Mathilda, lives alone in a single wide trailer well out into the rural areas of North Carolina. She is well into her 60’s and still enjoys physical strength and a sharp mind. She has a grown daughter and son but her husband has passed.
When we arrived to visit her, she told us that her daughter had told her not to let us into her home because she had no idea who we were. She told us this after we had driven 50 miles to visit her. We then talked with her for a while on the front stoop. She was clearly evaluating us…not the other way around. She reached the conclusion that we loved Jesus and were of no danger to her and invited us in. It probably helped that we complimented her on her beautiful rose garden despite it being a very hot dusty day.
Going into her home was very special because she had walls of pictures depicting her son and daughter at different stages of life. She had Jesus everywhere, and she had a well-kept kitchen and living room. She invited us to take a seat and hear her story.
She explained the pride she always feels when talking about her children. She also revealed that she went through extensive training to work as a Jailer. Text books and manuals were visible on shelves. She shared that her career is no longer viable due to physical limitations. She now lives off of a small pension and social security.
She called the HOPE line, because her home is on a septic system which has not been serviced in several years. At this point, it no longer worked and she desperately needed to have a working toilet in her own home. The repair would be more than she was able to pay and she just did not have the funds to pay for the repair and keep the power on. Her solution was to use her neighbor’s bathroom…..which obviously is not a long-term option especially in the middle of the night.
She also had another need which was immediate her power bill. She had not asked for help with utilities because her septic tank issue was more urgent. She was so respectful and uneasy about asking for assistance. The warmth and sincerity which she expressed was overwhelming. It was an honor to support her in not only correcting a septic issue but ensuring she had functioning utilities to keep the water and electricity working.
We received a beautiful “thank you” letter from Mathilda a few weeks later saying how blessed she was that she allowed us to enter her home on that hot dusty day. She also said that her Rose Garden was in full bloom and we should come by for some iced tea.