First, I would like to thank you for reading this letter.
Second, I am writing on behalf of my husband. I had to try something to relieve all the tension and pressure we are going through at this moment.
Well, in August of 2019 we decided to move from MN to FL. The cost of living in MN had become unbearable for us. The hard winter was consuming any money we earned. My husband is over sixty and his back problems made too hard to cut wood for keeping the house warm. I was working hard but still the bad weather for 6 months was taking our savings away.
We put our house for sale and did not take much to find a buyer. We thought the equity will be enough to pay for a simple, small trailer house in the Sunshine State as a starting.
On the day we had to sign the papers selling our home in MN, the broker called us and said there was an old predatory lender reattaching 24,000 to our house that came out of blue. My husband thought that amount had been included in the last time he had the house refinanced. But that was bad deal made by City Mortgage and United Guarantee Insurance that ended up with all bad mortgages during the crises in 2008-2009. They took the second mortgage and hid it. They waited until the last minute to let us know about that.
We panicked! All we had (our three dogs) was in our car, ready to start our way to Florida. The buyer was ready to sign the papers. So, our only option was to pay the $24,000.00 out of our equity.
But then we did not have the enough money to pay for our trailer house in Florida anymore!
So, my husband went to his mother, 87 years old lady, and asked for her help. She had some of her retiring money in her savings account. She gave him the amount of 24,000 saying he could pay her back when he had the money.
So, we came to Florida and went to the local bank asking for refinance our little trailer house in cash. It was not easy as we first thought it would be. The VA assistance, where we looked for help, told us they do not refinance trailer homes built in 1997 as our single wide mobile house. We went to several banks and no luck. Finally, one bank helped us but not enough to pay my husband’s loan with his mom. We paid the move company and the expenses with our trip. We had to buy a washer and dryer because the house did not have those. We also cleaned the yard and put it up a fence with a gate, for the safety of our neighbors because of our dogs.
Those were the expenses paid with the refinancing from this bank. It was not much, but at least we were and still are free of credit cards debits.
We thought we had time to pay back his mom. My husband got a job working in a local distribution center, making $16.71 an hour. I was looking for a job to help him. We have only one vehicle and I would have to find a job managing for we both use the same car. At least in the beginning.
Then, the pandemic hit our lives. What a disaster in our plans as it was and still is in so many other families’ plans.
My husband`s work in considered essential as he works to keep the food available for the population. He packs loads and loads of boxes with food. It is a hard work for a man in his age. He is the oldest man among the young ones, but he keeps going, because we must survive.
I am a cancer survivor and still in remission. He decided that I should wait a little more to start a job. Because during the pandemic it would be not the best time for me to be out there looking for a job. I also have other health issues what put me in a high-risk group.
God knows how my heart is in pain every day when my husband leaves to go to work and I MUST stay at home because I am considered high risk group due cancer in remission. I talked to my husband about to work in the same place where he works, but he says I cannot make because it is too hard, besides, I can’t lift anything over 10lbs due the surgery.
It is not easy for me not to be at work. I was born a warrior and became a workaholic as my grandfather. I love to be useful somehow to the humanity in general through my work. So, I feel awfully bad not be able to help my husband. So, I put some applications online anyway, but still no luck. I think age and the fact I am an immigrant (naturalized American) make my chances even smaller.
Well, but the real problem started by New Year’s Eve (Dec 31st 2020), when my husband`s brother called to let him know that their mom needs the amount we own immediately, because the money she had is all over and the Senior Center where she lives called to start the process to get Medicaid help. However, the Medicaid office agent in her town said they are not going to pay for her bill until this money $24,000 (that we received from her as a loan) is back to her bank account.
That was a terribly upset New Year’s surprise. We are lost!
The whole family is blaming us. Calling us to solve the problem, or their mom will be place out of the Senior Center. They keep calling asking us to find a solution.
We have tried to get a loan, but we do not have equity in the trailer house to cover the amount. It has been a little over a year since we are living here. The house is an old house. We do not have anything else to be used as a collateral.
The stress that all this situation is causing to both of us is tremendous. It causes lots of damage in my heart and emotional health. I am also worried about my old man. He is under too much pressure and shame because all his family members know that we owe the money and… even worst… they know that we are not able to pay back as said and planned.
And now, we are blamed for the situation his old mom is about to face, what is be kicked out of the Senior Center where she receives the medical assistance she needs.
We do not know what to do. That is why I decided to ask for help. I might not be able to find a work right now due the pandemic circumstances, but I sure can look for a way to minimize my husband’s anguish.
I was not shaped to live with debts. Besides, I believe “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8
The best thing will be to find a job for me, and I trust in God that will happen as soon as the pandemic is over, or at least when I get vaccinated. However, my husband’s mother cannot wait anymore.
The bottom line is we owe the money, we want to pay but things just did not work as planned.
Thank you very much for your help. Any help!
Paypal.me/sheppner59