Rev Marie Berbick Bailey – A voice of inspiration and triumph over trauma

SAY the name Rev Marie Berbick Bailey and you are sure to get a mix of interesting comments. Why? Because she is an interesting mix of many adjectives: passionate, good-hearted, faith-driven, fiery and so much more. But her ability to connect with people in the secular and faith world, is perhaps what makes her so endearing.

Two things immediately stand out about this petite 5ft 5 inches, unassuming spitfire — her heart for serving people and ability to connect with the soul of the broken, hurting and marginalised.

In just 10 years, she’s gone from a successful PR Girl who underwent a traumatising divorce in Jamaica that almost destroyed her, to a celebrated pastor in the United States, honoured by the White House with a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

But behind her boldness and the girlish twinkle in Berbick Bailey’s eyes, is a deeply touching story of triumph over trauma—a journey of resilience and faith that have led to the birth of her ministry and her commitment to empowering women and transforming the lives of many across the world.

Berbick Bailey, is more than a pastor — she is a movement and a living testimony that what was meant to break you can REMAKE you.

“It depends on what you do, with what comes at you,” she said. “You can decide if you want to give up and die or turn the mess into a message and the test into a testimony. I don’t know how to give up, so I choose to work through the mess and the test.”

Known as The People’s Pastor, Rev Berbick Bailey has used her battles as a Genesis 50:20 project. She has turned her lemons into lemonade and created a platform for empowering those navigating life’s toughest storms.

A passionate speaker, life coach, mentor and woman of unshakable faith, mental fortitude, and purpose, she has been inspiring thousands to push past adversity and step into their purpose and divine calling.

On February 22nd, in Fort Lauderdale, she had the audience at Consul General Oliver Mair’s inaugural Breakthrough event mesmerised with a powerful speech about overcoming adversity, titled The Power of Your Seed.

From the corporate world in Jamaica to the pulpit in America, Rev Berbick Bailey’s journey has been anything but easy. She has endured unimaginable trials. In 2010, she attempted to escape abuse and wound up in a tumultuous divorce that lasted eight years and left her traumatised, victimised, and financially drained following an agonising court battle, during which she was falsely accused of abusing her children, before being vindicated, after six years.

One of her lowest moments came when she was set up and unlawfully detained in Spanish Town.

Determined to rewrite her story, Berbick Bailey refused to let trauma define her. In 2018 she was called into ministry and left Jamaica for the United States where she was ordained as a pastor with Touching Your World Ministries. In 2020 she founded Marie Berbick Ministries International (MBMI), an empowerment ministry based in Queens, New York.

Berbick Bailey finds joy in bringing transformation to the lives of others and has used her trials as fuel to transform lives through both MBMI and Sisters United for Prayer Healing Empowerment & Restoration (SUPHER), the not-for-profit she founded to help women, particularly victims of abuse, back in 2013.

Today she bears no resemblance to what she has been through. Happily remarried to Jamaican international gospel singer Robert Bailey, Berbick Bailey has come a far way from the woman who was broken and bruised by a traumatic divorce. She is focused on her work in ministry, her mentorship programme for upcoming female ministers, her coaching business, and her work expanding SUPHER in the United States. SUPHER has been working closely with women who are seeking to bounce back from setback.

“All our work to date has been financed by regular people, some of whom have benefited from our services and want to give back,” Berbick Bailey explained.

Noting that her work is a labour of love, Berbick Bailey had this to say about financial success.

“Success for me is about the number of people’s lives that I can positively impact, it’s not about how much money I have. The
Bible says money answers all things, but it also says the love of money is the root of all evil. When you can be bought, your morals go out the door and you invite trouble into your life. One should never make money the reason for helping others, help with a genuine heart and the money will follow.”

Berbick Bailey’s focus has also been on giving back to her home country Jamaica, where her ministry ships barrels of food, clothing and back to school supplies to help single moms and other persons in need. Items are distributed through various ministries and partners.

Her ministry has also introduced a US$1,000 scholarship for a grade six student from a single income home, who attends Glowell Preparatory School in Portmore. The ministry will be announcing another scholarship for a high school student soon.

One key change that needs to happen for women in the society

As we observe International Women’s Day (IWD), a key change Berbick Bailey believes needs to happen to create real progress for women in the Jamaican society, is closing the gender wage gap. The Gender Wage Gap refers to the disparity between how much men are paid versus their female counterparts.

“This economic disparity is not just a women’s issue; it’s a societal issue. When women thrive financially, families are stronger, communities flourish, and economies grow. Almost 46 per cent of the Jamaican labour force are women, but we are still lagging behind in terms of our wages, when compared to how much the men earn,“ she said.

”In 2023, studies showed that women are 11 per cent less likely to have equal economic participation and opportunities than men. We need to address this with urgency, by introducing and funding more programmes that empower women to become entrepreneurs.“

She continued: “As we celebrate IWD 2025 under the theme #AccelerateAction, we have to realise that true progress will only come when we address with urgency, the need for women to have equal access to opportunities, resources, and decision-making power—without bias or limitation.”

“I have committed to breaking barriers for women by creating opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, and business development. Through initiatives such as our social media management training for women who would like to start social media management businesses, life coaching, and advocacy, I have worked to equip women with the confidence and skills needed to step into leadership roles, start businesses, and achieve what they deserve. Knowledge is power and I have seen first-hand how providing women with knowledge and support changes lives,” she said.

“Empowerment is not just about giving women a voice—it’s about giving them options. When women have access to education, financial resources, and a strong support system, they can rewrite their stories.“

Rev Berbick Bailey has worked tirelessly and quietly for more than a decade, transforming the lives of women across Jamaica, the United States, and beyond. From providing mentorship and counselling to offering resources for women rebuilding their lives after domestic violence, she has been a catalyst for real, tangible change.

Through her dynamic preaching, speaking engagements, mentorship programmes, and online ministry—which has close to 100, 000 followers globally—Rev Berbick Bailey continues to inspire, challenge, and equip individuals to rise above their circumstances and claim their divine destiny.

Her message is clear: Never go down into the valley and come back empty handed.