He Heard My Cry, When a Heart Cries Out; A Story of Rescue, Redemption and Revelation

By Rolanda Macharia

It began with a group of us indulging in a world we were neither ready for nor understood, Roe the youngest. Headed for destruction, we allowed sin to become our best friend, "druggin' and thuggin'". It wasn't only about the drug scene with this group of guys and girls. We had a passion for music. Some of us managed, wrote, and produced; some sang and rapped. Others played instruments and engineered. We were talented and trying to get ahead. Although Roe was new to the bunch she had a powerful, beautiful voice and sang like an angel.

In the 1980s the clothes were Cross Colours, the music was hip-hop, and the most popular group was N.W.A. The drugs of choice were powder cocaine cooked to form a rock known as crack and marijuana known as Kush. The drink of choice was Olde English "800" malt liquor. Let's not forget—we chain-smoked Newport Filter King cigarettes.

Watching this young girl experience a life of drug addiction, abuse (sexually, mentally, and physically), as well as others closest to her, was heartbreaking. After her first child, Roe was forced to grow up fast. She became a woman, mom, then wife; she felt this was the right thing for her family. Roe had to learn to survive the way of the streets, with more children, no education, and a drug-addicted lifestyle.

She finally decided there had to be a change, for her and her five children. Rolanda felt so broken in spirit, screaming from the depth of her soul "Lord please save me" that God called her out of darkness into His marvelous light, showing her there was nowhere to go but up. In this book you will witness the journey, love, heartbreaks, headaches, trials, tribulations, and laughter this phenomenal human being had to endure.

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rolanda Macharia
• Release date: Dec 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201670283

Rolanda Macharia

Rolanda Macharia was born in Detroit Michigan, raised in Los Angeles, California, and moved to McKinney Texas in 2005. She is married to James Macharia, a native of Nairobi, Kenya.  She has 5 adult children and 20 grandchildren. Her professional endeavors include a lengthy career at Bank of America for over 20 years. She has been on the Board of Directors for North Central Texas Workforce Solutions for the past 8 years and is the Founder and Executive Director of L.I.F.T. R&R a Non-Profit 501C3 organization, which provides resources and referrals to people that are in need, and marketing at no charge for nonprofit organizations that are helping their communities with low or no-cost resources. Rolanda is a 2016 graduate and facilitated Getting Ahead in McKinney Texas for 3 years, a program designed to bring wealth, middle class, and those in poverty to the table, working together to understand the causes of poverty and how to work together in a just getting by world.  She is a 2021 graduate of Leadership McKinney and is passionate about serving others. She has been a Youth and Adult Sunday School Teacher and Church Administrator for over a decade.   She is a public speaker and more importantly someone who through life’s experiences knows the benefits of never giving up. She contributes her success to a loving God, a saving grace, and the many people that God has placed in her life and the resources they provided.

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated first to my oldest son, La’Shadion Shemwell. From the moment I saw you, five-pound, two-ounce beautiful baby boy, and heard your cry for the first time, something in me shifted. Knowing that you were my responsibility to love, care for, and help guide became the center of my heart. I was forever changed because of you.

Secondly, my daughters, Ashley, Sara, Deja, and my son, Cornische. I am so proud of you all. I have seen each of you grow to become some of the most amazing people, from entrepreneurship, homeownership, parenting, your educations, and how you care for one another. I am proud to be your mother and even prouder that you used our experiences to be better, not bitter.

Next, to my parents. Through it all, you both strived to keep family, family. It wasn’t easy and it didn’t always turn out the way you planned, but you never gave up and, in the end, we’re still here and have grown much closer over the years.  Thank you, mom and dad, for making family A Whooooole To Do!

Lastly, thank you. Lionel Slade, for taking the time to show us the love of God and what it means to be a Christian, not in name alone but in deed. On that fateful day when things could have gone left, the Lord showed me the vision of you for me to call. That one call changed my life forever. Twenty-three years and counting, I am still here, the fruit of your labor and I will always be grateful.

Contents

Acknowledgements

I want to thank Larel Bender for your heart to help me articulate things buried deep inside. You have been a co-laborer in nonprofit work alongside me and now to be a part of this journey is more than I could have asked for. I appreciate you dearly my friend. Thank you.

Thank you also to my incredible husband James Macharia for being there for me as I wrote day and night, sacrificing the quality time you so enjoy. Nakumpenda!

A huge thank you for Bishop Kenneth and First Lady Matzy Diggs of Eternity Community Church in Frisco, Texas for giving me my spiritual foundation in the word of God.

Thanks to Apostle Gemma Valentine of Full Gospel Fire and Deliverance Church in McKinney Texas for a deeper dive into the Apostolic! 

I am rooted in God because He has surrounded me with those that helped nurture and develop me in my spiritual journey.

Introduction

A woman with a vision to conquer the world, by adolescence this young soul was chosen for an unimaginable purpose. It was 1985 in Van Nuys, California on Delano Street that a 15-year-old named Rolanda Shoulders walked into my mother’s house with a smile as bright as the sun. Full of energy and life, she was bright-eyed, bushytailed, and ready to take on anything. We called her Roe.

She was introduced to my family by my ex-boyfriend, her new boyfriend, with me acting as big sister. I was trying to figure out who this new girlfriend was, but still connecting with her as if she was already family. I grew to know and love her.

It began with a group of us indulging in a world we were neither ready for nor understood, Roe the youngest. Headed for destruction, we allowed sin to become our best friend, druggin’ and thuggin’. It wasn’t only about the drug scene with this group of guys and girls. We had a passion for music. Some of us managed, wrote, and produced; some sang and rapped. Others played instruments and engineered. We were talented and trying to get ahead. Although Roe was new to the bunch she had a powerful, beautiful voice and sang like an angel.

In the 1980s the clothes were Cross Colours, the music was hip-hop, and the most popular group was N.W.A. The drugs of choice were powder cocaine cooked to form a rock known as crack and marijuana known as Kush. The drink of choice was Olde English 800 malt liquor. Let’s not forget—we chain-smoked Newport Filter King cigarettes.

Watching this young girl experience a life of drug addiction, abuse (sexually, mentally, and physically), as well as others closest to her, was heartbreaking. After her first child, Roe was forced to grow up fast. She became a woman, mom, then wife; she felt this was the right thing for her family. Roe had to learn to survive the way of the streets, with more children, no education, and a drug-addicted lifestyle.

She finally decided there had to be a change, for her and her five children. Rolanda felt so broken in spirit, screaming from the depth of her soul Lord please save me that God called her out of darkness into His marvelous light, showing her there was nowhere to go but up. In this book you will witness the journey, love, heartbreaks, headaches, trials, tribulations, and laughter this phenomenal human being had to endure.

From the woman she was to the woman she has become, walking in her new growth. With the love of Christ in her heart, her tremendous accomplishments, her dedicated spirit, this ambitious woman devotes her time to being the founder and Executive Director of a successful nonprofit organization, L.I.F.T. R&R, where helping others is one of her deepest passions. She shares the Gospel as she continues to earn her education, speaks to groups and organizations, accepts awards, and travels the world with the support of her loving husband, James. She strives to create a positive example for her beautiful, accomplished 5 children and magnificent grandchildren.

This book is in Loving memory of those who knew Rolanda but are not here to share and witness the amazing story of how God heard her cry. Here’s her story...

Katrina Smith

Round Rock, TX

2021

Preface

Die! That horrible day in 1999 it was the only thing I wanted to do. The only solution left to escape the misery and