HIRTZELL and MiRGARHT ESSEX JAMAICA CHRISTlilN BOYS HOI

FORW/iRDING AGEIIT: MRS, TRUDIE HAM

P.O. Box #5

HALF WAY TREE

J/INUARY 20, 1965

5I25 TREASURE DRIVE

BOISE, ID/OiO USA

JAMAICA, WEST H^DIZS

Dear friends and loved ones,

Another year before us, clean and new, and we can't help but wonder what the Lord holds in store for each one of ub Wq pray that each day will be lived to His glory and according to His will. Again it is quiet and peaceful after a very noisey holiday* The fireworks, literally, are over and the children back in school* Besides the excitement and anticipation of the holidays , a month vacation is too long for the boys and I'm sure it ie for the parentsthis one anywayl
We appreciated the many cards, letters and rememberances from our friends and loved ones* Especially the holidays from Thanksgiving to the New Year as a time of family

gatherings and festivities with loved ones in the States, it is greatly miss^ed out
here and we were happy to know so many of you thought of us* .

In our last letter I told you I would write about some of the food in Jamaica* .It is
different and varied and although, some is called by a different name it is the same

as at home. Avocado is called pearprounced pee-air. In s^son it is aabon at al most every meal* AH cookies and crackers are cr.lled buacuitsVccndy is called
sweeties* Their yams and eweet potatoes are different and may grow to two feet long and a foot in diameter, but soxe are extremely dry when cooked or baked* There are two national dishes, rice and peas as a main dish and 'ackee' taking the place of meat. Rice is used instead of potatoes as we use them and the peas are rod beans*

A little garlic is grated in and raw coconut also* It is good but a little dry eat ing* Ackee is hard to describe but cooked it lookes exactly like scraribled eggs* It
Is seasoned with tomatoe, onions,salt fish or what have you* Ackee grows on trees and is about the size of an apple* V/hen ripe it bursts open to expose three sections

each with a large black seed and a fleshy part which is eaten* Before the fruit opens it is very poisonous, some say there is a gas inside that expodes when the fruit is
ready to eat*

Plantain which is the vegetable banana, larger and broader, is baked or roasted then
tastes much like banana. Green bananas are boiled then left whole or mashed and taste

like potatoe* Oho choes are somewhat like broccoli but rwre bland* Callillo is a very bland greens* Broad fruit grows on trees and is about the size of a small pump

kin* It is used as a vegetable, boiled, baked, roasted vrtiole and has the consistency of potatoe but very bland* Sweet sor you cat like a persinnona little good around each seed but tastes and s'tiells like sour buttermilk to mei Paw-paw or papaya is a large fruit about the size and shape of a medieum sized banana squash* Curried goat
is a favorite but too peppery for most Anoricans.

The food as a rule is very bland unless it is seasoned*

They go from one extreme to

another with seasoning.

They don't use any or use a pepper that is worse than the

little red peppers, and unhealthy if you are not used to it.

Porridge, that is corn aeal, oatmeal and the like is seasonod with vanilla* Bulla is a type of cake, round and about five inches in diameter. It is made from stale broad and brown sugar* The children love them and they cost next to nothing. The native foods as a rule cost very reasonable but import anything and it is expensive* For

Instance a quart of inported salad dressing costs $1*60*

That is a lot*

Miay God bless you in the

Year,

HARTZELL Al-JD JURGARiT ES33X

FORWARDING AGSJJTs

P.O. BOX #5
EAT^ WAY TREE,
JiXmiCA, WEST INDIES

"
pesruary, 1965

MRS. TRUEIE HAM

5I25 TRHIASURE DRIVE
BOISE, ID^VHO, USA

Dear Friends and loved ones,

Greetings from Ja:aaioai As I write ,.thia,,you may not have received the last news letter# Due to the dock strike in the boat ma^fK.is held up both to and from the islands.

You will just receive two \0^ere close toget1\er

Plans are well along on^'the -fellowship Hay.-* y The great poinciana tree has been felled
and is being cut up for book stove wood-*"''Ihis is a job for weeks with hand saw and ax;

not a day or two with the^waP--tro"6Ts of America# The foundation is now being dug# The
area is fenced off to keep out small fry, and in the terms of Jamaica lingo 00 that the

material will not Valk off like a man'.

