INTRODUCING GENTLE CARE

In 2000, Ivonne Gentle began as a door-to-door volunteer bringing home-based care to the terminally ill in the small, impoverished community of Britstown, South Africa. After suffering through the tremendous pain of losing her three beloved sisters to cancer, Ivonne realised the deep value of providing joy, patience and love to the dying. Ivonne's work as a home-based carer was a way of extending her great gift of compassion to the rest of God's family in the loving memory of her own.  

Ivonne's experiences during her door to door ministry exposed her to the terrible conditions that so many of her sick, vulnerable and neglected patients faced as they struggled to hang on to life with some dignity. When one of her patients, close to death was kicked out of her home, Ivonne took up the call to love her. She made a space in her own home and nursed her patient back to health. 

Following this, Ivonne soon realised that this was not an isolated case. The poor living conditions, malnutrition and persistence of stigma surrounding diseases like HIV/AIDS meant that many weren’t receiving the care and love they needed. Some were dying alone, uncared for and unloved. This need struck to the core of Ivonne's heart and with the help, courage and support of her husband Tommie Gentle and their children, they converted their garage into the the GentleCare centre through which they now care for up to 11 patients. 

With the help and commmitment of their very special team of local volunteers they provide their patients with three nutritious meals a day, a clean bed, attentive care and, of course lots of love. Those that pass away do so with dignity and the knowledge that they are respected and valued. Those that make remarkable recoveries remain ever grateful to unconditional commitment they recieved at Gentlecare.

This blog will begin to track the the stories of the patients at GentleCare and the trials and truimphs experienced daily by Ivonne and Tommie Gentle. 

I hope that you are blessed and insipired as your follow this blog and that if you are able to offer a kind word, a helpful contact or a donation of your time, money or resources that you would do so in the same spirit of joy that Gentlecare passes on to every person who enters through their doors.