (Congo what a way to go!) and my own difficulties getting out of Butembo last October.
The airline in question have two old Russian planes. Sorry - they HAD two planes. The one I started the journey had the left engine blow up while waiting to take off (Phew! it was still on the ground) and then the second one which I left on was a unique flying experience and just 6 days later, the same plane overran the Butembo runway (yes the same one Ise is leaving from) in bad weather and crashed, fortunately without loss of life. But the plane was totally crumpled. :- (
So would you all pray for Bishop Ise-somo's safety and travel to Entebbe airport.
I will keep you posted.
Graham
Monday, May 20, 2013
10 days to go!
Yes it is really happening.
After the aborted February/March visit and the massive problems with getting a visa, it is now all systems go! for the visit of Bishop Muhindo Ise-somo.
The last time he was here was in 2003 and before that, in 1998-99.
After the aborted February/March visit and the massive problems with getting a visa, it is now all systems go! for the visit of Bishop Muhindo Ise-somo.
The last time he was here was in 2003 and before that, in 1998-99.
Friday, March 22, 2013
18. Bp Ise-somo here in June
Bishop Ise-somo will be coming to Australia in June 2013.
The tickets haven't been bought yet but all the money has come in and special thanks to all those churches and individuals who have generously given to make this visit a possibility.
Also special thanks go to the Hon. Matthew E.K. Neuhaus
Australian Ambassador to ZimbabweHigh Commissioner to Zambia and Malawi, and Ambassador to the DR Congo who has helped us immeasurably.
The program which is still being planned is roughly this:
Sunday 2nd June Springwood Anglican Church 8am 10am (The Factory)
Lunch at the Factory
4.30pm Arvo Church 7pm Night Church
Sunday 9th June (Long Weekend) OFF
Sunday 16th June Gymea Anglican Church All services.
Sunday 23rd June Winmalee Anglican Church 8am 10am and Lunch
Moorebank Anglican Church 5pm 7pm
Sunday 30th June Springwood Community Church (9am) to be confirmed
Evening to be confirmed
Friday, March 8, 2013
17. Thursday 7th March: The visas are granted.
Well everyone, at long last the visas have been approved.
We had a lot of help from a number of people and for that we are really grateful. It is hard to believe after 7 weeks waiting. Unfortunately we will not be able to bring my dental colleague Timon Grodya to Australia as we had a window of opportunity and we have lost it plus the extra costs incurred in trying to get the visas (it's a long story).
Ise-somo is at the moment looking at his diary to see what is the best time for him to come to Australia as his window of opportunity is larger than Timon's and we should have some news for you first thing tomorrow morning.
We had a lot of help from a number of people and for that we are really grateful. It is hard to believe after 7 weeks waiting. Unfortunately we will not be able to bring my dental colleague Timon Grodya to Australia as we had a window of opportunity and we have lost it plus the extra costs incurred in trying to get the visas (it's a long story).
Ise-somo is at the moment looking at his diary to see what is the best time for him to come to Australia as his window of opportunity is larger than Timon's and we should have some news for you first thing tomorrow morning.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
16. News coming soon
Hi everyone,
The second round of 15 working days imposed on Bishop Ise-somo and Timon Grodya back on Monday 21st January and then again on Friday 8th February was up 2 days ago and we are hoping that on Monday evening or Tuesday we will have some good news to pass on.
Well it will be only partial good news.
We are still very hopeful that Bishop Ise-somo will be here sometime in the next week or two. I will let you know as soon as any positive news comes from the Australian High Commission in Nairobi.
But sadly for Timon, the time limit and difficulties imposed by our welcoming Australian High Commission in Nairobi have ruined his chances of visiting Australia in the near future and he is on his way to Congo to launch our support venture called CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT Inc. at the 3 Anglican Clinics - in Butembo, Aru and Mahagi.
We have launched the CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT blog at the following address:
The second round of 15 working days imposed on Bishop Ise-somo and Timon Grodya back on Monday 21st January and then again on Friday 8th February was up 2 days ago and we are hoping that on Monday evening or Tuesday we will have some good news to pass on.
Well it will be only partial good news.
We are still very hopeful that Bishop Ise-somo will be here sometime in the next week or two. I will let you know as soon as any positive news comes from the Australian High Commission in Nairobi.
But sadly for Timon, the time limit and difficulties imposed by our welcoming Australian High Commission in Nairobi have ruined his chances of visiting Australia in the near future and he is on his way to Congo to launch our support venture called CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT Inc. at the 3 Anglican Clinics - in Butembo, Aru and Mahagi.
We have launched the CONGO DENTAL SUPPORT blog at the following address:
congodentalsupport.blogspot.com
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