A woman who was kicked out of her wealthy father’s house at sixteen for marrying a poor man ended up living on the streets with her four children after her husband passed away.
Steve Walton was not happy when his butler informed him that Pastor Morris was waiting to see him. After a long flight from Singapore, he was tired and not interested in hearing the pastor’s lectures or requests for community support.
He had the pastor brought in and, showing his impatience, said, “Get on with it, man! What do you want this time?”
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Mr. Walton, I saw Susan,” the pastor said quietly. Steve’s heart nearly stopped. His only daughter had left his house nearly fifteen years ago, and he hadn’t seen her since.
“Susan?” Steve asked anxiously. “Where? When? How is she?”
“I was in Los Angeles, helping out a friend with a mission for the homeless, and that’s where I saw her,” the pastor explained.
“Was she volunteering? Did you tell her I’ve been looking for her?” Steve asked.
“No,” Pastor Morris replied gently. “She wasn’t a volunteer, Mr. Walton. She’s homeless. She and her children are living in a car.”
Steve felt so dizzy he had to sit down. “Homeless? My Susan? With children?” he gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” the pastor said. “And she wouldn’t even listen to me when I told her to come home.”
“But why?” Steve asked angrily. “She’s not still with that loser, is she?”
“Her husband passed away three years ago, Mr. Walton,” the pastor explained. “She told me she wouldn’t bring her children into a house where their father was hated.”
Steve Walton felt a wave of old rage sweep over him. Even fifteen years later, Susan was still defying him! He remembered the scene in his study, and how Susan had looked him in the eyes as he ranted.
“Pregnant at sixteen, and by the GARDENER!” he had screamed. “We are going to have THAT taken care of, and HE’S fired! You will never see that man again!”
“THAT is my baby, daddy,” Susan had said with a trembling voice. “And HE is the man I love. I’m going to marry him.”
“You marry that man and you’re on your own, Susan, do you hear?” Steve shouted furiously. “No more money, nothing! You marry him and you get out of my house!”
Susan had looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I love you, daddy,” she said. Then she turned and walked away. Despite hiring detectives to find her, no one had been able to trace her.
“How many children?” Steve asked Pastor Morris.
“Four,” the pastor replied. “Three girls and a boy. Beautiful children.”
Steve picked up his phone and demanded that his plane be prepared. “Pastor, would you come with me to Los Angeles and take me to my little girl?” he asked quietly.
The pastor nodded, and within two hours, he and Steve were on Steve’s private jet heading south. When they landed, a limo was waiting to take them to a parking lot outside a large mall.
At the far end of the lot, they found a pickup truck with a tent set up in the back. Pastor Morris had told Steve that after Susan’s husband died in a work accident, the insurance company refused to pay out, and the bank foreclosed on their home.
Susan had packed her children and their few belongings into the old pickup. She worked as a cleaner at the mall and used the mall’s facilities. She also bought leftover food from the restaurants at the end of the day.
Despite everything, Susan managed to keep her four children fed, clean, and in school. As Steve and the pastor approached the truck, they heard cheerful voices and laughter. Two children tumbled out of the back, excited to see them.
The oldest girl, around fourteen, was laughing as she tickled a boy of about seven. When Steve and Pastor Morris approached, the children stopped and stared.
“Mom!” the girl shouted. “That old preacher friend of yours is here!”
From inside the tent, a familiar voice asked, “Preacher Morris?” Susan then emerged, and Steve saw the shock on her face when she saw him standing next to the pastor.
“Daddy?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
Steve was taken aback. His daughter was only thirty-one, but she looked much older. Her face was lined with worry and hardship, and her hands were rough from hard work.
“Susan,” Steve cried. “Look at you! Look at what HE did to my princess! I wanted so much more for you! And you married that loser! What could he have given you? Poverty?”
Susan shook her head and said, “He loved me, Daddy, and he gave me four beautiful children. He passed away, and I had nowhere to go, but I’ve done my best for my kids. I will always love their father, just like I’ve always loved you.”
Steve found tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me, Susan,” he sobbed. “Please forgive me. Come home, I want you all to come home with me. Let me help you take care of the children!”
As Steve held his weeping daughter, he knew that everything would be alright. Susan introduced him to his three granddaughters and then placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And this,” she smiled, “is little Stevie!”
“You named him after me?” Steve asked, amazed. “After what I did?”
