By CASEY NEILL
GEORGE Leminded Ladu had never even heard the term ‘Anglican Church’ when he arrived in Australia as a Sudanese refugee 10 years ago.
On 1 February he was ordained an Anglican deacon.
Deacon Leminded Ladu, 49, will deliver Arabic-language worship services at St James Anglican Church in Dandenong from 4.30pm to 6pm every Sunday, as well as other programs and services.
The services are not just for people from Sudan, but anyone who speaks Arabic.
“People can understand English and know what is going on,” Deacon Leminded Ladu said.
“But if there is any preaching, people can feel it more in Arabic than they can feel it in English.
“In this area there’s a lot of people who can speak in Arabic.”
When Deacon Leminded Ladu arrived in Australia and made a home in Springvale South in 2004, he started looking for an Episcopal Church, as the Anglican Church is known in many countries overseas.
“I didn’t get it,” he said.
But he soon met up with Father Stephen in Dandenong, who he knew from his homeland, who explained the situation and took him to St James.
“I started regularly coming here with my family,” he said.
Soon he was working with the Sudanese community alongside Vicar Barbara Darling, now a bishop, using the theological studies he completed in Khartoum, Egypt, in 1988.
Deacon Leminded Ladu studied English at TAFE then completed his theological studies, despite a setback when his sister Rhoda passed away in Sudan in 2010.
“He’s a very caring sort of pastor with the people that are in his flock,” Vicar Jeffrey Parker said.
“He even flew up to Sydney a couple of weeks ago because somebody’s son was in trouble.
“He really does care about these people.”
Deacon Leminded Ladu lives in Lynbrook with his wife, Farus, and five children, Minas, Miriya, Lazaru, Manawa and Elizabeth.
He was a teacher at secondary school and a lecturer at university, and has worked as a teacher’s aide at Emerson School in Dandenong since 2007.
He’s determined to continue his journey toward becoming a priest.
St James Anglican Church is in Langhorne Street, Dandenong, and can be contacted on 9793 3898.
