My Mother Who Taught Me Philanthropy – Vincent Samuels, ASC, BBA

Lovingly known as “Ms. Meggie”

Mother

Persons who have visited Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) website and browsed through news articles and photographs depicting philanthropic acts that are posted on the Association’s web pages at the wisdom of the Association’s competent webmaster, might have wondered about the source from which the writer of this news article learnt philanthropy and has been consistently able to tangibly disseminate this virtue to poor and needy people – including past and present students of Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) that is located in the impoverished, poverty stricken, peasant farming community of New Market, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica West Indies.

MARGARET CLEMENTINE DENNIS-SAMUELS, (1917-1979) PHILANTHROPIST

Margaret Clementine Dennis-Samuels (deceased), one of two sets of fraternal twins among sixteen (16) children born to William and Edith Dennis (deceased) from the hilly rocky terrain of Long Ground, New Market, Saint Elizabeth, did not have much in terms of this worlds goods. However, unlike her brother Nathaniel “Keity” Dennis who benefited immensely from the relationship between his wife Estena “Miss Tena” Gayle-Dennis, second wife of Doxie Gayle, brother of James “Dick” Richards, “Bermuda King” and he was stingy and tight fisted so much  that he sold water at a farthing per kerosene tin to his own biological poverty stricken sister, from the water tank that “Bermuda King” built so that poor and needy people in his impoverished, poverty stricken, peasant farming could get water free of cost; my mother was loved and revered by all – particularly school children with whom she willingly shared the little she had.

MY MOTHER’S PHILANTHROPY TO CHILDREN

As I grew up at “Mount Ease” now “Rocks Hall” Flint Valley, New market, Saint Elizabeth, the home of my mother Margaret Clementine Dennis-Samuels, was a place of solace and Balm in Gilead to the disenchanted, despondent, hopeless, disoriented poor and needy people who were never turned away. I vividly draw from memories that are indelibly etched in my subliminal consciousness, the many school children who stopped at the dilapidated two bedroom board house we called home, where  I share with them indigenous food from the cast iron pot on the fire, delicious pastries, and “suck-suck”.

AUNT FANNY LIKE HER BROTHER “KEITY” WAS DIFFERENT FROM HER SISTER

My memories of the agony, pain, discomfort, hardship, and inconvenience that my dear mother Margaret Clementine Dennis-Samuels experienced in her own struggles in trying to get education for her children – including the writer of this news article – so as to break the vicious cycle of poverty that engulfed them. Still fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday, I vividly recall  that morning when my poverty stricken mother sent me to my Aunt Fanny – her sister who had just returned from England and resided in the family house at Long Ground – to see if she would lend her five shilling that would enable her to defray the cost of fee to sit the Third Jamaica Local Examination which I passed at age 15.

That morning, I left my Aunt Fanny’s presence broken-hearted with tears running down my cheeks as she gave me this message to give my poverty stricken God fearing mother quote: “Tell you mother that what she cant manage she must put it down” unquote

MY PHILANTHROPY TO AUNT FANNY

Despite the old plaid long sleeve shirt with holes all over it like a sieve that my Aunt Fanny gave me when she returned from England, and the message that she gave me to deliver to my poverty stricken mother that morning, keenly watching my dear mother react with loving kindness to her own family members and other people that were unkind to her, during Aunt Fanny’s terminal illness that occurred in the latter years of her life, I showed Aunt Fanny mercy and philanthropy that made her perplexed to the extent where she said to me while resting at my home in Black River one day when she was coming from the Doctor quote: “Vin, why are you doing all this goodness to me, why don’t you just tek me and throw me at that banana tree root” unquote.

JUBILEE THANKSGIVING SERVICE FOR THE LIFE OF MY DEAR MOTHER MARGARET CLEMENTINA DENNIS-SAMUELS

Indelibly etched in the subliminal consciousness of many mourners – including host of children – who filled the main auditorium, other class rooms, and the school yard at Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) on February 19, 1979 is the largest gathering that the school will ever witness.

THE BATON OF MY MOTHER’S PHILANTHROPIC LEGACY THAT SHE HAS PASSED ON TO ME WILL BE CARRIED UNFLINCHINGLY WITH DIGNITY AND LOYALTY

Margaret Clementine Dennis-Samuels, my mother who taught me philanthropy and to care and show concern regarding the plight of poor and needy people, having successfully finished her leg in the marathon, passed the baton to me and I know that she will be waiting to welcome me at the finishing line because she told me so before she took her last breath in Black River Public General Hospital after which she was ushered safely into the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ whom she served faithfully and unselfishly.
I cannot renege from the passion, tenacity, and intensity with which I continue to do philanthropy to poor and needy people as a private person and in my role as Secretary/Treasurer for Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA)

NO FLIP-FLOPPING AND VASCILLATING FOR ME

I just can’t turn back now; I’ve come too far from where I started from.
The Lord didn’t tell me that the road would be easy
I know He hasn’t brought me this far to leave me.

As I continue to show mercy and kindness in my philanthropy to poor and needy people, I must heed the words of my dear wife Caren that propels me and keeps me buoyant like the wind beneath my wings quote: “Do not become frustrated and despondent because of what unscrupulous people are saying about the excellent philanthropy that you continue to show to poor and needy people: DO IT ANYWAY” unquote

“A heart that is focused on others, will not be consumed with self

One comment to My Mother Who Taught Me Philanthropy – Vincent Samuels, ASC, BBA

  • bosa  says:

    Very nice writing, what our parents did for others was from the heart, ingrained in their blood line and it is passed on to us, so no wonder we can’t say no or sit by and don’t lend a helping hand to those in need. They didn’t do for others because aunty Mary was doing it, they did it because to them that was natural and the right thing to do. Great Job!

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