SHE IS A QUEEN
Queen Lynda Wright Gittens was born in Houston, Texas during an era where the hope of achievement in America was held and inspired by her parents, church leaders, and teachers. She was born in the era of segregation where her kind was referred to on paper a colored. Through her lifetime she has been identified as a Negro, black, and African-American. Her mother was a seamstress and her father a Mathematician and teacher. Her parents were charter members of a church founded by Civil Rights Activist William ‘Bill” A. Lawson. They were active and effective leaders in the church. Her mother was a Sunday school teacher, deaconess, Girl Scout leader, and church clerk. Her father was a Sunday school teacher, trustee, choir participant, deacon, and then a preacher. Before she was born, her father prayed a prayer making a request of God and promising to give this child back to him. As the first born child, she was raised under strict and godly principles. She was baptized physically and mentally in the Word of God, as well as math. Her father taught her how to work on cars, build things, plumbing, home repairs, cut the yard, and sports. She frequently refers to herself as her daddy’s boy.
As Queen Lynda reached her teenage years, she began to believe the hope that her parents and other leaders instilled in her, and she made the decision to go to an all-white school so that she could receive an education from a school that would allow her to be competitive in the world. She was a part of the second group of Negroes to attend that particular white high school under the new laws of desegregation. It was an eye-opener to witness and experience racism. Therefore she developed a militant activist attitude. In her junior year, she was covered by one of the ‘white’ female deans who allowed her to work as her office assistance and she assisted her to succeed by managing her class schedule to the right teachers who helped her receive a high school diploma. Her hope to attend college was in reach. She decided to attend a white college in Nacogdoches in East Texas. She noticed there was a Colored Church of Zion listed and announced to her father that she was going to the First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, sit on the first row, and dare them to move her. Concerned for his first born, her father informed her that he was not going to go to East Texas to take her behind down from a tree so he sent her to an all-black college (his alma mater) hoping her militant attitude would subside.
ME AND MY FATHER
Through Queen Lynda’s adult life, her father shared his prayer to God with her. He prayed for the first child to be a missionary to do the work he did not want to do, go to Africa, and preach the word of God. Of course, he hoped the first child was a boy, not. She began to understand the choices and paths her life journey was pursuing. In her youth, her boyfriends were the undesirables, and she wanted to show them the love of God, that’s being a missionary right? Her father didn’t quite see it that way. She delayed the preaching call because of the era she was raised in (a young female preacher – not), but she took on the role of serving others. In college, people from all around the world attended, she developed a yearning for the African culture and a dating preference toward third world men; at least that’s how her family refers to it that includes Africa, right?
This queen devoted her life to her passion for motivating, educating youth on life experiences and for helping young people to pursue their goals. She believed God created every person for a person. Each person was given a gift to serve others and benefit the Kingdom of God in the world. To help in their development, she had brainstorming sessions to help them think. She trained them how to make a living with their hands through craft projects. She took them on many field adventures exposing them to various careers, life experiences, cultures, and more. She has been a safe house for a few runaways as well as counsels the families to work out their family differences. This passion has defined as her ministry. She is the founder and Executive Director of a Non-Profit organization named Babies Youth Children Empowerment Ministries, Inc. This organization empowers students through FREE academic support and character development programs to students living in low-income communities. Her ministry has served over 100 students in Ghana with school supplies, books, and Christian Sunday school materials.
ME IN THE KING’S CHAIR
ME AND KWAME AT ORPHANAGE
The Queen has spent her life serving and helping people but took little time for herself. Her children and grandchildren are her lifelines. She believes she owes God for these great blessings and will continue to honor and serve him. She served on her job for the government successfully for thirty-one years, encouraging many to seek the kingdom of God first. She accepted the call to preach in the year 2007, even though she received the call at age 17, and retired in the year 2008. After retiring, she received her Master’s in Divinity. During the year 2008, she spent 30 days in Ghana, West Africa interacting with the people as well as understanding their culture. There she was considered a Queen. This trip was her confirmation to begin the ministry.
Queen Lynda’s immediate family looks to her for wisdom and support because she has the gift to calm the storms, understanding, has visions, and believes she has a personal line to God. Her friends call her loyal, non-judgmental, and friendly to all. She is seen as a mother figure. The parents of the children and youth she serves and has served all say she has been a positive asset to their children and family. She has not only educated their children academically, but taught them life lessons, counsels the family in relationships, and is there when you need support. Her supervisors respect her viewpoints and decision-making skills. They trust her to do the job with integrity. She has an interest in the success of the employees and goes beyond the job’s duty to assist them in achieving their goals. The only fault they find in her is her protection of those who work for her. Now she is not perfect. Her friends and family will express to you to not make her angry. This easy going spirit takes on another persona. When you challenge her children or integrity, she evolves into a woman on a mission to devour you.
Queen Lynda is currently pursuing a Doctor’s in Ministry in Global Leadership and Perspective. She is the first in her family to pursue a doctorate. She is looking forward to serving God globally through her ministry for students.
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