Reunite Colin with his family
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Colin Gertse is a 57-year old South African family man and pastor that came to the US to earn money as a truck driver and create a better life for his family. In October he suffered an aneurysm. He needs his family.
He is currently in critical care in a St. Louis area hospital, where he lay unresponsive and without visitors for his first six weeks,. That's when Colin's friends in South Africa reached out to the 'South Africans in St. Louis' Facebook Group to see if any of us could go and visit him. Sonja, David and Irene went to visit.
On their first visit they called his wife of 23 years Maria, and held up the phone to his ear so that he could hear her voice. To the amazement of the doctors and nurses that rushed to his bedside when his heart-rate changed upon hearing Maria's voice, he opened his eyes and responded to commands using his fingers.
This is the power of Love.
We are raising $6,000 to cover the costs for Maria and their two sons, Cohen (23) and Marlo (20), to be with Colin, where he remains in a critical state. Colin needs his family, and his family needs to see him.
Colin is a pastor at his church, in Montagu - a small desert town of 15,000 people, about 100 miles from Cape Town, where the average annual income is R8,000 (US$536). Maria told me that Colin is inspired by David, from Acts 13:22 "After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’" - and says he is always there to help and go the extra mile for anyone who needs it.
His favorite thing is to sing, "He has a beautiful strong voice, and loves to sing."
Maria spoke with joy when I asked her who Colin is. "His is just a very wonderful person. He is active in his church and hardworking. He is like Aqua-fresh - All-in-One!"
Maria's heart is heavy, and she just wants to see Colin. We are raising $6,000 by January 15th, so that Maria and her sons can come and be with him.
Those of us that no longer live in our homelands, that now call America home, know only too well the feeling of desperation that comes when a loved one that it is far away is sick and needs us near.
We ask that if you are able, you donate what you can, to help us reunite this family. No donation is too small.
Sonja, Irene (a nurse) and David continue to visit Colin in hospital to advocate for him, call Maria so she can talk to him, and play his favorite gospel songs for him, in the hope that it will aid his recovery.
Other ways to help:
If you or someone you know is able to secure below-cost flights between South Africa and the US, or internally in the US to St. Louis, please contact Cate by way of sending a message in response to this fundraiser.
Funds will be collected by David Gilliland in a separate bank account opened expressly for this purpose, and given directly to Maria or to pay for travel and accommodation costs directly for Maria and her sons to come to the USA, whichever is more cost effective. Any remaining funds will given as cash to Maria and Colin to cover his mounting medical expenses and incidentals while he remains in hospital and rehabilitation.
Thank You,
Maria, Cohen and Marlo
and Sonja, Irene and David, and Cate
He is currently in critical care in a St. Louis area hospital, where he lay unresponsive and without visitors for his first six weeks,. That's when Colin's friends in South Africa reached out to the 'South Africans in St. Louis' Facebook Group to see if any of us could go and visit him. Sonja, David and Irene went to visit.
On their first visit they called his wife of 23 years Maria, and held up the phone to his ear so that he could hear her voice. To the amazement of the doctors and nurses that rushed to his bedside when his heart-rate changed upon hearing Maria's voice, he opened his eyes and responded to commands using his fingers.
This is the power of Love.
We are raising $6,000 to cover the costs for Maria and their two sons, Cohen (23) and Marlo (20), to be with Colin, where he remains in a critical state. Colin needs his family, and his family needs to see him.
Colin is a pastor at his church, in Montagu - a small desert town of 15,000 people, about 100 miles from Cape Town, where the average annual income is R8,000 (US$536). Maria told me that Colin is inspired by David, from Acts 13:22 "After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’" - and says he is always there to help and go the extra mile for anyone who needs it.
His favorite thing is to sing, "He has a beautiful strong voice, and loves to sing."
Maria spoke with joy when I asked her who Colin is. "His is just a very wonderful person. He is active in his church and hardworking. He is like Aqua-fresh - All-in-One!"
Maria's heart is heavy, and she just wants to see Colin. We are raising $6,000 by January 15th, so that Maria and her sons can come and be with him.
Those of us that no longer live in our homelands, that now call America home, know only too well the feeling of desperation that comes when a loved one that it is far away is sick and needs us near.
We ask that if you are able, you donate what you can, to help us reunite this family. No donation is too small.
Sonja, Irene (a nurse) and David continue to visit Colin in hospital to advocate for him, call Maria so she can talk to him, and play his favorite gospel songs for him, in the hope that it will aid his recovery.
Other ways to help:
If you or someone you know is able to secure below-cost flights between South Africa and the US, or internally in the US to St. Louis, please contact Cate by way of sending a message in response to this fundraiser.
Funds will be collected by David Gilliland in a separate bank account opened expressly for this purpose, and given directly to Maria or to pay for travel and accommodation costs directly for Maria and her sons to come to the USA, whichever is more cost effective. Any remaining funds will given as cash to Maria and Colin to cover his mounting medical expenses and incidentals while he remains in hospital and rehabilitation.
Thank You,
Maria, Cohen and Marlo
and Sonja, Irene and David, and Cate
Organizer and beneficiary
Cate Redfern
Organizer
St Louis, MO
David Gilliland
Beneficiary
