What is the secret to a long life? Over the years we’ve interviewed
quote a few centenarians, and almost all of them have told us that longevity
is the product of strong and unwavering faith. That was re-iterated today when
the woman known to all as Aunt Terry celebrated her 102ND. She gave me more
than a few nuggets of wisdom.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
She is known affectionately as Aunt Terry and today she turned one hundred and
two years old. Today she was surrounded by her close friends from Helpage Belize
who celebrated her birthday. It was a joy sitting down with Aunt Terry who told
me it was her strong faith that has blessed her with longevity.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“How come you manage to live so long?”
Aunt Terry, 102 years old
“Well my blessed Saviour helped me. I always pray to my good Lord
and I always be good to him and he always be good to me. So you can praise him
and he will help you.”
As her senior friends shook the birthday girl’s hand, kissed her on the
cheek and wished her many happy years aunt terry was grateful for all the attention.
In speaking with Aunt Terry I found out she was a faithful wife to three husbands
who are now all deceased. She also had one daughter and two sons.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“So you have three children?”
Aunt Terry,
“I have three children but they are not…I have one girl and
two boys. The eldest boy dead and the youngest one is alive and he is alive 
but he attends to me how, as what he say, when he was a child I taught him and
I nursed him and everything and now I am old and so he takes good care of me.”
Aunt Terry told me she now lives her life through daily prayers.
Aunt Terry,
“I always say my prayers. I wake in the night, the first thing I say,
I get up to urine, I say my prayers. I eat my food, I say my prayers before
I eat, I say my prayers after; thank God after I finished eating and I always
keep him.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“So it is through faith you strongly believe you have managed to see 102?”
Aunt Terry,
“Oh yes, yes, yes.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“So if Aunt Terry could do it, anyone can live to see 102?”
Aunt Terry,
“Anyone, anybody can live to see that but they have to see that they
do the right thing. I don’t think I alone can do that. I don’t think
so, mind you, I don’t have no sickness at all.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“That’s amazing.”
Aunt Terry,
“All I have is just my foot that I have my sickness go and come but
the doctor says that he can’t give me something to release me for ever,
just quiet it down for me. Thank God for that.
I tell you that I only praise to the good Lord.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Yeah but besides praying to the good Lord, what else you do during the
day to keep Aunt Terry preoccupied and busy? You don’t just sit around
the house all day right?”
Aunt Terry,
“No, no. I see that I do my work and I always see that I do some fancy
work and things like and love my Jesus.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Fancy work like what, what you do?”
Aunt Terry,
“All kind of fancy work. I do sewing, I crochet, I make tie mats,
and all kind of things.”
And as I found out, Aunt Terry loves to sing.
Aunt Terry Singing: “I want to go to heaven. I don’t know
how soon it will be. My Saviour has made me a promise to send down an angel
for me….”
And while Aunt Terry does not know when she will called home she continues
to wish to good health and longevity.
We hear they’re already making plans for next year’s birthday.
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