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Last Updated: March 10, 1997
![[Ted Burgdorff]](../images/ted.jpg)
SUBJECT: Letter to parents about life at Kaikan
DATE: June 21, 1997
AUTHOR: Ted Burgdorf, his wife Betsy, and three girls - Heidi, Kristen, and Kara, work with the Gates family in Guyana.
Dear Mom and Dad, and Family:
Thank you for all the info and items you sent to us. We have been keeping busy, yet are anxious to return home. At present our plans are to send Heidi to Laurelbrook Academy near Dayton, Tennessee. Lina and Katrina (2 of David Gates' daughters) are planning to go there, and that's where Kattie (Gates, David's other daughter) just graduated from. They have to be there by the middle of July to work to help pay for their school bill. Heidi is very excited about it and we have hesitatingly agreed to let her go. They can work off most of their expenses and we felt it will be a good experience for her.
Yesterday Patti (Duerksen, Betsy's Mom) and I (Ted) raced up to see the Captain's (of the village) father who had been bitten by a snake. It was "short and fat", they said. We were not looking forward to seeing another snake bite. Upon our arrival at his house we found him sitting outside with a tourniquet (made of a vine) around his lower leg. He was visiting with his sons and daughters who had gathered. I noticed no swelling, and he denied any pain. We saw 2 small marks. He said it had been 2 hours since he had been bitten. I looked at the snake and breathed a sign of relief. No fangs and no triangular head to go with the short, fat body.
Most of the people said they'd never seen a snake like it before. Our neighbor calls it an Aymarally and said it was more plentiful from where he lived, in the northern part of Guyana. He said it was a water snake. I skinned it and took some pictures of it.
This week has also been a time where I paddled up to Tilling Falls (about 1 hr. upstream). I noticed on my way up that someone had cut a tree down and cut some boards out of it (a long time ago). There were some slabs from the exterior of the tree that we had left, so a few days later I went to pick up some to build with. I moved one and saw a 2" black scorpoin. I loaded the 2 slabs into the canoe and headed back down the river (about 30 min.). I rode on top and kept tilting from side to side, but made it.
While loading the canoe ans sliding the the planks down the river bank I stepped on another one and slipped backwards, hitting the back on my head hard on the plank. My glasses flew somewhere and my eye closed, so I had no idea which direction they flew. When I started looking for them I realized I needed my glasses to see. It was fairly dark in the undergrowth and the glasses blended in with the leaves. I said a quick prayer for help to find my glasses and began the search. I found them behind a small tree and was glad to see again. I went back a few days later to get some more planks, but this time I wore a strap to keep my glasses on.
I loaded 4 smaller planks and rode downstream again. My clearance on the canoe was 1 1/2 - 2", so I was a little fearful about going through the rapids. Once I leaned too much to the right and started taking water over the edge of the canoe. I made it through the rapids ok and once home I unloaded the canoe. The planks are much harded getting up the bank than down it. I put one in the water and they don't float. I've used them to start an enclosure to an area downstairs on the larger house. Now we have another room, for the clinic or guests. It has a mud floor, though.
Now, for the last item, since Deana Gates (David Gates" Mom) spilled the beans to Mom (Mom B). We haven't said anything to anyone yet because we don't have enough information ourselves to know for sure. However, we have a lawyer in Georgetown who keeps saying don't worry. Winston James is also helping us, and referred this Christian lady lawyer. We are looking into adopting a brother and sister, Corwin age 3 and Francey age 6 Percy.
Their mother died in February from retained placenta (bleeding) at childbirth. The baby lived and was adopted by (our neighbor) Amai's sister in paruima. The 2 children have been taken care of by their grandmother, Yolanda Percy. She's a widow and says she is unable to care for them. She had 11 children, 2 are dead now, one is a Down's type child in her 20's with a child of her own, and 2 boys are still single. The rest of the children are married with from 3 to 6 or 7 children each, and say they can't take care of the children.
Now we're waiting to get the death certificate of the mother. There are no fathers listed on the children's birth certificates and no one wants them, except us. We didn't want to put you through unnecessary worry since we still don't know for sure. However, we already know your thoughts and have carefully considered all the implications and have decided to continue to pursue the adoption.
That is why we are not sure on our return plans. Heidi will be going in a few weeks. David will probably take the 3 girls. This is all subject to their acceptance into Laurelbrook, though.
Now for the medical update. Kristen is recovering from Malaria (Vivax). She is taking vitamins, Folic Acid, and Iron. Betsy and Kara are suffering from sores/cracks at the edges of their mouths and are on vitamins to help remedy it, hopefully. Heidi and Kristen have been treated for scabies along with Lina. Then, we have lice, jigger, and chiggers still. So I think we need a good fumigation before we arrive home. We're working on it. Must close for now.
There might be a photo of them with grandma Percy on the WWW, under GAMAS (our section). Betsy wrote about them.
Love, Ted
You may write to Ted at: gates@andrews.edu
Last Updated: March 10, 1997