BY: ASHELLY SMITH
The newly elected president of United Achievers Club is Marva Hemmings. She is a mother of four who is now a retiree. She was born in Jamaica but at the age of 18, she immigrated to Canada to start her adult life. Each person has their own morals and values and Hemmings was not an exception.
“My morals growing up was always to help others. As a child I would go camping to help out. I love children and always wanted to have children and thank God I have four of my own. They also have their own children. But my morals was to always pleased God first, I love the Lord. I came to Canada and was involved with the church. My morals were to always do the right thing, love others and help others. So, I devoted a lot of my life helping out others.”
Kingdom Covenant Ministries is the name of her Church. Her immediate family members have always been highly involved in their place of worship. Hemmings and her daughter sing in the choir. Her mom used to sing in the choir but sadly she passed away. Hemmings is also a Vacation Bible School teacher at Kingdom Covenant Ministries for more than 20 years. The age group she teaches is eight to nine years old who are grade three and grade four students. She teaches them how to love the Lord and each other which include kindness and tender care. Young children can be challenging to work with but for Hemmings it is manageable.
“So far I have one or two children who have been disruptive but somehow I have been able to calm them down by just telling them how much I love them. When you spread the word ‘love’ to children, they take that at heart and they know you really care about them. I will buy them stuff like juice or cookies to influence them. So, they will behave as they know Aunty Marva will treat them with incentives” expressed Hemmings.
Some Christians are so strong in their spirituality with God that it is so easy for them to resist temptations. Marva is one of those Christians who is able to fight temptations as she is a prayer warrior. Although, she is a strong woman in her faith she has never aspired to be a pastor, but why?
“I have done school of Theology so I have a lot of knowledge in Theology, but it has never crossed my mind to be a pastor. I am satisfied being a Sunday school teacher because I love to teach the children, I love being around the children, I love to be with children. Yes, there have been times when I have to work with adults as I do the women’s prayer meeting but I love being around children, so I enjoy being in the children’s ministry. Children are just my heart and it is my desire to see the world a better place and it all comes down to the children.”
Marva Hemmings has worked in a banking institution for forty years in which she does not want to disclose. Many people change careers at least two to three times in their lives but Marva stayed steadfast in the financing industry. She went to school for Business Administration and Accounting upon arrival in Canada. She said that she always liked the attire of bank personnel in Jamaica so, impulsively and hilariously, she decided to study B.A. But she didn’t stay in one position, of course, she kept moving to various departments, so it never got boring for her.
Hemmings has never been a manager at the banking institution, so she has no experience in a leadership role. However, she has been a member of the United Achievers’ Club since 2017 and the club has already elected her to be the president for the next two years. When asked why she was quickly elected, she had this to say:
“When I was contacted that I was nominated the question you asked was the same question I asked because I knew I was newly into the organization, so I was like why. So, what I have been told, the person who nominated me said she noticed that I was a very committed person, I was very interested in what I was doing. She also mentioned that she saw something in me that tells her that I would be a good leader. I show qualities of a leader in the way I reacted with the people around me. I have good ideas. I didn’t just go there and sit down, I actually participate so she noticed all of that about me and she believed that I am a strong leader.”
Her plans for the organization is to look at what needs to change and change it and what doesn’t need to be changed but needs improvement. For example, she noticed that past scholarship recipients do not give back; as she believes when you receive a blessing you should be kind enough to return a favor. She wants to reach out to past recipients so that they can bring their ideas to the Club and strengthen the Club’s mission.
Marva looks forward to meeting and communicating with the friends and supporters of United Achievers’ Club at one of its monthly meetings or an upcoming event. Congratulations to Mrs. Hemmings on her new role and best wishes to the immediate past president Lucinda Sloley who has been the president since 2008.
