Daniel's and John's Holy Poverty Page

After a lot of you asked the question, "How do you two survive?", I figured that I would create a page to answer that question.

Daniel and I live on a meager income. Each of us receives Social Security Disability (SSD) and Suplimental Security Income (SSI). This combined income is not all that money in the "grand scheme" of things. The SSD income is entirely Federal funds that come from the Social Security deductions from everyone's payroll. The SSI is mostly Federal money that comes from "general funds" and a small portion is provided by the State that we live in. We decided long ago to pool our money so that we could have enough to make "ends meet"

We moved to Mansfield, Ohio in October/November of 1996 (John moved on 31-October and Daniel moved on 16-November due to problems with the movers). We moved to take care of Daniel's mother Anne who was having difficulties living on her own. About 6 months after we moved to Ohio from California, we finally had a diagnosis for what Anne had. She was in early-stage Alzheimer's Disease. To make things worse, Anne's diet for the preceeding year or so before we moved was instant coffee and toast, with some hamburgers when she remembered to eat. She was on no medications before we came here, because the doctors feared prescribing anything with her memory deficits.

The move was not an easy one. In the two years since we were able to escape our abusive roomate on Friday, 13-January-1995 (please see our RECOVERY page for details), we were in a very tight financial situation. After our rent, utilites, and medical costs not covered by Medicare and Medicaid, we had about $10-$20 to meet all of our needs for the rest of the month. This had to cover food, clothing, toiltries, cleaning supplies, transportation, and any other need we had. On this sort of a budget, our diet would consist of a single frozen burrito or package of ramen soup as an entire days meal. In order for Daniel to eat like this daily, John only ate once every 4 days (we tried contacting every charitable organization in Orange County, as well as every church...we started in the beginning of the yellow pages and called every church until we came to the end, with very little luck... in fact the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the parish closest to our home told us when they helped us, that it would be on a "one time emergency basis only" and "we will not be able to help you again"). We also managed to save $1.50 out of that amount so that twice a year we could purchase a 50# bag of dog food for our two dogs and a 40# bag of food for our cat (after leaving our abusive roommate that beat John, we feared for the dogs and the cat, so they moved with us).

Toward the end of 1996, Daniel was becoming more and more concerned about his mother. His conversations with her over the telephone was proving that Anne could no longer care for herself. With our income situation, there was no way Daniel could get home to take care of his mother. There was also no way that John could live in California without Daniel's income. So John prayed, "Lord, if you will provide for a way for Daniel to move back to Ohio to take care of his mother, I will move with him to help take care of her". In less than 6 weeks, we went from having nothing toward the move... to having 3 credit cards, some personal loans, and a few cash gifts for the move. So by the time the move occured, we had all that we needed.

The movers were to arrive on the 29th of October, and we were to fly to Ohio with our pets on the 31st of October. But when the movers arrived, they refused to move us (the "estimator" from the moving company gave us a "low-ball" binding estimate). The movers were not making enough on the move, so they arrived 2 hours late, and then told us they could not move us. The reservations to get 3 kennels on the plane took us nearly a month to work out, so it was decided that John would fly out with the animals on the 31st as planned, and Daniel would move as soon as he could secure new movers. It was a nightmare to find movers at the last moment, so we finally found one that would cost us $700 more for the move ($500 at the time of the move, $200 to be paid in January of 1997). Daniel flew out to Ohio on the 16th of February, the day after the movers picked up all of our belongings.

Ever since we moved to Ohio, we have been in a little better situation. We now are no longer in fear of having our rent raised, and we are all able to eat every day. We are still paying off the move, but we have retired most of the $10,000 debit (the movers, airline tickets, transportation to the Orange County Airport for John, transportation from the Port Columbus Airport for John, the fees for changing Daniel's ticket twice, the kennels and moving expenses for the pets, and the moving supplies). Since we have moved, our income was cut by $220 a month (Ohio pays less in their share of SSI than California does due to the difference in the cost of living between the two States).

Last winter, we had no heat (we had a 40 year old coal furnace that has been converted to natural gas, it barely took the chill off the air of the first floor). Also, in the summer John had to be hospitalized twice for heat stroke due to the high heat and humidity of Mansfield, Ohio. So in October of 1997, we had Sears come out and install a furnace/AC system. The entire system cost $5,450.00 with the first payment due and payable in February of 1998.

So currently Anne's Social Security Retirement and small pension is set up for the automatic payment of the Electric, Natural Gas, Telephone, Water/Sewer, Auto Insurance, and Life Insurance (for her burial). The remainder goes for cat food and her few personal needs (since she prefers to feed the cats canned food, instead of dried). John's income goes toward paying the minimum payments on all of the credit cards for the move, the monthly payment on the furnace/AC system, and what little is left over covers what Anne's income does not cover in the utilities. Daniel's income goes for food ($150.00 per month "grocery store" budget) and household repairs (mostly emergency repairs, the house was built in 1920, and has been let to run down... the house needs new windows, siding, electrical work upstairs, repairs to the stairs, and many more repairs). By the time this all occurs, there is nothing left.

Thanks to a friend of Daniel's we were able to have a free account on the Prodigy Service as long as we did not use more than 15 hours a month online. Using the Prodigy account, John was able to find an online survey company that will pay our AT&T Worldnet bill as long as John fills out 30 surveys a month. This is a great blessing that allows us to have access to the Internet which has become a "Lifeline" to us. Many times such as during the high heat and humidity in the summer and after it turns cold in the winter... this is our only link to the outside world. If we had to pay for the Internet service, we would not be able to have it in any way, shape, or form.

When "unexpected expenses" occur, it makes things difficult, since there is nothing left after the normal bills are paid. These "unexpected" items are usually doctor's bills for Anne, property taxes, and unexpected repairs. With John's experience in business, his budgeting skills are truly a Godsend. At times we have to "rob Peter to pay Paul" by paying less than the minimum payment toward the moving expense or out of the food budget... but the Lord usually provides.

Many people may find this to be difficult, but we give it all to the Lord in thanksgiving. These struggles have made both of us stronger. Trusting in the Lord has been the key to our making it through our nearly 2 years of strugle in California and our difficulties here in Ohio. We may not eat the healthiest meals, and we may not have anything left over for birthdays or for Christmas, but at least we have a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, warmth in the winter, and a cool house in the winter.