Sometimes, standing up for yourself comes at a cost you never imagined you would have to pay. We never thought it could put our home, our financial future, and everything we have worked so hard for at risk.
For 11 years, our home has been our place of safety, hard work, building family, making memories and stability. We never imagined that a disagreement would grow into a legal battle that could leave us facing tens of thousands of dollars in debt—and the frightening possibility of losing the home we love.
It began with trying to keep the peace.
For years, we tried to be accommodating. We placated for years to try and keep the peace with our neighbor. We also respect the right of others to express beliefs and display messages different from our own, we did not ask them to change their views or remove their flags and other things they displayed that we didn't agree with, the foundation of our 1st amendment. We believe that people with different opinions, views and beliefs should be able to live alongside one another with mutual respect.
Then what should have remained a disagreement between people became something much bigger.
A disagreement became a devastating legal battle.
The conflict escalated into litigation, we disputed the claims and tried to defend ourselves through the legal process. We are frightened by how immediate and real this financial debt has become. Around $30,000 in legal fees, surveys, and other professional expenses have already been CHARGED TO CREDIT CARDS, and a recent $38,000 court judgment adds even more pressure on top of that. With additional appellate legal fees and related costs still ahead, this is not just a long-term worry for us. It is a burden we are carrying right now, and it could drive us into bankruptcy as well as cost us our home.
We believe important evidence and legal issues deserve further review, and we have been encouraged to pursue an appeal by others who have reviewed the case. But an appeal requires money—money we simply do not have.
The debt keeps growing. We are facing the devastating reality of trying to pay our existing expenses, address the judgments, and somehow find the resources to continue fighting for a fair review of what happened.
Our home is now at risk.
We came from nothing and worked hard together to build the one asset we have: our home.
This is not just a legal dispute or a number on a court document.
This is the home we have lived in for 11 years. It is our security, our sanctuary, and the place where we have built our lives.
This situation has created a financial burden that feels impossible to carry alone. We are quiet, respectful, friendly, hardworking people who are already struggling to get by, and the strain has left us tired, overwhelmed, and stressed. It has also affected our relationships and health, and we are not sure how much more we can take.
We are not asking anyone to take our word or to agree with us on any issue. We are asking people to recognize the human cost of a situation like this: the financial exhaustion, the fear, the uncertainty, and the feeling of being overwhelmed by a legal process that requires resources far beyond what an ordinary family can afford.
We believe that people should be able to disagree without intimidation, that personal beliefs should not determine whether someone deserves fairness, and that ordinary people should have a meaningful opportunity to defend their home and their rights.
How you can help us fight for a way forward
Our fundraising goal is $90,000 to help us address the financial burden we are facing:
- Approximately $30,000 in legal fees, surveys, and other professional expenses already CHARGED TO CREDIT CARDS
- Approximately $38,000 in court judgments
- An estimated $20,000 or more in anticipated appellate legal fees and related costs.
Any funds raised will help us manage these expenses, obtain the legal assistance needed to pursue appellate review, and work toward protecting our home and financial future.
We know that not everyone is in a position to donate (even $5 helps). We understand that times are difficult for many families. But you do not have to donate to make a difference.
If you know people who care about fairness, freedom of expression, religious liberty, protecting families from financial devastation, or helping ordinary people navigate overwhelming legal battles, please consider sharing our story with them. If you have a community, an organization, a platform, or connections that could help our story reach compassionate people, that support could mean more to us than you can even imagine.
We are especially hoping to connect with people who may be able to help spread our story, offer guidance, or connect us with resources that could make a meaningful difference.
For our privacy and safety, we are keeping identifying details confidential in this public appeal. We are willing to share additional information privately with people who genuinely want to understand our situation.
Please help us hold on to hope.
It is difficult to put into words what it feels like to watch years of hard work and financial stability disappear while facing the possibility of losing your home.
We are tired. We are overwhelmed. We are trying to find a way forward when the financial burden feels impossible to carry alone.
But we have not given up.
We are reaching out because we believe there are still people out there who care about fairness, compassion, freedom of speech, protecting religious liberty and helping others when life takes a devastating turn. We hope that by sharing our story, we can reach those people and find the support we need (someone who could help with a fundraiser at their place of business or organization or even work place) to help keep fighting for our home and our future.
If you can donate, THANK YOU (even $10 or $25, it ALL helps). Any and all donations will help in giving us hope, relieving this stress, uncertainty and this financial burden. Please share our fundraiser, connect us with someone who may be able to help, or simply offer encouragement, or a prayer; please know that it matters.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking the time to read our story. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping us hold on to hope when we need it most.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. #StandForJustice #DefendOurHome #religiousfreedom
