To all My new friends!
I wanted to write and let you know that I am truly moved by the generosity that I have been witnessing. I just talked to my dad, and I feel like I have openly invited everyone in to my home situation and I have a responsibility to let you all know what is going on. I know from previous experience that I have seen others asking for donations and you never hear from them again, and I do not want this to be like that. So in light of that, I spoke to my dad today, I was kind of hesitant at first about telling him about the funds I had set up for him at this point because you must understand my dad has never taken or asked for anything in his life. He has a lot of pride and feels like he should provide for the things that he needs in this life with out relying on others to help him. And this is the one thing that I admire him for. Anyway, as I spoke to him I told him about the funds, because he had mentioned to me that he talked to mom last night and told her they may very well have to put their house up to pay for all of this because he knows that even his part of medicare that he is responsible for is way beyond his means. They are living on a fixed income and he is disabled. Even though he is a minister, he receives no payment or salary from his church because he feels as if that isn't right. So their income is very fixed. The monies that they are using now is all money that my dad has worked for weeks hauling in junk metal and old car parts to help them put a new roof on their house. And when they found out about my dad he suddenly looked over to my mom and said, "well I guess we aren't going to get that new roof now." Housing is costing them $1400.00 a month in Baltimore, and that is a special reduced Johns Hopkins rate. That is not including their food, and what have you. When I say they, I am referring to my mom, and my older sister. My dad needs help every day, so the only option they had was for them to go. The rest of my siblings all have small children & jobs. I was blessed to be able to go up there for the first week, but I have not been able to go since even though he has called crying wanting me there. I have my own family of 5 children, and the funds just aren't there either. That is why i decided that even though I couldn't be there to help, I could help from here by doing all I could to help raise money for them.
You have to know that I can not allow my dad to put up his home that he built himself from the ground up. His whole life is in that 30 acre farm; and every bit of blood, tears and sweat has been put there. That is where I was born and still go to.
My father sent a very special message to you all! He said this, " I can not imagine you all wanting to help me when you have never met me, but I thank you all for even the prayers that you are praying." He also said that he knows that even if he never gets to meet you here in the physical life that he just knows he will have the opportunity to meet you all in the spiritual life and he can not wait to shake every one of your hands and hug you all for your love and support that you are giving him. So with tears in his eyes, He sends you all his love and he said he is praying for each of you as well."
