Valerie Adams-Yearwood and Dr Karen Cummings create history

TWO GUYANESE WOMEN CREATED HISTORY WHEN THEY WERE HONOURED
AMONG 19 AWARDEES in this year’s Oakridge United Prayer & Deliverance Ministries &
Women to Women Conference held virtually last Sunday.
Apostle Valarie Adams-Yearwood and opposition legislator, Dr Karen Cummings were
bestowed with honour as mothers for their dedicated service to family, church, community and
country during the Post-Mothers’ Day Celebration under the theme ‘Honoured and Committed
to Mothering Nations’.
It was the first time Guyanese were among awardees in the event’s 15-year existence.
Jamaican Reverend Shirley-Ann Chong, who hosted the event, told www.aroundtheregions.com
in an exclusive that “we believe that this generation of women we are raising up are going to do
much greater than the generation before.”
Chong explained that the 19 women were selected from 15 countries and publicly acknowledged
“because everyone needs to be recognised for their achievements as it is a form of
encouragement saying to them ‘you are doing a good job, so please continue”.
Their very public profile deserves public honour, according to Chong who reiterated that this
year’s honourees will inspire others “to work toward being like them”.
Yearewood and Cummings were among this year’s awardees chosen from candidates from several
countries around the world for their stellar, sterling and significant contributions to national
development, church and the community.
The recognition was also for their continued efforts in enhancing and empowering the lives of
many others. The event was organised by the Oakridge United Prayer & Deliverance Ministries
in association with Sons of The Father Movement, Global.

“This is a way of saying to our women that we recognise you are doing a good job and that your
life is an example for others to be encouraged and to develop. We also believe in mentoring the
older woman as we expect them to continue teaching the younger women and to encourage them
to do even a better job as we see it as reproducing as their kind,” Chong explained.
Adams-Yearwood continues playing a major role in the bauxite-mining community of Linden
helping to advance issues affecting women and girls. This drew the attention of her organisation,
Chong disclosed.
Dr Cummings selection was also no surprise, Chong disclosed.
She said though mothers constitute the backbone of the family as nurturers, her organisation also
collaborates with men’s groups in the pursuit of strengthen families which they maintain are
pillars for nation building.
“We know the role of the men and the role of the women particularly have to do with the family.
The quest is to reposition the men of the nation so that they can understand who they are
and…their reasons for being and the role they play,” Chong said.
She said their men’s group is currently experiencing phenomenal global growth.
Among this year’s awardees were The Rt. Rev. Dr. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, CD, MBE of the UK.
Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth 11, Mrs Lola Ramacan of the UK International
Education Consultant, and wife of His Excellency, Seth George Ramocan, CD, Jamaica’s High
Commissioner to the UK.
Also included were former St Marten Prime Minister, Ms. Sara-Agatha Williams, MP; The Rt.
Reverend Bishop Dr Jacquline McCollough of the USA who is a renowned international speaker,
and author; Rev. Dr Iva Gloudon of Trinidad & Tobago, an educator and former Ambassador to
Jamaica; Rev. Dr. Patricia Holness of Jamaica, a former Registrar General of Jamaica and former
head of the Jamaica Pentecostal Union; Ms. Ursil Webster-Brooks, a retired Public Servant with
some 37 years of service in her native Anguilla, and Pastor Phyllis Newby of Haiti, an
established missionary since 1972.