Support for Capt Errol Tustin

IMAGINE if you can being in constant agony, constant, day and night, with pains that you would describe as having your legs immersed in boiling water, and as if someone is jabbing your lower body with an electric probe, again and again and again.

Day and night…

For years…

That is one-time policeman Errol Tustin’s life. He was a young, vibrant, enthusiastic, dedicated member of the South African Police Service’s K9 unit when he was shot in the line of duty in 2001. It changed his life forever.

He is largely confined to his bed now, and if his daily and constant battle with pain is not enough, he now has the equally constant worry of money, and his ability to pay for any and all medications and treatments. It may not be strictly true but one gets the impression that one-time SAPS Captain Errol Tustin has been abandoned by the service that he literally gave up his normal life for.

He was visited by representatives of the Vryheid Moths Freedom Shellhole last week. Donations from the Moths, from Gordon Minott, Sue & Frans Lombard, Joe Strydom and Henry & Katinka Fraser were given to Errol.

Speaking to Errol it is clear that through all his agonies, he has not lost his faith. There is a sliding door on the north side of his bedroom that leads out into the garden. He said that birds hop into the room to be fed, among them a one-legged Cape Wagtail. “It taught me a lesson,” said Errol, “it wasn’t complaining, so who was I to complain?”

Errol said that he tries to count his blessings every day, and that the donations were more blessing to add to his list. “All I ask is that the Lord’s will be done, because it’s the Lord who keeps us sane.” He asked too that people pray for him – “I need prayer,” he said.

There is a facebook page – Errol Tustin Prayer Group – where you can make known your prayers for Errol.

The Moths would like to thank the following companies and individuals who supported the Moths’ fund raising efforts and thus made this donation possible:

Matt Catering Equipment, NTT Toyota, Autohouse, Pick n Pay, HMS, Oh My Goodness, Spur Vryheid, Vryheid Cash & Carry, SA Breweries, AbaQulusi SuperSpar, Natalia, Bubbles Car Wash, First National Battery, Kobus Mengel, Fidelity Cash Solutions, Just Veggies, GGM Packaging, Shell Service Station, Roy & Rina Robberts, Gert Botes, Ivan Schwegman, Schauenburg and Buildit.