![[AU Team]](../images/au_team.jpg)
![[Betsy Burgdorff]](../images/betsy.jpg)
SUBJECT: Betsy's Letter #11
AUTHOR: Betsy Burgdorf, her husband Ted, and three girls - Heidi, Kristen, and Kara, work with her sister Becky Gates and family in Guyana.
DATE: February 26,1997
Dear Family and Friends,
I did not get my letter sent out last Wed., so now I have 2 weeks to write about. On Wed. the 12th we were waiting for the plane to come in, because David and his brother Don were flying in. Don is in his last year of medical school at Loma Linda, and has spent some time helping out at Davis Memorial Hosp. in Georgetown. So he decided to come out to Kaikan for a visit.
While we were waiting for the plane, 2 men came to our door and said there were 8 American missionaries at the boat landing who had just flown in from Venezuela in the helicopter, and they were asking for us. We couldn't imagine who in the world they could be, but we hurried down to the boat landing across from Reggie's Store to find out. Sure enough, there were some American missionaries there. There were 5 men and 3 boys, and they had come from Berrien Springs, Michigan. One of the men was from Venezuela, and he was their translator. They had been in Venez. working on a building project, and now they were here in Kaikan with boxes and boxes of Bibles, about 500. (Bibles, not boxes!)
Of course we offered to put them up for the night. Shortly after they arrived, the plane landed with David and Don. So we went from 10 to 20 in a few short minutes! I probably would have panicked if I had been by myself, but Becky and I cooked up a huge pot of soup for supper, probably enough to feed half of Kaikan! We had a wonderful time visiting with them, and when I mentioned
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| Part of the group from Berrien Springs |
The next day Becky and I went up to the church to help divide up some of the things they brought. Besides Bibles there were also Steps to Christ and some Sabbath School things like Little Friends, Junior Guides, etc. There are 8 Adventist churches in the interior of Guyana, and 1 in Venezuela (San Juan) quite close to Kaikan. We've had several people from San Juan coming to our health classes each week. So we tried to divide things up so that each church would receive a package of materials. I think everyone in Kaikan who wants a Bible now has one. Many people will be blessed because of the visit of these missionaries! There were 2 exceptionally nice children's Bibles that we saved to give to the Pathfinder boy & girl of the year, at the end of the year. Half the group flew out on the helicopter the next day, and the last 4 on the following day. The youngest boy was 11, and he went to school with the kids and got to see what school in Kaikan is like.
My 3 baby rats have been replaced by 3 baby birds. Someone at the school gave them to me. At least I don't have to force-feed them, or feed them at night.
On Sunday the 16th, David, Don and Ted performed an act of mercy and put a dog to sleep. This dog had been hanging around our house for 2 or 3 days, and he was even in worse shape than Smiley had been, just skin and bones and full of sores.
On Monday the 17th, Becky and David, Carlos and Don flew out on the helicopter into Venez. There are no roads to Kaikan in Venez., so you either walk or take the helicopter to the nearest road. This is why food and everything is so expensive here, since it all comes in by helicopter. It's
![[Helicopter]](../images/cptryard.jpg)
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| Helicopter with the Gates family |
On Wed. the 19th the school hiked up the mountain to the savanah. Ted and I went along. Unfortunately it was rainy off and on, and the trail was terribly muddy, especially with 60 kids ahead of us on the trail. After 2 1/2 hours of hiking through solid jungle, where you could hardly even see the sky, you suddenly break out onto the savanah where you can see for miles. It's like you've suddenly entered a different world. Really neat. We hiked a little farther on the savanah till we came to a creek. There was a great swimming hole, about the size of a large swimming pool, and the kids had a great time swimming. We ate lunch and hiked around a little. It was a very enjoyable day, on top anyway. The hike back was rather rough. Ted and Kara both fell 3 times on the slippery trail. We counted the fallen logs and branches that we climbed over (or under). There were 183! We were very dirty and exhausted when we got back, and ready to soak in a nice hot tub, but no such luxury awaited us. Only a cold dip in the river!
On Sabbath (the 22nd) Heidi took out her retainers for breakfast, then couldn't find them. On Sunday we launched a massive campaign to find the retainers. Ted and David even dug through the trash hole. Kristopher takes the trash out every day, and he said he remembered seeing something purple with wires. He said he tried to grab them as they fell through the air, but couldn't. But nothing was found in the trash. Sunday evening Heidi checked pockets of all her clothes and found them in a jacket she had been wearing. We were all very happy and thanked God for answering our prayers and helping her find them. I don't know what Kris saw in the trash. I think 6-year-olds have very big imaginations!
On Friday I woke up very down in the dumps. My ugly, uncozy house was getting to me. To cheer myself up, I decided to do a little stenciling on the wall of my "living room." My living room is so ugly. In one corner is a black plastic trunk with a gray blanket on it. In another corner is where we keep the shovel, hoe, rake, etc. In the middle is a hot pink hammock. Against one wall is a table with the computer, and a chair. There is also a bookcase. Not very cute and cozy, I'm afraid. Anyway, the stenciled ivy on the wall helped a little. Then when Becky came back from Venez., she had a bag of used clothing a friend had given her. In the bag she found some white sheer curtains, which she gave to me. The curtains added a homey touch to my living room. God is so good! I don't often get depressed, but on the very day that I woke up depressed, God sent me some white frilly curtains to cheer me up.
Ted has been very busy making beds and closets for everyone. Kristen and Kara are now sleeping in bunk beds, and he's almost done with bunk beds for Carlos & Kris. He also made a bed frame for Becky and David, and one for Katrina, so everyone will be up off the floor. Two of the twin mattresses that we ordered from Venez. finally arrived, after more than a month. Who knows if or when we'll get the last 3. These are very poor quality mattresses, about 2" of foam pad that compresses to about a quarter inch when you lay on it. Very uncomfortable, but it still beats the floor.
I've been working hard on the yard the last 3 days, hoeing up all the grass that grew back. My body hurts all over now!
Today is a very exciting day for us, because Ted's parents arrive on the plane in about 5 hours. We talked with them last night on the radio. The girls are skipping school today to help clean house and get ready for their arrival.
Love, Betsy
You may write to Betsy at: gates@andrews.edu
Last Updated: May 13, 1997