Women's Ministry Team
Commissioner Verona Haughton
Territorial President of Women's Ministries
I am Commissioner Verona Haughton (nee Henry), was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica but all my formative years were spent in Buff Bay, Portland.
I entered The Salvation Army Training College in 1974 as a member of the “Overcomers” session and was a delegate at the Administrative Leadership Training Course in Australia and Training Principal’s conference in London.
I hold a Master of Arts Degree in Pastoral Psychology & Counselling and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Guidance and Counselling. I also have certificates in Supervisory Management and Public Speaking from Training and Development Services, a branch of Human Resource Development.
I have passionately devoted time to the training and development of officers and steered the Territorial Training College to be recognized as an educational institution under the Independent Schools of Jamaica.
Before getting married, I served as Corps Officer in Bethel Town, Rae Town Corps, and Community Center, Secretary to the Chief Secretary, Corps Officer Port Antonio, and Asst. Matron at Hanbury Children’s Home.
I served along with my husband as Corps Officers in Jones Town, Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and both divisions in Jamaica as divisional leaders for Eastern & Western Jamaica Divisions and as Director of Special Services at the Training College. I also served as Secretary for Leader Development, Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries, and presently as Territorial President of Women’s Ministries.
Above everything else, I love the Lord, His people, and His work and am completely committed to the mission of saving souls, growing saints, and serving suffering humanity.
I have been married to Devon Haughton for 36 years and am the proud parents of an adult daughter, Tephanie Olivia, who brings us great joy.
I enjoy reading, sporting activities, taking long walks, exercise programmes, watching detective movies, mystery movies, cooking, baking, planning, gardening, organizing, playing dominoes, and living a life of purpose.
Lieutenant Colonel Wanda Vincent
Territorial Secertary for Women's Ministries
Born and raised as a Salvationist on the east coast of Canada in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Wanda accepted Jesus as her Saviour in Sunday School and felt a call to full time ministry as a teenager. Next to her relationship with God, her family is the joy of her heart. Wanda, and her husband Morris, have two adult daughters – Erica who is married to Jeff, and Stephanie who is married to Jeremy; and they have three beautiful grandchildren – Anna-Lynne, Oliver, and Isabel.
Wanda has been an officer for 26 years. 11 years as a Corps Officer, 11 years in Divisional appointments, and 4 years in Territorial appointments. Her first international appointment was for 3 ½ years in the Kenya West Territory as Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries.
Wanda’s firm conviction is that she is called to serve others in the image of Jesus - a progressive learning and growing experience. She believes in team leadership and that everyone has a contribution to make to grow God’s Kingdom here on earth. Wanda loves to read and learn from others, go for long walks, to connect with friends and enjoy a good cup of tea! One of her favorite Bible verses is found in 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Stand firm, let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Wanda is happy to be appointed to the Caribbean Territory as the Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and the Territorial Secretary for Program.
Major Vester Oates (R)
League of Mercy Secretary
Retired Officer's Representative
Major Vester Oates is a patriotic citizen of the Republic of Guyana and has been serving God and the Salvation Army in various countries of the Caribbean since 1979. She entered the Salvation Army Territorial Training College in 1979 and in 1981 was commissioned as a proud member of the “God’s Soldiers Session”
Major Vester Oates has served the Salvation Army for the last 40 years. Her service has taken her to various parts of the Caribbean, Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia and Belize as Corps Officers. She has also served as Divisional Secretary for Women’s Ministries in the Belize Region and Divisional Youth Secretary, Eastern Jamaica Division.
“Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel……” Matt 28:19. Major Vester’s ministry has taken her to North America, Canada, Bermuda, Trinidad and St. Vincent. She retired from active service in September 2018 but still continues to serve as Territorial Secretary for League of Mercy and Youth Loving Outreach Ministry (Y-LOM) Ministries, Retired Officers’ Representative and Women’s Auxillary for Eastern Jamaica Division.
Importantly, she is a born again Christian who loves God and feels very special and privileged to serve him daily.
She is married to Major Selbourne Oates, a proud mother of three children, Monique, Selbourne Jr. and Vestina. In her downtime, Vester enjoys craft making, meeting people and sightseeing. When she is not participating in any of those activities, she can be found hanging out with her five grand-children.