SUBJECT: His Way in the Jungle

AUTHOR: Pam Nickel serves as a Acting Principal, Women's Dean and volunteer teacher for the Davis Indian Industrial College, an Adventist, self-supporting institution in the Upper Mazaruni River district of Guyana, South America.

Davis Indian Industrial College! A miracle in the interior jungles of Guyana, South America. For two years now, we at D.I.I.C. have been living by faith in a gracious and generous God. It all began with

Paruima and surrounding village residents attend initial ground-breaking service

a desire to give the same Amer-Indians Elder O. E. Davis was impressed to reach out to in 1911 further development. Elder Davis is also known as the, "White man with the black book". I believe God has great plans for these people. However, we're not out of the "jungle" yet, but the future looks bright for the young people of Region #7 and beyond. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ". (Phil. 1:6)

First classroom building almost ready for service a year latter. Since then a Library/Religion Center has been completed and the Health Sciences building is under construction.

We have been given support in many ways to keep this, "Opportunity of a life time"alive. I say it that way because most of the natives here have only a primary education and are not able to continue further schooling. The first year volunteer helpers came to build and teach. With limited accommodations, D.I.I.C. taught 30 young people ranging from 15 to 25 years old, our first school year was a success and an adventure. The missionary compound and surrounding area has been dormant for many years. Only after two years, the campus is already shaping up to become perhaps one of the finest. But

First 30 students were a bit crowded, but worked and studied very hard. Be thankful for your classroom.

before that can happen, we have to clear some of the jungle vermin.

Last year, before school began, one of the students had to be flown to Georgetown because of a very poisonous snake bite. Thank God that David Gates, a nurse and pilot working with ADRA, was

Nathan and Kelly direct this evening worship service. The singing of these young people bring tears to many eyes and remind one of Heaven.

available to bring him out. This year, with the same amount of students and laborious clearing of bush, we still encounter poisonous snakes, but have not had any accidents. As a matter of fact, in January 2000 one of the male students, while weeding the grass with his cutlass, cut into a coiled up, very large, snake and accidently / providentially killed it.

A heavy day's work creates a good appetite. Though a simple (and at times sparse) diet, students and staff alike depend on God's provision each day.

We have seen God's hand of mercy in other ways too. It really can get cold here, compared to the regular 80 degrees plus on a sunny day. We experience cold weather during the rainy season, it gets down below 65 and with the dampness in the air, it feels like North America's mid-spring or early autumn. In January, I was impressed to find out how the girls were doing at night, since I was needing socks, etc. myself. Well, most of them said they were cold, some said they were freezing (the more vocal ones, ha, ha). Feeling sorry for them, I asked God what I should do. Should I pray that someone

Students and teachers form a close family. Here students sadly greet volunteer teachers goodbye.

send us blankets, or what? But I thought, by the time blankets arrived it would be summer or dry season again. I then remembered ADRA sent some material to us for future sewing classes. After rummaging through two bails of fabric, I found some material that could be used as blankets, but would have been too old fashioned or heavy for skirts. Some of the student's didn't even have a sheet to wrap themselves into. Most of them sleep in hammocks. When it gets cold at night you need a cover, the girls and the boys too were very thankful and now warmer, thanks to their new make shift blanket.

Prayer is the key to success in any venture. We have had many answered prayer, and help from volunteers near and far. Our appeal is the same yesterday and today, pray for us. And if God impresses you to help His people then "send," as we say in two-way radio language, or "a chi ka," which means "come" in the native Aracuna dialect.

Ms. Pamela Nickel
D.I.I.C. Acting Principal/Girl's Dean and Teacher

You may send E-mail to Pam at: gates@andrews.edu or GAMAS@solutions2000.net

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