About Gewanda
Gewanda J.Parker is the founder and CEO of Hope and Healing Corporation: A corporation with many arms serving and reaching the needs of the marginalized of society locally and abroad to orphanages in Haiti and Africa. In 2003, she started an organization to help young girls and teens suffering with self-esteem and identity issues the group’s name, G-Girls: is an acronym used for the different components implemented that foster self-acceptance, self-esteem, mentoring, mothering and sister-ing, of the female gender in all age brackets.
After giving birth to her first child she started a support group for older moms called TribeNMO40. (New Moms Over 40) The group’s focus is to support the population of older women entering motherhood later in life. The group has grown to more than 350 older moms around the world.
Gewanda is a featured concert soloist and her natural talent in music, and praise and worship have offered her the opportunity to minister and travel singing throughout the US, Canada, and the Bahamas. Having a true desire to worship through song, coupled with her love of singing, she gathered a group of like-minded others; thus an ensemble group named, GJ and Anchored was birthed out of these true authentic worship experiences. She has two Cd’s. Jesus Is and a solo Cd, Celebrate Christmas.
Parker received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Edward Waters College and she holds a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. She is embarking upon her Ph.D. studies in Doctoral Ministry Pastoral Care and Counseling. Prior to establishing Hope and Healing, G-Girls, and Anchored, she taught in the public school system as an educator for over 27 years. She was nominated and selected 3 times for the prestigious award for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; and twice nominated and selected into the Prestigious Cambridge Leadership Award. She was also selected as one of Oprah Winfrey’s, educational O Ambassadors for a humanitarian service project for the country of India. In addition to her educational experience, Gewanda has served as a dynamic ministry leader in the areas of pastorate, women’s leader, administration, worship leader, small group facilitator, missions and pioneering of grassroots ministries. Currently she serves as Senior Pastor of Trinity UMC in West Palm Beach Florida.
Within the context of sensitive areas, Gewanda has work with multiple multicultural and diversity assemblage of both professionals and laity groups in various settings. Most notable, when she was asked to speak to the highly Militant Religious Divides between the Protestants and Catholics in Belfast, Northern Ireland.As a facilitator and trainer, she has worked alongside many leadership groups and church leadership teams in the areas of Church Growth and Transformation. Through her experience, she has proven her ability to serve, lead and interact with people of diverse backgrounds. Her initiatives and endeavors, have taken her nationally and internationally to such places as London England, Duverge, Dominican Republic, (Community Development), Bon Repos, Haiti (Orphanages) and she spent eight weeks in Nigeria, Africa ( Abuja, Benin, Ewu and Kano) concentration on cross cultural ministry development.
Using her own life as a catalyst for change, she embodies the message of God’s love, healing, transformation and hope. Having been raised in the foster care system, experiencing every form and type of abuse, overcoming stigmas of shame, rejection and unworthiness, she speaks to the transformation of God’s healing power and love. She hosted a weekly radio broadcast called Message of Hope, which directed its content to reconciliation and healing of the family, community, spirit, soul, and mind. Gewanda has authored two books, author in a compilation book, and written her memoir, It Only Hurts When I Can’t Run. She is in the process of completing other self-help books that speak to the nature of women’s issues, protecting our young and wholeness in its entirety. Gewanda Parker has served as a mentor, trainer, life wholeness coach and spiritual formation guide.
As an older mother, Gewanda feels her life must be dedicated to the nurturing and development of her children. She sees them as her greatest accomplishment of all and her number one priority.