Four years ago I met my fiancé Mari online, at a period when we were both at our lowest. From across the world, an unexpected, yet deep relationship blossomed... she is my soul.

Yet now, after a series of devastating life events—Mari's safety and freedom is at immediate risk.

Two years ago, Mari suffered a traumatic heart attack, which led to significant medical debts.

Since then, we have worked till exhaustion to overcome one devastating blow after another: job losses... evictions and brief homelessness... harassment by debt collectors. And the depression that set in when everything looked hopeless.

No one deserves punishment for simply being a survivor... yet unable to make repayments fast enough, Mari was eventually dragged before a magistrate and sentenced to a prison term of seven years... while my world shattered, distraught and helpless from afar.

After miraculously securing a large loan myself, we managed to win at least a conditional release after three months in the harsh conditions of a Russian prison.

I thought we were finally on our way to firstly getting Mari back on her feet... and then, onwards toward me and the life we'd planned together here in Australia.

She began attending church. Looking after her physical and mental health. Identified a new career path and enrolled in some online occupational training... things were finally beginning to turn around. We had a plan, and had always had faith that despite the relentless challenges placed at our feet these last years, God has been on our side, working to bring us together.

Two weeks ago however, while staying temporarily with her sister, Mari witnessed the same cycle of abuse playing out toward her 10 year old niece Sasha—as she herself had witnessed as a child.

Fraught with fear for the wellbeing of her young niece, Mari reacted; and took a micro finance loan for bus tickets and some freight, to immediately go with her niece and stay with their elderly grandmother instead.

However—in her act of kindness to save Sasha, Mari has now put herself back in immediate peril as the micro loan debt interest quickly spirals out of control.

After countless struggles to help Mari overcome health challenges, her past, and to get her back on her feet... her compassion may soon be the thing that sends her back to prison unless we can urgently repay this debt.

Now, we have nowhere left to turn. We humbly ask for your assistance.

$4000 AUD (but increasing rapidly every day) can overcome this final hurdle to keep her out of prison, and (given her heart condition) almost certainly save her life. Right now it seems so unattainable... and we are humbled by anyone who can help.

This is an appeal for freedom, for dignity, for love, and simply—the right to survive.

I beg of you, and thank you all from the bottom of my heart; anyone and everyone who can help us with any amount to urgently clear this debt and protect the most precious treasure in my life—my Mari.

I can only be eternally grateful to all of you. Thank you for considering our plight.