Billy Graham's daughter is selling their first home in North Carolina.
Ruth Graham has put up her parents' house in Montreat for sale to help with the medical expenses of her child who is suffering from a rare illness, Faithwire reported.
Premier Sotheby's International Realty listed the property, which was bought in the 1940s, at $599,000. It has four bedrooms and two bathrooms and has been registered as a rental property since April 8, 2019. It is currently owned by The Original Place, LLC in which Graham is named President.
"...the cottage exudes warmth and comfort while maintaining its historic appeal. Just down the road awaits the vibrant village of Montreat, infused with breathtaking beauty and ample amenities for outdoor recreation. This hidden gem is a chance to own a piece of history," the listing says.
Showings are scheduled on July 19 to 22, while offers will be reviewed on July 23.
Graham stated that her decision of selling the house was already shared with her siblings but not with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
In a statement to WCNC, she said that she was forced to sell it in order to help her daughter.
"My youngest daughter was diagnosed with a very rare disease that attacks women of childbearing age and there will be some significant medical bills in her future. I am so grateful that I have this provision that I can make like any mother who would move heaven and earth when your child needs you," she explained.
"I want to bless people in this way they could come and stay in that house there were so many historical events began. While I'm sad, I'm also grateful that I have this ability to help my daughter," she added.
Graham disclosed that her parents purchased the cottage because of its proximity to her maternal grandparents' home.
"I was born during the time my family lived in the house. The Los Angeles Crusades and [my father's] tour of England happened during those years. It is where it all began," she further said.
But as a "safe retreat" from tourists who would peer through their windows, they later moved to another house at the town's mountaintop.
In an interview with the late broadcaster Paul Harvey, Rev. Graham revealed that when he was travelling for his evangelistic ministry, his wife wanted to live near her parents in Montreat, where her family settled after their return from China.
Ruth Bell Graham was born in Shanghai in 1920, when her parents served as medical missionaries in China. She spent most of her time growing up in the country. One of her childhood memories was about her nurse, Wang Nai Nai, whom she remembered for singing the Chinese version of "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood," a hymn by William Cowper. She also recalled Wang as one who "longed to be able to read her Chinese Bible for herself."
This Chinese connection is reflected in Bell Graham's grave, wherein it is marked with the Hanzi writing of the word "righteousness," citing 2 Corinthians 5:21.
