Church Takes Man's Life Savings

New Zealand: A Napier church took at least $20,000 in donations from a disabled rest home resident with head injuries and rejected pleas not to take the last of his life savings.

In less than eight months last year, Napier's Oasis Elim Church took nearly $12,000 from Otatara Rest Care and Rehabilitation resident Whetu Abraham who uses a wheelchair.

The church pastor BRUCE COLLINGWOOD (pictured) declined to comment.

Rest home manager Lucy Dever said the church now had the last of Mr Abraham's life savings and he could not afford dental care for rotting teeth.

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Mr Abraham, 54, was a partial tetraplegic with head injuries, after being hit by a car in 1986, Ms Dever said. "He's got no family or next-of-kin on our list, and they've taken everything from him. It is unethical, immoral and I believe un-Christian. He used to have a nest egg but now he has no life savings. He believes if he doesn't give it to them, he won't go to heaven."

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