Supply Lisa Martin's house repairs & legal fees

Hi, I'm Chrisie Byrd Gill. I've known this family since 1990. They are such amazing people. They truly make the world a better place! I met them at a church; they are singers. After the initial singing, we began to follow their family to other engagements. Our friendship kept developing through the years and grew into a personal relationship. I have experienced many valleys with them in their lives. Unfortunately, their story differs a lot from most people's. You can't meet the Martins without seeing a picture of grace. Their very existence depended on meeting and marrying the soul-mates that would pave a new life for them. Just as God would have it, he laced their lives with the people who would love them and lead them to Christ. Their history is so rich with God's mercy that I would be here a long time just telling of God's goodness. I want to pick up my friend's story when in 2011, Lisa Martin's world was shattered. Her soulmate, Joey Martin, passed away in 2011 unexpectedly after a medical procedure. Left with two children to raise by herself, one severely handicapped and a special needs child. Lisa was told this child would never talk or walk and their life as they knew it was over. It meant a lifelong commitment and back-breaking work to provide around-the-clock care.

Hope is the youngest daughter and was born April 3, 1996, with some characteristics that were not normal. Doctors recognized the specific facial features such as arched, thick eyebrows that usually meet in the middle, long eyelashes, and low front and back hairlines. Other abnormalities, which may be present at birth, include a tiny head (microcephaly), growth delays, and vision problems. Hearing loss, excessive body hair, hand abnormalities such as missing fingers, little hands, or inward deviation of the pinky fingers are also typical. In addition, there are likely intellectual disabilities, gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental problems. Cornelia de Lange Syndrome was the formal diagnosis. If you know our Hopey, you know she has many of these abnormalities. Hope went to school regardless, and fast-forwarding to 2020, Hope graduated high school! She graduated from school and went to dances even in her wheelchair. Lisa made sure she was active in school and community events! Of course, Hope always had mom, her big sister, grandma, or Aunt Patty to chaperone her school events. What a family! This child was given opportunities that most children would never know existed. Most people wouldn't invest that much energy, not knowing if the child understood what was happening at any of these events.

I know the oldest child, Sarah, and she has watched the struggles of both her parents. She saw Joey go to college and their family struggle to make ends meet. Lisa was living with several autoimmune diseases that brought new challenges as her health changed. The struggle has been real! The financial hardship alone that Hope’s condition has played physically for Lisa and Sarah to have to carry and lift Hope from place to place each day is real. She faced the tragic death of her father and grandfather only 11 months apart. It is all such a heavy load for a teenager to face. Currently, having to face the challenge of watching her mom want to downsize and sell her house and can’t. Her mom has to have guardianship over Hope’s estate to sell the house. I know Sarah’s heart, she is so grateful that I was asked to help reach out to the public, hoping that if the public knew the struggle they could collectively help. Sarah knows that there are limits to what Lisa can do. Physically Lisa can’t even climb the stairs due to the arthritis in her hips and the toll that caring for Hope plays on her mom.

Moving forward, things began to spiral out of control for Lisa each year that passed after Joey's death. Something in the house would break down. The mower would need parts, special events to celebrate and buy gifts, medical bills, Hope needs diapers and formula. You know there is always something waiting to take your money. Hope is twenty-four now, and that sounds grown. Why sure it does! But in reality, Hope wears a pull-up, drinks formula thru a bottle, sleeps in a baby bed, and has a medical nurse stay with her each day for several hours. Hope's nurse has been restricted to a certain amount of work hours providing medical care for Hope. Thru the years, what has been provided to help care for Hope has dwindled and changed so much. It involves a lot of money and work to care for Hope. Currently, the nurse is allowed to work for three hours in the evening so Lisa can prepare supper.

