One of our directors shares she was sitting in the church she attends on Sunday, February 26, 2023, listening to her Apostle teach a message entitled: "Maximizing Difficult Situations". She explains that this message resonated deeply with her, she tells how she thought about how she has had many difficult situations in her life that she has had to find ways to overcome and maximize. She explains that this non-profit organization was birth out of her most recent difficult situation. She discusses how she is turning the moment into purpose and being fueled by her inspiration.
She shares with us that she sat in a jail cell on August 6, 2022, and thought of a plan of what she would do with what she learned in one of the hardest moments of her life. Her grandmother, who raised her from infancy died after having a Hemorrhagic Stroke while she was incarcerated. She did not attend the funeral, nor did she get to spend the last moments of her grandmother's life with her. She shares that her grandmother passed away on the 4th of May and she wasn't advised of her even being ill. She states, "It was Mother's Day, I called home to talk with her and she never answered the phone, and this had never happened before." As she tells us her story of pain, guilt, and sorrow we began to understand how important this organization's purpose is to her.
She explains while incarcerated for eight months, away from her daughter and her grandmother; she had a great deal of time to self-reflect on her life and the many challenges she has faced over the years. She knows that she is more than a conqueror through HIM that loves her, and she wants to help others through this organization to know they are too. Every day was difficult BUT SHE MADE it, and YOU CAN ALSO. Life does not get easier; we just have to learn better ways of coping.
She states that she found ways to keep her mind moving in a positive direction while incarcerated by praying, reading books, by reading her Bible, writing, singing and replaying all the things her "Mama" taught her. She would not have been able to do any of these activities without support from her biological mother, family, and genuine friends. She shared how many women were there with her that had no support, no books, and only food that was given from the detention center. Some didn't have hygiene supplies as the facility gave it out upon entry to the center, but that was it. The director states that during this time, she came to a realization of who her real friends where, as those that really loved her where there, even when she didn't realize they were aware of her circumstances. "It takes money and prayer to do most things in this world, this organization wants to be a method of support by providing, teaching, and praying for struggling individuals and equipping them with tools to grow through difficult situations." In an effort to show her gratitude, empower others and most of all, honor her grandmother, she created this organization.
She shares that she would sit on the "rec" yard in jail, alone, most times. The recreation yard was merely a caged in area, but she would see through the chains and look into the sky and sing to the LORD. She says that she could feel her grandmother's spirit all around her. She laughs while telling us her grandmother used to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to the director as a child, "Victory Is Mine," "Hallelujah Anyhow" which is a song that emphasizes never allowing your burdens to get you down. She states the song her grandmother would sing the most was "Thank you LORD." Songs, family, friends, and books brought her through this difficult time along with her faith in CHRIST. She so delicately said, "My faith is the only thing that really got me through."
Our mission at Virginia Samuels Cares, Inc., is passionate, not just because we care, it's because we have lived in the lives of those we help, in one form of difficulty or another. Ms. Virginia L. Samuels taught us and showed us the fruits of the Holy Spirit and her ability to carry the burdens of others. We also learned through her life that we have to equip others with the skills so they can help themselves. This organization stands to bear WITNESS to others that you CAN maximize difficult situations with the assistance of those that truly care, and we want to be a driving force to help and lead others to opportunities that will promote self-care.