A single mother with four young children decided to buy a used automobile to commute to work. The car’s previous owner requested that she open the trunk when she returned home. What she discovers in the trunk will be life-changing.
Jennifer was a single mother with four small children after her husband Adam fled when he discovered she was pregnant with their fourth child. “Another child to feed? No way! I’ve had enough!” he exclaimed one day, leaving their trailer and filing for divorce.
Jennifer was devastated. She and Adam had not planned the pregnancy, but she expected his support during such a difficult time, especially given their financial situation at the time.
Adam ceased sending her money for their children after they separated. He stated he had no employment and that no one would take him in because he had not completed college.
Jennifer was forced to look for work soon after delivering birth since she was running out of money for food, diapers, and milk. Jennifer would wander into restaurants and shops, only to be turned down by owners because she had four young children.
“It’s difficult to hire mothers with young children because something always comes up. It’s either your child is sick, or you have no one to leave them with, so you have to miss work. I’m sorry, it’s too much for us to handle,” one employer outright told her.
Jennifer began looking for work in a different city when no one in her neighborhood would hire her. She boarded a cab with the money she had left and requested her neighbors to watch her children for the afternoon.
When she arrived, she saw an opening for a housekeeping position at a small hotel. She stepped in, applied, and was instantly hired. “We badly need staff around here, especially with the summer season. We will be fully booked in a couple of weeks,” the HR manager informed her.
Jennifer accepted the job although it required her to travel to a different city each day. She thanked the HR manager and returned home, telling her children she had finally gotten a job.
After spending nearly $30 on taxi fares, Jennifer realized she couldn’t afford to commute to work every day. She would have preferred to drive her automobile, but she lacked the funds. She felt her best option was to buy a used car.
She discovered one, but she wondered whether the owner would be willing to sell it for a reduced price. “By any chance, would you be able to give me this car for $5000? You see, I’m a single mom of four, and it’s been difficult for me to earn money. I was hoping to get a car to take a job in a nearby city,” she admitted.
When the owner learned that she was raising four young children on her own, he agreed to sell the car for $5,000. “If you can buy the car by tomorrow, I can give this to you for $5000,” he said to her.
Jennifer is appreciative of the owner for agreeing to sell at a lesser price. She took a chance and asked for a loan at the bank, hoping to receive the car the next day. Unfortunately, due to her poor credit, the loan was instantly rejected.
Jennifer pondered her next steps as her options dwindled. She couldn’t move to a new city because her eldest child, Ethan, had just begun school near the trailer park they lived in.
Rent in the nearby city was also significantly higher, and she couldn’t bring the trailer with her. She needed a car to get to and from work, as well as to pick up her children from school and daycare.
Then she remembered the family relic handed to her by her late mother: a gold chain necklace that had been passed down through generations. She burst into tears at the prospect of having to sell it to buy a car, but she sorely needed it to provide for her children in the future.
Jennifer removed the gold chain necklace from her trinket box and walked to a local pawn shop. “I’m sorry, mom. I really need to do this right now,” she said loudly.
When she arrived at the pawn store, the jewelry was appraised at $5500. Jennifer was thrilled. The money was enough to buy the car, and she would still have enough for their everyday necessities.
The next day, she returned to the used car store and handed the proprietor an envelope containing $5,000. “Thank you for agreeing to sell this to me, sir. You have no idea how much this will help my children and I,” she said, handing him the envelope.
The proprietor, who introduced himself as Jeff, smiled. “Congratulations on your car. This is an excellent purchase,” he informed her.
While Jennifer signed the purchase paperwork, Jeff carefully placed something in the trunk of the car, and as Jennifer prepared to drive home, he called out to her.
“By the way, check the car’s trunk when you get home. I left something for your children inside,” he said, waving to Jennifer as she drove away.
Jennifer had become so busy with commuting to work and driving her children to school and daycare that she had entirely forgotten to check the trunk until she discovered a letter in the car’s glove compartment.
“I hope you and your children liked the gift I left inside the trunk. May it be of great help to you.” Surprised, she decided to open the trunk in search of the surprise.
Jennifer was perplexed when she noticed nothing but a white envelope on one side of the trunk. Then she noticed it was the identical white envelope she’d used to pay for the automobile. She opened it to find her $5000 untouched.
Jennifer couldn’t help but cry at that point, stunned by the man’s sweet gesture. She drove directly to the used vehicle store after work and thanked Jeff for his generosity.
“The world throws challenges at you, and it’s up to you to either rise from these challenges or succumb to them. I am proud of you for staying strong for your children, and I thought you could use the money more than I. Just don’t forget to pay it forward,” Jeff told her.
What can we learn from this story?
Compassion goes a long way. Jeff ran a profitable used car dealership, whereas Jennifer was a struggling single mother with four young children. When Jeff found out about this, he decided to pay it forward and assist Jennifer in any way he could.
If you have the will, you can make it happen. Jennifer was resolved to work hard so she could provide for her children. She worked tirelessly to make this a reality, despite numerous rejections and barriers.
Please share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and brighten their day.