Larry Carson's article [Jan. 3] on the Agyeman family migrating to America, working hard, and obtaining the "American Dream" and having the opportunity, through a county program, to purchase their own home was a heart warming and joyful read.

This is a sharp contrast to a series of articles Mr. Carson reported on in 2007 and 2008 regarding Kwaku Atta Poku's family. They too were immigrants. Mr. Poku worked hard and started a small business, became an American citizen, and bought the "American Dream" - a home of his own. He paid his mortgage payments on time faithfully for over seven years, never missing a payment, in fact some months paying more on the principal - only to have it taken away from him - legally. It seems when mortgages were being flipped, sold and then resold to yet another mortgage company his paperwork was lost in the shuffle. While he could prove he made payments, he could not prove the previous mortgage holder had been paid off. It went to court and stunningly Mr. Puko lost. Not only did he lose the case, his credit reflected a foreclosure and was ruined.

I have never met Mr. Poku or his family, but every time I read a story about prime plus mortgages, programs to prevent foreclosures, and the latest articles on those who are not making their mortgage payments for various reasons, such as saving their money and just waiting for foreclosure, I think of them.

At the time of the court verdict, I thought, we live in a progressive, socially conscious community, where someone or an organization will step up and either sponsor a fundraiser or, since this county is [composed] of very creative individuals, a solution to this dilemma could be found. This could have happened to anyone whose mortgage was sold and resold and could happen again. Maybe it's not too late - a new year and a new Maryland State Assembly session.