Centenarian gets good surprise

BLACK HILL, West Portland:

When family members, friends, and well-wishers gathered at the residence of Pastor Hector Mitchell at Black Hill in West Portland on June 12, to celebrate the 100th birthday of Minna Delores Evans, they were not prepared for an unusual but pleasant surprise.

That surprise came from government minister and the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Daryl Vaz, who addressed the gathering via telephone and pledged to launch a scholarship for students valued at $100,000 to honour Evans, who was described as a tower of strength in the community of Black Hill in the parish.

The centenarian’s exemplary lifestyle allowed her to not only care for her own family members, but also other children and adults throughout the Black Hill community and beyond.

“My aunt was the best seamstress in Portland and its surroundings. I grew up knowing her and she produced thousands of bridal gowns,” her niece Dian Evans recalls.

“She got saved and was baptised at the Glad Tidings Church of the First Born in Black Hill, where she has been a member for more than 70 years. My aunt would visit just about every home to help in any way that she could. She would take in people (make accommodation) and feed them and if they were sick, she would nurse them back to good health and pray for them.

“She would also make clothes and take to people’s homes and give to them freely. She was a community person and she had one son, who unfortunately passed away some decades ago. She showed love to everyone.”

Commenting on her diet and lifestyle, Evans notes that while her aunt’s favourite meal is fish, she also enjoys eating vegetables. “My aunt would eat or drink all the herbs and she eats quite healthy,” Evans added.

The centenarian, who reportedly is a favourite among the young people, also takes time out to offer them good and sound advice, urging them to seek God and to pray and ask for guidance in all their endeavours.

Minna Evans, who in her earlier years attended the Black Hill Elementary School, celebrated her day with family members and friends during a special thanksgiving function. She holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving person in Portland.

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