The secret to living a long and happy life? Devotion to church, respect for others and hard work, according to the world’s oldest person.
Violet Mosses Brown of Jamaica became the oldest person in the world on Saturday after the death of Emma Morano of Italy, who was 117 years-old, according to USA TODAY.
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Born in Jamaica’s Trelawny parish on March 4, 1900, Brown told her local newspaper in an interview several years ago that respect for family, life and people in general as well as plenty of hard work and her unwavering devotion to the church have helped her live long.
“Honor your mother and father so your days may be long,” Brown said, quoting the Old Testament.
Baptized at age 13, Brown received a plaque from the Trelawny Baptist Association when she was 107 years old for her more than 50 years of “staunch contribution” to the Baptist church.
“I love the Church,” she told The Gleaner.
Brown recalled the days when she had to walk three miles barefoot to fetch water and still be home in time for school by 9 a.m. She now credits this hard work for helping her lead a fruitful life over the years.
“I tell you, these young people these days have it easy — piped water, taxis and buses to bring them where they want to go, everything to their convenience,” Brown told The Gleaner. “When I was younger, and even as an adult, I had to work so hard that sometimes when I look back, I cry at how hard I had to work to make a living for my family.”
Brown, who hails from the same part of Jamaica as Olympic champion Usain Bolt, told the local newspaper she abstains from pork, chicken and what she called “rum and dem tings.”
“Really and truly, when people ask what me eat and drink to live so long, I say to them that I eat everything, except pork and chicken, and I don’t drink rum and dem tings,” she said, smiling.
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