Tweet
Touched by angel
Published: Thursday | March 8, 2012 Comments 0
Joy Baker
Joy Baker had a horrible experience more than two decades ago when she lived on Orange Street in Kingston. A raging fire claimed several lives, including those of children. She decided then to dedicate her life to help children. She cares for more than 300 of them in and around the South Side community. - Ricardo Makyn Photographer
1 2 >
Arthur Hall, Senior [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Staff [COLOR=blue !important]Reporter[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
'Mama Joy' might not be an angel, but try telling that to the hundreds of children whose lives she has touched positively for the past 41 years.
Born Joy Baker in August 1948, she was dubbed 'Mama Joy' by one of the children she unofficially adopted in the late 1980s.
The name has stuck through the years as she provided financial, educational, religious and moral support for the hundreds of young people in South Side and several other communities of central Kingston. Mama Joy has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Right now, at the ripe 'young age' of 63, she is helping to monitor 194 children and her arms remain open to welcome others.
"Sometimes I want to give up but a voice says, 'Hold on, be still, you will be strong someway'," Mama Joy told The Gleaner recently.
"I go through a heck of a time in this community and spend 33 and a half years up Tower Street, and now I come round here (Higholborn Street) for the past seven years and I still get joy out of helping the children," added Mama Joy.
"I get lawyers, doctors and everything from my children. When I started, I use the three $20 bills, which me get for me pay every fortnight, to boil porridge for the children and then I beg everybody and anybody, but not the politicians.
"I use to pad me knee and clean out bar, wash sailor clothes and carry go down a wharf just to mek the children them comfortable."
According to Mama Joy, while it has been rough over the years, she has had strong support from some members of the private sector who have been her quiet helpers.
"I don't receive anything from any politician. My full source (of funds) is from people like Mr (Owen) 'Hurry Hurry' Sinclair down in Westmoreland, who has been helping me since 1987," said Mama Joy.
No fanfare
Others who have helped her without the fanfare include the late Canon Weeville Gordon, who worked to register the birth of scores of children; Ena Wong San, who operated a biscuit company; and Dick Kinkaid, who operated out of the Air Jamaica building on Harbour Street.
Even residents of South Side in central Kingston, who are not wealthy, have done their part to ensure that Mama Joy can survive.
"You know, there are some people who know me can cook, so them have them family coming from abroad and them will say, 'Mama Joy [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]deal[/COLOR][/COLOR] wid it', and me cook and me use the money to help the pickney them to go a school. You know how much a them pass GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test)?"
The recognition for her work has started to come in, and recently Mama Joy was among 62 'living legends' recognised by the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Caribbean [COLOR=blue !important]Community[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] of Retired Persons for their work in nation building.
That list included internationally acclaimed playwright Barbara Gloudon, Professor Emeritus Sir Roy Augier, Professor Edward Baugh and Professor Anthony Chen.
But despite being included in a list of such outstanding Jamaicans, Mama Joy is most proud about the accomplishments of the children who passed through her hands and who are enjoying successful adult lives.
They have not forgotten her and she remembers their names. Every one of them.
"Yes, man. Them come back to look for me. See all when it was my birthday last year, a the Institute of Jamaica it keep and it was something to talk about. I did feel proud to see me children them."
Mama Joy has been declared a living legend, but for the children of South Side and surrounding community, she is "an angel".
Published: Thursday | March 8, 2012 Comments 0
Joy Baker
Joy Baker had a horrible experience more than two decades ago when she lived on Orange Street in Kingston. A raging fire claimed several lives, including those of children. She decided then to dedicate her life to help children. She cares for more than 300 of them in and around the South Side community. - Ricardo Makyn Photographer
1 2 >
Arthur Hall, Senior [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Staff [COLOR=blue !important]Reporter[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
'Mama Joy' might not be an angel, but try telling that to the hundreds of children whose lives she has touched positively for the past 41 years.
Born Joy Baker in August 1948, she was dubbed 'Mama Joy' by one of the children she unofficially adopted in the late 1980s.
The name has stuck through the years as she provided financial, educational, religious and moral support for the hundreds of young people in South Side and several other communities of central Kingston. Mama Joy has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Right now, at the ripe 'young age' of 63, she is helping to monitor 194 children and her arms remain open to welcome others.
"Sometimes I want to give up but a voice says, 'Hold on, be still, you will be strong someway'," Mama Joy told The Gleaner recently.
"I go through a heck of a time in this community and spend 33 and a half years up Tower Street, and now I come round here (Higholborn Street) for the past seven years and I still get joy out of helping the children," added Mama Joy.
"I get lawyers, doctors and everything from my children. When I started, I use the three $20 bills, which me get for me pay every fortnight, to boil porridge for the children and then I beg everybody and anybody, but not the politicians.
"I use to pad me knee and clean out bar, wash sailor clothes and carry go down a wharf just to mek the children them comfortable."
According to Mama Joy, while it has been rough over the years, she has had strong support from some members of the private sector who have been her quiet helpers.
"I don't receive anything from any politician. My full source (of funds) is from people like Mr (Owen) 'Hurry Hurry' Sinclair down in Westmoreland, who has been helping me since 1987," said Mama Joy.
No fanfare
Others who have helped her without the fanfare include the late Canon Weeville Gordon, who worked to register the birth of scores of children; Ena Wong San, who operated a biscuit company; and Dick Kinkaid, who operated out of the Air Jamaica building on Harbour Street.
Even residents of South Side in central Kingston, who are not wealthy, have done their part to ensure that Mama Joy can survive.
"You know, there are some people who know me can cook, so them have them family coming from abroad and them will say, 'Mama Joy [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]deal[/COLOR][/COLOR] wid it', and me cook and me use the money to help the pickney them to go a school. You know how much a them pass GSAT (Grade Six Achievement Test)?"
The recognition for her work has started to come in, and recently Mama Joy was among 62 'living legends' recognised by the [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]Caribbean [COLOR=blue !important]Community[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] of Retired Persons for their work in nation building.
That list included internationally acclaimed playwright Barbara Gloudon, Professor Emeritus Sir Roy Augier, Professor Edward Baugh and Professor Anthony Chen.
But despite being included in a list of such outstanding Jamaicans, Mama Joy is most proud about the accomplishments of the children who passed through her hands and who are enjoying successful adult lives.
They have not forgotten her and she remembers their names. Every one of them.
"Yes, man. Them come back to look for me. See all when it was my birthday last year, a the Institute of Jamaica it keep and it was something to talk about. I did feel proud to see me children them."
Mama Joy has been declared a living legend, but for the children of South Side and surrounding community, she is "an angel".
Comment