Ena Schouburgh

Ena Elizabeth Schouburgh was born to Hannah & David Schouburgh on June 9th, 1907 in Black Hill Hope Bay, Portland Jamaica West Indies. Ena entered the United States of America in 1945 at the age of 37 and became a US naturalized citizen on June 2nd, 1953. She lived at 338 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. In 1948 she joined her sister Olga Dehring who had migrated to the United States in 1940. Together they worked in the Nursing Profession; and what a “duo” they were. In 1951 Ena completed a course of study and received a certificate from The United Missionary Nurses Inc. She completed a prescribed course at the Missionary Educational Program of the Interracial Missionaries Inc., and received a certificate in the Theory and Practice Of Taking Care Of The Sick. She entered a course of study at Columbia Institute for Maternal, and Child Care and received a certificate in August 1958. Ena loved nursing and giving care to the young and the elderly. She worked diligently with many physicians at Adelphi Hospital and other Health Care Facilities in Kings County. She single handedly nursed until the time of their death her mother Hannah and her sister Olga. Ena joined the Bethel SDA Church in 1952 and witnessed the baptism of her sister Olga in 1953 by Pastor Eugene Carter. Ena devoted her time serving the Bethel Church in just about all the departments- Personal Ministries, Usher Board, Deaconess Board, Bible Worker and Community Service to name a few. Ena was involved in every project of the church and encouraged members to participate in church building funds, ingathering, investment, missionary work and bible studies. When she was no longer strong enough to attend the Bethel Sabbath School Church Services, she made sure to collect offering and send it to the Sabbath School. She never failed to collect ingathering from the staff and friends at the Nursing Home and send it to support the church in meeting its goals. Ena believed in Christian Education. She freely gave money for tuition and books to students in church schools and to families in need. She loved young people and always had encouraging words for them. Ena loved people and never had an unkind word to say about anyone. Her love was heartfelt. She spoke her mind and told you the truth whether you liked it or not. She loved to sing and pray. When she prayed, the listener would feel the connection she had with God. She had many favorite hymns and if she started to sing she expected you to join her in singing. ‘Under His Wings’, she made it her own. She was also a poet and would recite poems and gems she learned as a child. If you reflect on the cards she sent you over the years, you would see and feel her love in the poems or verses she wrote to you. When she was feeling down she would perk up by reciting “Life is not a Cloudless Journey”. This can be found in the Christ In Song –“Love’s Rainbow”. Ena and Olga always had sets of books to give away to bible students, new believers, new members, visitors, neighbors, friends in their work place and strangers on the street. Ena did not hesitate to spend her own money on books, clothing or food for any need she saw. She was the driver of a Buick car from which she and Olga, who never drove, served baked goodies, bun and cheese, candies and gave bible studies and counseling to unsuspecting young people on Sabbaths in the church’s parking lot. From the back of that car she gave away vegetables and fruits from her garden to church members. Ena was a natural healer. She believed in using the plants from the garden to cure your ailments. A bandage of cabbage leaf, vaseline and rubbing alcohol was her remedy for knee pain. She only used vaseline on her skin which was always baby soft. For hot flashes, she applied ice cubes under her armpit and between her breasts. For low blood- green grapes, beets and carrots was her advice. She had a remedy for almost any ailment. You would never visit Ena’s home and leave empty handed. She loved to cook and loved to feed people. Although she never ate meat, she could cook the most delicious finger licking meals. She always had a package ready to send to a friend or neighbor. Many can recall that Ena would give her very last to make others happy. Once she saw a need she was ready to help. If she knew that a pastor should have a new suit or robe she would buy one for him. When Ena gave of herself she gave without calling attention to herself and frequently in anonymity. Ina Joseph recalls the times when Ena never failed in preparing Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings for her and her children. Ena’s favorite foods were baked sweet potato, steamed okra and cabbage, fries, and rye bread with red snapper fish head or salmon head. Her favorite fruits were mangos, green grapes and grapefruit. Every Sabbath morning while Ena was able to eat solid foods, Paulette and Ina made it their duty to make her fish dinner. It was our pleasure to get her the fruits and things she enjoyed. Thanks to you church members she was never disappointed because you always brought her fruits and flowers. Then it was fish soup until she was unable to eat anymore. She was the Sabbath School Teacher for Class #23 then turned over the responsibility of teaching the class to Ina Joseph when her health began to decline. Although she was never married or had children of her own, apart from her adopted son Neville Schouburgh, she treated all children as her own. Ena lived in Queens for many years and after her sister Olga died she moved to Florida for a short time. She returned to Brooklyn to an apartment in 2001, and then to assisted living at Cumberland Home for two years. In 2004 she was admitted to the CABS Nursing Home when her health began to fail. In as much as Ena was no longer able to walk or stand, she used her voice and her hands to continue bringing people together. She loved to pray, sing, and gave praises to God. After many years of being confined to her bed she quietly fell asleep in Jesus on Tuesday morning February 3rd, 2015 at 6:15am. She now awaits the call of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She leaves to cherish her memory, her adopted son Neville Schouburgh and his wife, his daughter, her niece Delisa Lawrence, Br. Morris and family, her daughters Ina Joseph and goddaughters Nadia, Bettina and their children, Paulette Perry and family, her entire Bethel Church Family, CABS Nursing Home family and friends. Sister Schouburgh is telling us that she loved Jesus Christ and He was gracious to preserve her life for 107yrs. So keep the faith. Don’t give up hope. God is still Great and Everlastingly Good. A Bond Unspoken can never be Broken. It’s a mere token of Our Father’s love.