My name is Debora Haughton. I am raising money for my friends, Hester and Robert Pretorius, to visit Hester's aged mother in South Africa. Hester and Robert decided to leave their beloved South Africa because of increasing crime and danger in December 2018 for a new life in Panama. It was heartbreaking to leave behind family, friends, their home, and careers, but South Africa was becoming too dangerous. On the way to the airport, they were victims of a carjacking, their car being riddled with bullets and the thieves taking all of their handbags, passports, documents, cameras, cell phones, etc. Their lives were miraculously spared, but they were set back a month awaiting all new passports, licenses, and all documentation to immigrate into Panama. They arrived in Panama in January 2019 to begin their new life together.

Just as they were beginning their new business, COVID-19 arrived. Panama was severely locked down, and small businesses throughout the country failed and were shut down. Hester cleaned houses and Robert did gardening and handyman work to put food on the table, and they have never complained. They miss what they had to leave behind, but they are grateful for what they have. Hester thought she would never see her mother, Martha, again. She has been advised, though, that her mother's health is slipping away. The "frail care" facility in which she resides has advised that she will not have much longer to live. The desire of Hester's heart is to see her 90-year-old mother, who she has not seen in seven years, one last time before she passes away and while she can still recognize Hester as her daughter.

The travel costs will be staggering to include round-trip airfare to South Africa, travel insurance, hotel lodging on both ends, transit visas, food, travel within South Africa, and more. Robert and Hester faithfully save whatever they can, but these expenses are just well beyond their means.

Please help me to help them get back to see Hester's mother one last time.