household finance A.P.R. VS. Contract Rate buffalo, Nationwide

I recieved a loan against my home in 2005. At the time I was informed my A.P.R. was 6.898% and if I made my payments through my checking account the rate would reduce by 1/4% a year. I recently applied for a hardship because of the income loss I have due to the economy. I lost 2 jobs and had to take a lower paying job. When I recieved the hardship they told me my contract rate is 8+% and my A.P.R. is 6.898%. They never lowered my interest for the 4 years I payed through my checking acct. 
 
I asked why my rate did not drop and they said do I have proof of this arrangement. I told them that I never recieved any paperwork and the people at the office where I signed the loan said this is part of the direct withdrawell account. Now the rate was never reduced and the person said that they were not there at signing and the contract is signed and legal and there is nothing I can do about it.

I have all the paperwork from the day I signed the loan and the only place where the interest rate is clearly defined is on the "truth in lending statement" and is at 6.8%. On other papers after looking hard I found the contract rate and it is 8.41% on the loan summary. This was never explained what this rate meant or which rate I was paying. They just said here is the summary of what we talked about sign here.

I still only know that on the hardship the interest rate has been lowered to 5%+ which if my rate was lowered by 1/4% a year it should have been at this rate already if I was paying the A.P.R. rate. I still do not know what rate I have been paying all these years nor do I know how to dispute this since I was told "The contract is signed and legal and there is nothing you can do about it." What do people in this situation do and where do we go for help if we are in dire need of help with no extra money?