Jamlanta.org

News Release

April 11, 2019

 Jamaica Diaspora Conference Launch

Tuesday, April 16 – Miramar City Hall

The Jamaica Consulate General , Miami, will host the Launch of the Eighth (8^th) Biennial Diaspora Conference next Tuesday (April 16) starting at 6:00 p.m., at the City Hall of Miramar (Commission Chamber) located at 2300 Civic Center Place, Miramar, FL 33025.

The event is free to the public and continues the Launch series now taking place across the Diaspora communities.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith will be guest speaker at the event which will bring together nationals and friends of the Diaspora across the Southern USA.  Referring to value of the Diaspora in Jamaica’s economic development, the Consul General, Oliver Mair, has reiterated the call to action to build further on collaborative efforts and partnerships in this regard.  “We are excited about this year’s conference and look forward to our launch on Tuesday”, he added.

The Launch event will be streamlined on www.irielivestream.com;

Tuesday’s launch event will focus on discussions pertaining to the National Biennial Conference to take place in Kingston (June 16 – 20).   The theme of the Conference “Jamaica and the Diaspora: Building Pathways for Sustainable Development”.  Details regarding the Conference logistics are available at www.mfaft.gov.jm/conference

Major sponsors and partners of the national event will also be present and include representatives of JN Group; Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS); Grace Kennedy Ltd.; Jamaica Tourist Board, Caribbean Airlines and JAMPRO.

Contact:

Cheryl Wynter

Consulate General of Jamaica

954-559-3955

Email: info@jamaicacgmiami.org

Website: www.jamaicacgmiami.org

Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan (Granny or Mother Duncan to all who knew her), age 111, went home to be with the Lord on March 16, 2019, with her family by her side in Milton, GA.

Granny was born on January 15, 1908 in Brainerd, St. Mary, Jamaica. She was the seventh of thirteen children to Charles Duncan and Grace Ann Pinnock-Duncan. Her parents were local farmers in their community who instilled in her a life of faith, strength and determination that inspired her to move to Kingston, Jamaica as a young woman, and become an entrepreneur operating a successful merchandising and dressmaking business.

Mother Duncan was an active member of her local church, Rehoboth Apostolic Church of God in Christ located in Kingston. In 1965, Granny was appointed as an Evangelist by her church and she travelled internationally for many years teaching about her faith. Oftentimes, she was found ministering on the streets with Bible in hand and a repertoire of spiritual hymns on her lips to uplift the downtrodden with messages of hope. Crowds would gather around her to hear her words of encouragement and comfort as she told everyone about the love of Jesus Christ. She offered words of prayer to everyone she met, sometimes telling them “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I gladly give to you”.

Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan and Charles McLaughlin were blessed with one daughter on June 19, 1940; and later with six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

She migrated to the United States with her family in 1993 at age 85 and lived in Stamford, Connecticut before moving to Alpharetta, Georgia in 1995 at age 87. At an advanced age, Mother Duncan defied the odds and although diagnosed with breast cancer at age 104, she did not succumb to that disease in her passing. She was sharp-minded and sharp-tongued till the very end when she was called home. At her passing, Granny was notably the oldest Jamaican in the United States.

She was preceded in death by her parents, eleven of her siblings and her two eldest grandchildren, Evelyn Grace and Janet Rose.

Granny is survived by one sister: Lisetta Duncan-Hyde (age 101); her daughter: Norma Denton (nee McLaughlin); her four grandchildren, Maxine Denton-Grant, Christine Denton-Thompson, CarolAnn Denton-Fitzpatrick, and Donna Denton-Hall; her eight great-grandchildren: Adrian Grant, Christina Thompson-Dan, Nicholas Grant, Ariana Grant, Marissa Grant, Joshua Hall, Abigail Hall, and Luke S. Duncan Hall.

Farewell Celebration Arrangements for Evangelist Elsada Miriam Duncan are as follows:

Thursday, March 28 – Viewing 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Byars Funeral Home

155 Professional Park Drive, Cumming, GA 30040

Friday, March 29 – Viewing 9:30 a.m.

Homegoing Service 10:00 a.m.

Birmingham United Methodist Church

15770 Birmingham Hwy, Milton, GA 30004

Interment 

Green Lawn Cemetery

950 Mansell Road, Roswell, GA 30076

Repast (Immediately following Interment):

At Family Home in Milton, GA

Thank you to Mayor Lockwood and the City of Milton for your warm embrace of Granny over the years.

 SHE IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD            

IN HEAVEN WHERE THE STREETS ARE PURE GOLD

OUR GRANNY IS NOW RESTING IN THAT LAND

WHERE SHE WILL NEVER, EVER GROW OLD!

“With long life I will satisfy her And Show her My salvation.” Ps 91:16

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