A STEWARD was so moved by a doctor’s missionary work in Africa she has invited him to speak at her church.

Daisy Seepaul, of Longwood Gardens, Barkingside, has been a steward at Barkingside Methodist Church for the last 11 years.

But it was a trip to Wanstead Methodist Church to hear about Dr Leo Cheng’s missionary work on board the Africa Mercy in Benin that inspired Barkingside’s next big speaker.

The consultant oral maxillofacial, head and neck surgeon at St Bartholomew’s, The Royal London, and Homerton hospitals was accompanied by his wife Hilary on his 14th voyage on the Africa Mercy in December.

Dr Cheng, of Chingford, performs two or three surgical procedures a day when he visits the ship, mainly on young children who have never had medical care before.

Ms Seepaul said: “When I found out about Dr Cheng’s work, I was so moved by what he said that I knew I had to invite him to speak.

“I’ve been asking him for a while, but being a surgeon he is very busy.

“Our church doesn’t have many young members and they are quite Conservative in their views.

“So I want as many people to come as possible so they too can be inspired to look beyond the church to the wider world like him.

"This is a real one-off, as he's so busy, we don't know when he'll be able to come back and see us again."

Dr Cheng will speak at Barkingside Methodist Church in Freemantle Road on Sunday, February 19 from 9.30am.