Well, I have given up looking for a house. The situation regarding the trailer park seems to have stabilized somewhat; the bank has it now and has turned it over to a management company. If they come through and start counting heads I think there may be some wailing and gnashing of teeth as there are several trailers that have more people living there than the law allows.
Three of the ladies from my church came and held their Neighborhood Bible Study at the park last week and I think they are still reeling from shock. Nothing in their previous experience with Neighborhood Bible Study had prepared them for this environment. I tried to warn them. They were not expecting the level of mistrust that they received from the children. Well, duh, when you know that your family is living in a way the rest of society doesn't approve of, and that society has the power to tear your family apart, no, you are not going to open up to strangers. They actually got a higher level of participation than I expected. And of course, I was told of a situation next door to me (which I am somewhat aware of) that probably qualifies as being reportable to Child Protective Services. I told them that they should pray about continuing this ministry because as time goes on they may be faced with a choice between following the law and reporting what they know and losing the children altogether, or turning their back with the hopes that they can "save" the children from following in their parents' footsteps. I said that I am somewhat trusted in this community because I have a reputation for not prying into people's secrets. By going door to door and getting permission from the parents, they now possess knowledge that is dangerous and can be used against the parents. So I am very surprised that any of the parents agreed. But apparently enough did, and the ladies are very happy.
At any rate the house search is over. The bottom line is that when I looked at my income/expense ratio and what it actually would cost to buy and maintain a house, I am better off where I am at for the time being. That is my judgement. The banks and the Realtor clearly think otherwise. Which goes to show that they have learned absolutely nothing at all from the housing crash of two years ago. I had one mortgage company tell me that I was "pre-approved" for $200,000 which can buy a pretty decent house in this area. My income is only 1/6 of that amount. I said to him, "Are you smoking crack?" No down payment, no savings, I only bring home around $950 every two weeks, and you are going to lend me that amount? Well, you see, they base it on your gross income, not your net income, and what your credit score is. I said forget the credit score, and my gross income, let's look at a price I can realistically afford. Which turned out to be not much. I find the whole thing rather frightening. These people would knowingly let me sign papers--sign my soul to the devil, no less--putting me in major debt for 30 years, knowing that if anything went wrong, I would lose everything. I have no words to describe what I think of that. And there are plenty of people who would sign for that $200,000 loan without stopping to think what happens when the devil demands his due, as he surely will.
So then I go to church this Sunday. Pastor is gone so they had a visiting would-be missionary and family take his place. I am sitting there listening to this man talk and I am just shaking my head. My God! It is no wonder this country is in a financial mess! God has called him to the mission field in a foreign country, so he sells his house (or tries to, he ended up renting it out for what the mortgage would cover), packs his wife and four small children in a rickety van that the mechanic tells him he has no idea how long it will last, and proceeds to tramp from place to place asking for money so they can go to the mission field overseas. Never mind that they do not know the language (they will learn it when they get there) and their only experience there has been a couple of quick visits. No, God called them, and when God calls, you don't question, you go. Even though by his own admission they are falling behind on their budget to the tune of over $1000 a month and they are still a long way from getting to where they want to go. And everyone around me is eating this up! I'm sorry but I am too well acquainted with poverty American-style to applaud what he is doing to himself and his family. I gave up my book when it became obvious that that was the road to financial ruin and I am still rebuilding from that disaster; I gave up my house search when it became obvious that that was another road to ruin--and compared to this guy and his family, I'm in great shape!
But then by my own admission, I'm an agnostic who doesn't trust in the Lord.
Three of the ladies from my church came and held their Neighborhood Bible Study at the park last week and I think they are still reeling from shock. Nothing in their previous experience with Neighborhood Bible Study had prepared them for this environment. I tried to warn them. They were not expecting the level of mistrust that they received from the children. Well, duh, when you know that your family is living in a way the rest of society doesn't approve of, and that society has the power to tear your family apart, no, you are not going to open up to strangers. They actually got a higher level of participation than I expected. And of course, I was told of a situation next door to me (which I am somewhat aware of) that probably qualifies as being reportable to Child Protective Services. I told them that they should pray about continuing this ministry because as time goes on they may be faced with a choice between following the law and reporting what they know and losing the children altogether, or turning their back with the hopes that they can "save" the children from following in their parents' footsteps. I said that I am somewhat trusted in this community because I have a reputation for not prying into people's secrets. By going door to door and getting permission from the parents, they now possess knowledge that is dangerous and can be used against the parents. So I am very surprised that any of the parents agreed. But apparently enough did, and the ladies are very happy.
At any rate the house search is over. The bottom line is that when I looked at my income/expense ratio and what it actually would cost to buy and maintain a house, I am better off where I am at for the time being. That is my judgement. The banks and the Realtor clearly think otherwise. Which goes to show that they have learned absolutely nothing at all from the housing crash of two years ago. I had one mortgage company tell me that I was "pre-approved" for $200,000 which can buy a pretty decent house in this area. My income is only 1/6 of that amount. I said to him, "Are you smoking crack?" No down payment, no savings, I only bring home around $950 every two weeks, and you are going to lend me that amount? Well, you see, they base it on your gross income, not your net income, and what your credit score is. I said forget the credit score, and my gross income, let's look at a price I can realistically afford. Which turned out to be not much. I find the whole thing rather frightening. These people would knowingly let me sign papers--sign my soul to the devil, no less--putting me in major debt for 30 years, knowing that if anything went wrong, I would lose everything. I have no words to describe what I think of that. And there are plenty of people who would sign for that $200,000 loan without stopping to think what happens when the devil demands his due, as he surely will.
So then I go to church this Sunday. Pastor is gone so they had a visiting would-be missionary and family take his place. I am sitting there listening to this man talk and I am just shaking my head. My God! It is no wonder this country is in a financial mess! God has called him to the mission field in a foreign country, so he sells his house (or tries to, he ended up renting it out for what the mortgage would cover), packs his wife and four small children in a rickety van that the mechanic tells him he has no idea how long it will last, and proceeds to tramp from place to place asking for money so they can go to the mission field overseas. Never mind that they do not know the language (they will learn it when they get there) and their only experience there has been a couple of quick visits. No, God called them, and when God calls, you don't question, you go. Even though by his own admission they are falling behind on their budget to the tune of over $1000 a month and they are still a long way from getting to where they want to go. And everyone around me is eating this up! I'm sorry but I am too well acquainted with poverty American-style to applaud what he is doing to himself and his family. I gave up my book when it became obvious that that was the road to financial ruin and I am still rebuilding from that disaster; I gave up my house search when it became obvious that that was another road to ruin--and compared to this guy and his family, I'm in great shape!
But then by my own admission, I'm an agnostic who doesn't trust in the Lord.