Susan looked at her father and said softly, “I love you, Daddy. Don’t you know that?”
That afternoon, they all flew back to Texas together. It marked the start of a new, better life for the whole family.
What can we learn from this story?
– **Love Your Children Unconditionally:** Steve’s anger at Susan for loving someone poor led him to lose his daughter. Accept your children no matter who they love.
– **Don’t Judge People by Wealth:** Steve didn’t like Susan’s husband because he was poor, but he was a loving and dedicated father. Don’t judge people by their money or status.
Share this story with your friends. It might bring them hope and inspiration.
Single Mom of Four Buys Used Car, Discovers Surprise Waiting in the Trunk
A Single Mother’s Life Changes After a Simple Act of Kindness from a Stranger
In a world where life’s challenges can feel overwhelming, a small act of kindness can sometimes transform everything. This is the story of Jennifer, a single mother of four, whose life took a surprising turn after purchasing a used car.
Jennifer’s life had been filled with hardships since her husband, Adam, abruptly left her and their three children. His departure came at the worst possible time—right when Jennifer discovered she was pregnant with their fourth child. “Another child? I’m done!” he said before walking out, leaving her heartbroken and alone in their run-down trailer.
The following months were a blur of sleepless nights and constant worry. Adam stopped sending money, claiming his inability to find work. As her savings dwindled, Jennifer was faced with the brutal reality of raising her children alone. She knew she needed to find a job, but her situation made it nearly impossible.
Every job interview seemed to end the same way: rejection. Employers hesitated to hire a single mother with four young children, seeing her family responsibilities as a liability. “It’s too risky to hire a mother with young kids,” one employer told her bluntly. “You’ll always have emergencies, and it’s hard for us to accommodate that.”
Still, Jennifer refused to give up. Determined to provide for her family, she expanded her job search to a neighboring city, using the last of her money for cabs while relying on her neighbors to watch her kids. Finally, her perseverance paid off when she was offered a housekeeping job at a local hotel. “We need more staff for the busy summer season,” the HR manager told her, bringing her much-needed relief.
However, Jennifer soon realized she couldn’t afford the daily cab rides to her new job. She needed a car, but finding the money seemed impossible. Desperate, she scoured used car listings and found an old but reliable vehicle she could afford—if she could gather $5,000. With nothing to lose, she explained her situation to the car’s owner, Jeff. “I’m a single mom with four kids, and I desperately need this car to take a job in another city,” she pleaded.
Moved by her story, Jeff agreed to lower the price on one condition: she needed to pay the full $5,000 by the next day. Jennifer was ecstatic but terrified—how could she possibly come up with that kind of money overnight?
After being rejected for a loan due to her poor credit, Jennifer remembered a precious family heirloom her late mother had left her: a gold necklace passed down for generations. Though it broke her heart, Jennifer knew she had no choice. She took the necklace to a pawnshop, where it was valued at $5,500—just enough to buy the car.
The next day, Jennifer returned to Jeff with the $5,000. “You have no idea how much this will help my children and me,” she said as she handed over the money.
Jeff smiled kindly as he accepted the payment. “Congratulations on your new car,” he said, his eyes holding a secret. While Jennifer signed the paperwork, Jeff quietly placed something in the trunk. As she was about to drive away, he called out, “Don’t forget to check the trunk when you get home. I left something for your kids.”
Amidst the chaos of starting her new job and managing her children’s lives, Jennifer forgot all about Jeff’s words. Weeks passed before she stumbled upon a note in the car’s glove compartment. It read, “I hope you and your children like the gift I left in the trunk. May it be of help.”
Curiosity piqued, Jennifer rushed to open the trunk. At first, she saw only a white envelope tucked in the corner—the same one she had used to pay Jeff. Her heart raced as she opened it to find the $5,000 she thought she had sacrificed, completely untouched.
Tears filled her eyes as she realized the magnitude of Jeff’s kindness. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she drove straight to the dealership to thank him. “You needed the money more than I did,” Jeff told her, his voice gentle with wisdom. “Just don’t forget to pay it forward when the time comes.”
Jennifer left that day with more than just a car—she carried with her a renewed sense of hope and belief in the power of kindness. She vowed to honor Jeff’s request, knowing that one day, she would pass on the generosity she had received. In a world that can feel cold and unforgiving, Jennifer’s story reminds us that kindness still exists, often in the most unexpected places.
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