Foreclosures Lead To Heartaches and Also Healings

December 10th, 2008 | Tags: Foreclosures

For a family in Fremont foreclosures came with heartaches and also with healings. Although electricity had been cut off and the house was vacant, Rodney Reynolds was reluctant to leave. He slept three nights more on the carpet in his master bedroom with a flashlight by his side. Inside him anger mixed with shame swelled up as he thought of the comfort of days gone bye.

Seven months ago life had been bumpy as he lived in this house of his mother-in-law with his wife, little daughter and relatives numbering eight. Invariably there were outbursts and tensions. But on the day of Thanksgiving Reynolds held the hands of his family as he sat down at table and gave thanks from the depths of his heart.

Reynolds and his wife Lydia surrendered their house to foreclosure last April but since then they have started on a journey of faith, introspection and search for happiness. Thousands of families have been hit by foreclosures in this Bay Area in the past few months. The families are coping with the trauma of eviction and total change of life. It is the same with the Reynolds. They are steering through choppy waters but faith has brought peace and strength.

In 2006 Rodney, Lydia and little Adia were living it off in style. Lydia was earning $150,000 as a real estate agent and Rodney was busy with his job of installing fire sprinklers that brought in $80,000 for him. Christmas days were fun filled shopping time and lavish holiday trips with near ones. But in the home there was no peace with two daughters and a son from previous relationships. The house was a virtual battleground and not much value was given to the house. They were hardly a family. They went to weekly sessions with the marriage counselor armed with grievances. Health problems then crept in. Both had to stop working when Lydia developed cancer while Rodney suffered heart attack. They used up all their savings and when ready to work they found that the economic climate had changed – overcast with foreclosure clouds. In the early 2007 they faced real trouble since both their jobs were oriented towards the housing market. For sometime they pulled along with personal and somehow continued with mortgage payments for the house they had purchased in 2001. The church helped them. Divorce loomed large. At that point Lydia found that she did not need a counselor but Lord Jesus. Rodney agreed to accompany her to church. A transformation came to their lives – something foreclosures could not touch.