FF-10-A-3- A-13
May 29
Dear Carolyn, Annie, Jim, et al,
I don’t know how dad and I can thank you for your lovely hospitality to us during our visit and for the beautiful experience we had. It was all wonderfully enlightening and fantastic and thrilling to us as you know from our written and verbal comments.
Our trip following the Guyana visit was all anticlimactic. In fact I was forced to spend the days in Trinidad, St. Maarten, and San Juan just recovering.
Seems that, while water and food in Georgetown and Jonestown were pure, the ice cubes in cokes and 7-Up imbibed freely in public places pretty well caused a bout of Montezuma’s Revenge. (Dad was okay – and “ran freely” while mine backed up and sat in my nauseous stomach for days. That and lack of sleep were the culprits.) So we rested up. But at least we waited in the beautiful Caribbean on St. Maarten’s. A large spider 3 inches in spread and blonde (!!) Took up residence directly over the john in the bathroom of our fancy hotel in St. Maarten’s. What can one do? I simply said to this huge creature, “Okay, you mind your own business and I’ll mind mine!” So it stayed and we did too. I did point him out to the maid in her rounds. She was not excited, merely interested.
During our plane trip from Los Angeles to Reno we were buffeted about in a storm over Lake Tahoe like a balloon in a hurricane. It was awful. Huge downdrafts hurtled us up and down and we rolled back and forth.
We arrived in Reno in 37º weather sans stockings or coats– all in copy with the rain beating down and snowflakes flying about.
Well, I guess I was ready for that as my ankles had been double in size. In fact, folksies, I apologize for my bizarre, swollen appearance in Jonestown. The mosquito bites made my face and eyes puffy and of course my legs were a bit weird – but they did pretty well, considering my age, past illnesses, and the heat.
I now have what I term an, hysterical itch on my legs and arms. The bites have subsided but the itch lingers on. A few more days and I’ll have it under control.
Yesterday John had a great sermon on “Remembering” in which he spoke of memorials and Martin Luther King, the Holocaust, the Amer. Indians, and personal memories and how we deal with them as individuals.
Then we zipped over to the Bay Area by plane for our press conference.
Charles Garry is very dynamic and excellent on TV. At 10:00 PM Channel 2 and that nutty character from Ukiah and Charles Garry and dad. (I did not make my big splash on TV – in spite of my little verbal “goodies” and my light blue cotton suit so I wouldn’t look grim etc. But anyway it was all very worthwhile and we were not hassled. I thought dad was just great! Handsome, verbal etc.
Mrs. Prokes is such a lovely lady and Vickie [likely Vivian Davis] is a dear. Also we saw Sandy B. [Bradshaw] and other of your friends. Jean Brown is a darling and feels very discouraged at times over the negative publicity.
The news media people were pleasant – not nasty. The people at the Temple were, as usual, kind and sweet and loving and hospitable. The buffet dinner was magnificent!
Well, you know how we feel about your project and your genius, Jim, in keeping it going and attracting these unusual residents with their expertise and love for humanity and the animal kingdom. Everyone here is fascinatedby it all and very receptive!
As for little Kimo, well, he is the dearest, jolliest, wittiest little Christopher Robin character we ever met – and were not a bit prejudiced – of course. And we feel that Jon-Jon [John Victor Stoen] is a real price too. We know they are happy and thriving on lots of love and hugs and nurture.
We’re proud of you, Annie, and you, Carolyn, and of course the entire Jim Jones project. (Charles Garry says Carolyn is exceptionally bright! The girls at Temple say Annie’s letters are exceptionally funny. I loved that “drug store,” Annie. I think I need a tranquilizer. Please give the enclosed to Mike. He was so good to us.
Much love, Mother
PS Give Sharon Amos & kids a special hug & hello from me!
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FF-10-A-14
Davis on members of PT
Statement:
Dr. Walter Thain, who had a medical network of nearly a thousand physicians, visited the project for several days and said “it’s mind-boggling to see how you have carved out of the jungle to community that looks just like a town in the US – and with all the public activities.”
Dr. Joseph DiCosta, a dentist from India & founder of a dental school in Georgetown, said “The healthcare community is fantastic. I found only 2 cavities in 87 children” he examined at the community. He called Jonestown “a little bit of heaven.”
Quotes too from Moore & Vivian Davis – give over radio
Re: power-hungry
People have a great tendency to project their own motivations on others after all. TOS [Timothy Stoen] even had a written plan to become President, with [illegible word]
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FF-10-A-15
Carolyn
Quotes from Dr. Moore –
Dr. Thain – Cytologist for large medical network
Dr. DiCosta – “a little bit of heaven.”
Quote Dymally – born in Trinidad
Willie Brown – Bradley
Sup. Harvey Milk
Yulanda [Crawford]
Exceedingly materialistic and dishonest. She was caught on several occasions taken things that did not belong to her. Didn’t like Guyana at all.
ADD:
The group thing the document represents not 1% of the thousands of relatives who maintain cordial & regular conduct (many of them have visited and more are scheduled to visit here) just this past week, Rev. & Mrs. John Moore visited their daughters, and previous to that, Mrs. Vivian Davis visited her 2 daughters & grandchildren. Neither the Moores nor Mrs. Davis
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FF-10-A-16 – A-18
Moores tape
Relatives of 2 PT members Carolyn Moore & Annie Moore –
He was a Methodist Superintendent in the Bay Area before he moved to Reno, Nevada, where he pastors a large church. They both have worked for social & humanitarian causes through the years.
John Moore
I think that “impressive is the word that immediately comes to mind. I think of the land of the amazing task of clearing the land & of the whole community which has grown & developed here & which all the people are a part.
Barbara
I feel this is a very unique & beautiful experience in cooperative living in which sharing & caring for people are foremost in the minds of those who are living here. Mechanical development is amazing, the medical treatment is fantastic, the people’s joy & contentment here is a very lovely & unique sort of thing to observe.”
John – (What are you impressed by) “The enormous amount of work that has obviously been done in a relatively short time that people have been here.”
Barbara “I feel that Jonestown provides a creative opportunity for everyone to express himself or herself.”
[Paragraph crossed out] John: What one of the things that from my point is certainly significant is the quality of community life. I contrast that w/ what sociologists call “the mass society,” the huge cities where people have very few relationships – meaningful supportive relationships – where children, adults & seniors are isolated or where the pressures of life are so impersonal & so heavy that attempt to develop a wholesome human being is increasingly difficult & all of that is part of what I think of as death in the cities,” but “here everyone feels a part” – “They feel that this is their enterprise & that they have a contribution to make & they are important & that they have a sense of dignity & worth which is very difficult in a mass society unless one is brought into a community such as this.”
John “The unique role JJ plays in the community as pastor & friend of the people.”
Barbara
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FF-10-A-19 – A-21
May 14, 1978
Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, Jonestown, Guyana
Dear Friends,
I’d like to share with you some of my impressions after four days in Guyana and two days here at the Agricultural Project –
I was impressed with the vastness of the tropical forest, like the vastness of the sea, when flying from Georgetown. The density of the forest, or jungle, made the cleared land of the project impressive. It is difficult to imagine how so much land could be cleared and how so many crops planted and well on the way in so short a time.
When we arrived by tractor-trailer, some people were eating while others were working. The nursery was filled with children resting and play, and adult supervisors. The older folks were doing calisthenics with their instructor. I have the feeling for the older women who flew with us from Georgetown, it was like going to the Promised Land.
The quality of community life strikes me as most impressive. It is rare in the USA for children, adults, and older adults to live in such close community. This is beautiful. Insofar as I could tell, the people wanted to make their contribution to the life of the community. People choose contributions are regarded as minimal or unimportant in a mass society, are included here and thereby given a sense of worth. I think people whom the world regards as “nobodys” becoming somebodies in this community – (This is the way the Jews thought of themselves before and after the Exodus, in the way the first Christians thought of themselves.”)
It is great to see people developing skills for which they have had talent, with the opportunity to develop those talents. Furthermore, the pioneering situation calls for creativity and improvisation. Evidence is everywhere of solid responses. Trial and error are essential.
I believe that your experiment here has profound implications both for community in a time of mass society, and for a merging of productivity with economic self-sufficiency. The technological skills of your people, plus enough capital (equipment) have enabled you to do amazing things.
The people feel that they are participating in something great. They have a sense of ownership of their entire project. The way they give themselves in work indicates the feeling that this is their enterprise.
I wish you well – and encourage you to hang in when money is short in the problems are great.
When I think of the older people especially, I think of the prophet’s vision of everyone sitting under vine and fig tree in peace. There is present in your experience, for young as well as old, the vine and fig tree as well as struggle and hard work –
Carry on and thanks for your hospitality –
John V Moore
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FF-10-A-22 – A-23
The Jonestown, Guyana experience is one of sharing, caring, and incredible stamina and creativity.
This is truly the “New Community” and covenant with the land and its people.
The lush tropical panorama is soothing to the eye and to the psyche.
The mechanical ingenuity and utilization of all natural foods an jungle growth and processes are wondrous to behold.
The medical care is compassionate, thorough, and effective.
New and creative educational techniques and the encouraging of individual initiative on the part of both young and old are to be commended.
The agricultural and animal husbandry projects are worthy of a place in history and emulation by all specialists in these particular areas of scientific research.
The entire cooperative organizational approach should be observed and put into practice by impoverished and third-world areas and nations.
Thank you, dear people, for a lovely learning experience in a unique setting.
Barbara C. Moore