Narial Fied, of Hamilton, is lying in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, unable to speak after suffering a stroke while on a family visit late last year.

The hospital sent Mr Fied's wife Akur Shanley a bill for his treatment, costing more than $18,000.

She said she sold her car and jewellery and sent the money across, together with donations from the Samaritans and Islington Baptist Church.

Even so, she is nearly $7000 short, and the privately run hospital is refusing to release Mr Fied.

Hunter African Community Council worker Simon Pabek said things were very difficult for Ms Shanley and he urged the people of the Hunter to be generous.

"They were refugees from Sudan who are now Australian citizens but it is still hard when you do not know about things like travel insurance, which they did not have," Mr Pabek said.

"You and I, we might be able to pay this bill if it happens to us because we would have insurance but Narial did not have it and they keep him there in the hospital with the bill going up all the time."

Mr Pabek said anyone wishing to help Mrs Shanley could do so through the Samaritans.

Mrs Shanley said she and her four children were worried about Mr Fied's safety.

"I don't know how we are going to do it but I need to fly to Nairobi to bring him home because he won't be able to do it himself," Mrs Shanley said.

"I have spoken to the embassies in Nairobi and Canberra and they cannot do much."

Islington Baptist Church associate pastor Frank Cuthbertson said his church had helped with some money.

"The Sudanese community has been established here for a while but they are still a community in transition, and they face a lot of difficulties," Pastor Cuthbertson said.