In 2020, Lisa’s disabled daughter, Hope, who was twenty-one years old aged out of school. Lisa didn't have anyone to care for 8 hours or more for Hope, and was forced to retire. She had to retire to care for her child, which solely depended on her. Hope is still in an "infant stage" at twenty-four. Hope drinks from a sippy cup with formula, does not eat real food because of surgery for reflux and has had a feeding tube and stomach surgery. You can only imagine the bills that do not get covered nor the unresolved debt looming over Lisa’s head.

Mamapat Martin, which is grandma to Hope! But she's mama to everyone else reached out to me, praying that God will help her kiddos. Eleven months after Joey died, his father, Joe Sr, passed away. Not only was Lisa a widow, but now her mom/mother-in-law had lost her husband and son. These events can't be real! Do bad things happen to good people? Of course, they do! Just because you serve God doesn't mean you are exempt from all things that inflict humans with pain. This family serves the Lord by traveling from church to church, singing gospel music on weekends all over this fruited plain.

Lisa's oldest daughter, Sarah, was involved in a head-on collision and broke a spot in her back and her leg. Sarah had a rod put in her leg to correct the damage and still suffers from pain. The girls are Lisa’s main concern and priority. As a parent you want to provide for your children, right? Sarah has had a lot of health issues herself, recovering from such a bad accident. Although All the while, Lisa is steadily working, traveling to sing, tending to Sarah and still carrying Hope everywhere because she can't walk. Hope rides in the stroller great, but she still has to be lifted from the chair to the bed, potty, etc.

Hurricane Harvey was the next big storm that would test Lisa, Hope, Sarah, and Mamapat Martin. According to Mamapat, the storm removed the insulation from under Lisa's house, making the utility bills double. The ground shifted from the storm's flood waters, the house became unlevel, and the floors cracked. Her central air and heat are no longer working, making it almost impossible to survive in the Texas heat. She needs to sell the house but can't due to its condition.

Now she finds herself behind in property taxes with many penalties in the past three years. She also had to hire an attorney, and go to court to get guardianship of her "invalid baby." The attorney had no mercy and charged her $4,000.00. She can't pay the attorney fees on her retirement income. The stress of these circumstances wreaks havoc on Lisa’s body, affecting her three auto-immune disorders. Lisa has scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis. If she does not get help, she will lose her home. Her credit is ruined. These events have all happened since Hope, "the invalid daughter,” turned twenty-one three years ago and aged out of school.

If God lays it on your heart to help her, it will be very much appreciated. If she could sell her house, she could get something smaller on a slab for her and Hope. Lisa told me she was too embarrassed to come forward and ask for help. I briefly spoke to her about what I wanted to do; she cried and was so grateful. Please share this with FIVE people you know who have a heart from missions! These girls served as home missionaries to America and Lisa, a sister in Christ, needs our help.

In closing, Hope needs the things mentioned that Lisa provides as a parent. The problem is that she needs money to pay people to fix her house issues and funds to pay the back taxes on her house. If you are bonded and can provide references to be checked out, we consider you to provide the finances, labor, or material an absolute blessing! Because of their situation, their Pastor is a very close resource and reference to and for them. Lisa has such an enormous testimony! I’d be here for days and days if I told you all that God has provided. I’m trusting Him again to raise the money Lisa needs. Not only is Mamapat a widow, Lisa is a widow, but Pat’s daughter, Patty, is caring for her husband, who has stage four kidney cancer. Being the sole breadwinner for her family and having three diseases has to be stressful! Her health is manageable but will never be under control until the stress is under control.

I am asking that Hope and her mom receive a generous offering from God's people. I have organized many fundraisers for this family. God never gives you money that he's not providing the provision for already. Through difficult times, you may not have to borrow money from anyone. Praise God if you don't. I love the Martin family and will always do what I can to rally the troops to make a way. If anyone can make a wish come true, these people could use one if anybody has any connections. This family lives in east Texas and is a blessing to everyone they meet. If you have more, please help someone who needs it. I love you Lisa, Sarah, Hope, Patty, and Mamapat!

#cdls #CdLS awareness