BEING a young mother of an 18-month-old and a wife in a foreign land is a job in itself. It requires service at all odd hours, but that does not mean that one cannot progress to greater heights with one’s homeland at heart.

This is the story in brief of 29-year-old US-based Guyanese Melinda T. Massiah-Duncan. She migrated to the USA three years ago, after being educated at School of the Nations and at the Cyril Potter College of Education, and after obtaining a degree in Education from the University of Guyana.

Coming from a family-oriented background, her plan was to cater to her husband, Guyanese Rawle Duncan; but even as she was with child, a call to a greater purpose and nationhood kept her mind and heart occupied, as did her baby, Rachael.

While Ms. Massiah-Duncan attends to her original plan, she has now opted to answer the call after recently graduating from The Protocol School of Washington with training and certification in ‘Corporate Etiquette and International Consultancy’; and Guyana is on her mind.

“My desire to study such a field is as a result of me having a servant’s heart…. I love to serve; and doing it the right way was learning the best of etiquette, protocol and hospitality (they all are different) at the best institution, so that I would be able to deliver quality, effective and efficient training,” she confided.

She recalls the sore experiences of attending official functions where teenagers and even adults weren’t aware of ‘good’ and ‘correct’ table manners; but the seed was planted while on local soil, thanks to Ms. Dianne Hermonstine, who made it her duty to teach protocol and hospitality since the year 2000.

Admittedly, Massiah-Duncan says, “I’ve never had a desire to train otherwise, but now that I have completed this stage, I’m preparing to facilitate training in Guyana at churches (leadership) and even (among) government officials.”

Tending to her baby, Ms. Massiah-Duncan disclosed her belief that she’s now ready to spread her wings “… helping to make our home a more sociable place as I strive to bring back the Queen’s Standards of ‘dining like a diplomat’, business and social etiquette.”

She is ever grateful to her Guyanese ‘church family’ at the First Assemblies of God Church, and says she strongly believes in the Word of God, which is reflected in her mantra that she hopes will catch on in days to come: “To whom much is given of the same is much required.”
(Alex Wayne)