Greetings from Tasmania

My name is Regina Gallasch, and I am Mon's mum. A few hours ago - Tuesday evening, 18.10.2022 - we had a very upsetting phone call from our daughter, who is currently in Raymond Terrace, NSW.

In May 2020, Mon bought herself an old Toyota Coaster mini-bus in Tasmania to turn into a motorhome. She has lived in the completed motorhome for over a year and a half. It is (was) her home and contained most of her earthly possessions and everything she needed for everyday life. She did a bit of travelling up the east coast of Australia but has spent most of her “van life” experience helping out a ministry at the Raymond Terrace Mission Op Shop & Juice Bar and doing the occasional live breakfast show on Faith FM radio in Newcastle.

While inside the church building in Raymond Terrace this evening, the bus was parked outside in the shopping centre carpark. When she returned to the bus, it was gone. She called the police, and they informed her that the bus had been located not too far away. The lowlives that had stolen her bus had set it alight. A local resident tried to douse the fire, but very little remained; it was burnt out with everything in it.

Mon is devastated and very upset and, apart from your prayers, also needs help to get back on her feet.

We're trying to raise help for Mon with this GoFundMe page. Getting a similar set-up to what she had would probably cost more than $50,000; alas, every little bit will help. She purchased the bus and insured it at that stage for the maximum possible - around $10,000 -, and I don't know how much she has to pay when claiming. To put this into perspective: before the bus was fitted out, she was offered $28,000 from someone who wanted to purchase it just as a shell. Add to this the fit-out and all her belongings - it is heartbreaking.

Please consider helping Mon, and may you be blessed for helping!

On a brighter note: we thank Pr Lyle and Michelle Southwell for offering her emergency accommodation for the immediate future. She also has temporary use of a car. While she can stay with us here in Tasmania, these solutions only help temporarily. As her family, we thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness.