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Update: The latest from Jonestown
Dear Friends,
Bringing you news of Jonestown is like trying to make time stand still! As soon as the words are in print, whole new vistas of development have already opened and a new story is ready to be told. The People’s Temple community here in the United States is not only proud, but amazed at the progress being made, not only because the technical, social, and material aspects are all so remarkable, but because it is living evidence that the network of conspiracy launched against us has failed. Rev. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple are succeeding more remarkably than ever before.
What was just a “jungle outpost” a very few years ago is now a center of productive activity. A Guyanese official who visited recently wrote in the guestbook: “This is a model community that should be emulated all over the world.” Recent visitors have included a delegation from the Ministry of Education and the Minister of Interior Development. The Ministry of Education delegates were thrilled with our nursery and educational programs, which includes instructions in several foreign languages, corrective work for many types of learning disabilities, mathematical and scientific training, and a noncompetitive, ungraded system which permits every child to progress at his or her own speed. Physical and motor development are emphasized as well, and the playground at Jonestown is being used as a model for the local community, as it is especially designed to build motor skills.
The Minister of Interior Development was also astounded at our progress. They studied our wells, pumps, water and electrical systems. The Minister found our drainage system so excellent that he plans to use it as a model for interior development all over the country. His response is typical of that of the many officials, dignitaries and people from the surrounding areas who make up a constant stream of visitors to the project.
Top health care
The medical department, considered by many to be the most unique of its kind for this type of community, deserves a detailed description. Its comprehensive plan includes preventative care and education as well as treatment. The staff includes a medical doctor, a pharmacist, a dietitian, a pediatric specialist, several nurse practitioners, and a number of RNs and LVNs plus many medical assistants, full-time healthcare workers, and trainees. The nurse’s office is open 24 hours a day; there is a physical therapy department, under the supervision of a licensed therapist, and a nursery. The doctor and medical staff teach a class every day. For several hours they teach healthcare workers – paramedics, people who can assist and perform routine healthcare procedures.
We conduct regular cancer clinics, both in Jonestown and in nearby communities. It could scarcely be said of any general population anywhere that every single person has had a thorough medical exam for possible malignancies – breast, pelvic, prostatic, and rectal. Now eleven people have been discovered to have malignancies. Two were very young, and it never would have been suspected. All have been referred for treatment and will be fine.
The schedule for checkups and monitoring of health is conscientiously planned and followed. The healthcare workers check with each and every resident daily to see that they are well. The medical team holds regular meetings in which the entire staff reviews, analyzes, and critiques treatment in various cases. They discuss the program and always find ways it can be improved. There are daily supervisors meetings to monitor all aspects of each day’s nursing program, to review progress and set priorities.
Medical equipment includes two EKG machines, a centrifuge, electronic microscope, and an autoclave. We will soon be getting an x-ray machine, to be operated by a licensed technician with 20 years of experience. All lab work such as urinalysis and blood testing, is done by our lab technician. There are regular healthcare checkups for all children, including complete physicals on a regular basis and daily checks for small things like scratches and source. The pharmacist supervises the giving out of medications carefully. Dietitians and teachers emphasize clean healthcare habits, and the dentist visits regularly. (Dr. Ng-a-Fook, the visiting dental surgeon, was so inspired by what is happening in our community that he wrote a beautiful article which was published in the Guyana Chronicle, Guyana’s leading daily newspaper.)
Diets are carefully planned. Extra snacks and special foods are provided for those underweight, and a special losing diet (which is very nutritious and filling), is recommended for overweight people. Diabetics are given special diets, though diabetes has, for the most part, become normalized through the combination of natural diet and exceptionally healthy environment. Expectant mothers’ diets include extra protein and other supplements.
First baby born in settlement
Recently our first child was born in Jonestown, a beautiful little girl. Her mother had taken Lamaze natural childbirth classes with one of our registered nurses there, and experienced no pain whatsoever. She was attended by our doctor and medical staff, who made sure she had every modern medical benefit.
We have also been able to treat children from the surrounding area who have not been so fortunate as to receive skilled care previously. Two twin babies suffering from a serious digestive problem, an inability to assimilate protein, were saved by our medical staff. We have cared for a little boy who suffered with a serious congenital problem. His mother was unable to get the child to the capital for treatment. The child will shortly be able to be returned to her, his condition completely rectified by the Temple medical staff. The mother is thrilled the boy’s life has been spared. The child’s critical condition came to the attention of our doctor as he was holding one of his frequent clinics among the local Amerindian population.
In summary, the effectiveness of the medical program here, we feel, is to be found in its interrelationship with all facets of community life: the dietitian works closely with the kitchen staff; the nursery staff includes healthcare trainees; a sanitation committee is very active in monitoring household conditions, pest control, sewage and drainage; the senior’s center combines daily healthcare monitoring with recreational activities and social functions.
Expanding agricultural program
This is an environment where everything grows and thrives. We have just cleared another 200 acres of lush jungle land for planting – a continuing process as our agricultural programs expand. We have food stored months ahead of time, to prepare for self-sufficiency of the project. Frequently, too, we take large amounts of food into nearby communities to distribute.
To meet protein requirements, we are acquiring milk cows. Already we have two bulls for propagation of a herd. The pigs are thriving, and a flock of thousands of chickens has just graduated 2000 chicks from modern incubators to add to its population. We are raising a number of rabbits for food.
Some of the local animals have found their way into the hearts of our Jonestown family. Our darling pet anteater not only eats ants, but drinks milk from a bottle. Other pets include a brightly colored parrot, a beautiful toucan, and a baby capuchin monkey – one of the most intelligent of the monkey species – who enjoys perching on people’s shoulders.
Individual talents flower
In stark contrast to the North American urban ghettos, the rundown schools, the inadequate housing and healthcare, and the racist oppression out of which many of our Jonestown residents have come, life in this cooperative environment is secure and fulfilling. It provides for the needs of each resident as well as opportunity for development of individual creativity and potential. In fact, a whole host of craft and cottage industries have taken hold as the individual talents of residents flour for the collective good. A whole range of durable, exquisitely hand-crafted toys form what is a rapidly expanding toy manufacturing department. A wide variety of toys are made, all from local materials, ranging from trains to swings. A handicrafts department is making rugs, dolls, baskets, combs, and the like. Our handcrafted furniture is constructed from indigenous hardwoods, and is coming widely into demand for its beautiful finish and professional craftsmanship. Chairs, tables, preschool furniture and children’s furniture are among the items made. This is only one example of man-made beauty being drawn from and directly enhancing the great natural beauty of the environment. The community is very colorful, a true modern village, as homes are being landscaped with fruit trees, gardens and decorative fencing.
The excellent health of residents here in the outstanding growth of the project are glowing reflections of the spirit of socialist cooperation. Everyone is motivated to function at their very best, as they see their talents being used directly to help others. Almost needless to say, everyone feels very secure and well cared for in an environment like this. The experience of Jonestown, and the inspiration of its founder-leader Jim Jones, is building happy and healthy lives. We are more proud than we can say of what we have been able to accomplish in such a short time in this beautiful jungle interior, and look forward to even greater growth and progress in service to the nation and people of Guyana. We are happy to share this news with you, our friends, and look forward to bringing you reports of future developments.