“Mama Beryl,” or “Sister Beryl,” as she is affectionately called, has ensured that her 12 children — seven boys and five girls— were raised in the church and with good manners.
Today, her children fondly remembers her dedication to raising them.
“School and church attendance were a must for us,” they chorused. “She taught us to be polite and caring, and we all had specific chores to complete, which had to be done in a timely manner. All of us had to learn how to cook and assist in taking care of the home.”
The family matriarch, who will be 92 in August, got married to Kenneth Demetrius in 1963. Kenneth passed away in 2017 and one of the girls, Marie Ann, a year later.
In addition to her wifely and motherly duties, Mama Beryl also helped to sustain the family’s income as she was an outstanding and sought-after dressmaker!
All the children are very appreciative of the tremendous dedication and hard work of their mother, as her dutifulness and commitment to upholding Godly principles in the home have helped to shape their lives.
Blessed with many grandchildren and great grandchildren, the Lord has marked Mama Beryl’s grandchildren in a similar and unique way; many of them bear a striking resemblance t
o their beloved grandmother!
Mama Beryl attends the Temple Hall Mennonite Church in St Andrew, where she is hailed by her pastor, William Broughton, as “a great woman of faith [and] a persistent intercessor, as when Sister Beryl prays, she believes that God will answer in a mighty way,” he stated.
“Several years ago, she started a formal prayer and fasting meeting on Tuesday mornings at church and the ministry is still going strong. Somehow, she finds the time to honour every request made of her for prayer, and then she will follow up with a call, or she will ask the person with the need for an update on how things are progressing. She really cares when people are going through a difficult time,” he said.
Persons of all ages are drawn to Mama Beryl. Whether they are experiencing a trying time or not, it is not unusual to see teens and young adults surrounding her at church, ready to update her on their progress at school and work, and receive good advice in exchange. “God has gifted her in that way,” Pastor Broughton beamed. “Motherly care, mentoring, and guiding the young come naturally to her.”
With no visual or hearing impairments, Mama Beryl’s voice is clear, confident, and strong: “My favourite song is ‘He leadeth me, O blessed thought! O words with heav’nly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be, still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me…’
“It is Almighty God who has been leading me. He has been good to me,” she confessed. “He alone knows the plans He has for me, and He is carrying me through. On Him I depend for everything, for I know He will not harm me.”
She fondly recited her most-cherished Bible verses: Romans 6:21, “What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death;” and 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Because of her calm, loving, and Christ-like demeanour, Mama Beryl has made a significant impact in her community of Temple Hall.