Thievery is a big problem here# Funds and staff will have to

We are hopeful the next building project for the Church will be a preacher training

school*There is none in Jamaica and the need is great.

be found# There has been much talk but we are still without one. The Seven day Advents, Jehovah witnesses. EvangelicalsjHoliness churches are all progressing fast on the island why not Ohriste' Ohurchi

The Home goes along steadily although the income for the month of January and thus far this month is very low. If there isn't enough in January what will it be in March, <*prll and May the slow months of the year? are fortunate to have some commodities
from the USA given to the Home or I am sure that eating would be very slim. So many do go hungry on the Island. There has been correspondence about a family of three children who are starving and questioning if we would take them# The Hergets are over today ex pecting to bring back one of them anyway*
We have a tutor for the nine.oldest boys in the afternoons to help them with the

scholarship exams in May*

Education pa^t the primary group (age 10-11 years) is ex

tremely expensive, in fact almost prohibitive unless they have a scholarship to take
care of the tuition* V/e want the boys to have an education end pray this will help them# I have the next seven youngest boys for an hour to an hour and a half for their home work. It is a little difficult for me because teaching methods and terms are so dif

ferent and I any confuse more thsA help# For instance it is not a period, it is a 'full stop'; it isnot erase but 'rub out' etc, etc. I try to be careful and I am learning!

From the first Sunday we were here I have had the Junior Church.
this week for the States and we will miss him sorely#

T-'herg ^re from 57 "to

sixty three children from age 2 to about nine, usually about 4^ children.
has been coming over following the comunion service to tell them a story.

Brother Guy
He left

The children are well behaved#

You should hear them sing and quote scripture; little ones three and four put many adults to shame# A week or so ago I got up on Sunday morning with the worst case of laryngitis I have ever had* Imagine 45 children to sing choruBos and no voice. Two of the young girls took over* Our eighteen boys weren't too bad they whispered right along with me
in sympathy!

The nine to twelve year olds usually lead in the responsive reading each Sunday at Bible
School # There is no stumbling over vfords and you can hear every word they say*

I just took time out from writing this to watch the boys fly a kite# I even held it up for a time# A perfect day for flying kites end all the nore so when Mrs# Essex didn't
call them on time for the afternoon classes# They thought she forgotJ Continue to pray for us and the work of our Lord in Jamaica#

/,:-K OS
HARTZELL and MARGARET ESSEX FORWARDING AGENT;

P.O. BOX #5
HAU' WAY TREE JAMAICA, WEST INDIES

MRS. TRUDIE HAM

512^ TREASURE DRIVE BOISE, ID/JiO

MARCH 25, 1965

Dear friends and loved Ones,

Our boys have been having the^^jieasi^, mumps, laryngitis and acconpaning colds and fever.

"^an having onf^^^Rtig wlii-l-e^^eSfer-was s a few

days.

Thirteen of the jaieh-teen

one time.

Both the little ones so it was simplier

One of the dear saints in the church hero, Aurrtie (joMi^Weryone calls her, decid

ed we should have some help and rest so she hired a practical nurse to come in for three

days. It was a wonderful blessing to have help with bths, bed changing and meals. Only one had mumps and he had measles too. We put him in quarantine upstairs so perhaps the
thers wonH get them. Of course they are all exposed.
Don't stop writting just be We are thankful for the- letters and cards from our friends.

cause you haven't had a personal letter. I have been getting behind the past two-three weeks but as the boys got better I am spending a little more tine on soc^.ething besides
the boys.

Friday is our day to do as we like and this last Friday we rode all over Kingston on the
buses. The bus service is very good and from the Home down town is six pence or seven
cents each.

One place we visited was the polio center. It is a very modern up-to-date center. The children seomed very happy. They go to school right there and are free to play out of doors as they wished. The center is located down in a natural bowl with hills surround

ing it. Once when wc v/cre out there I watched niaking lace. Some of the most oxquistito lace imaginable. I thought such lace was all -oachine made. This was exported to the

United States. They also made lovely things of plastics, shells, wood, jewelery and very

imaginative things of hemp rope suchas donkeys, men, women and children, carts, cowboya, etc, etc. The wood working shop is a very nodem place and they nr.ke many items. Wc
enjoyed looking around.

Do you realize that our year is over half over? It doesn't seem possible but the calen dar says so. V/e have enjoyed'Jar^'aca very much. The people are very friendly. No mat ter whore one is with Christians ycu are at hone. As of now v/e aren'Vplpjmm^^ stay thc^ a b u t plans are^ often changed.
Have I ever told you about the lizards "h^ere2

scurry away as you walk. Also' they visit the church services and in your homes. They come in through the windows and you sec then crawling on the v/alls. I've heard numerous stories of lizards dropping fron the thatched roofs down on poeple as they sat in church. I have been spared that- nodoubt because i haven't visited any thatched roofed churches. I believe they are nearly as numerous as cocl<Toaches but I much prefer the lizards. On
lizard and I became quite good friends as he cane through our window and visited each day. I tried putting out food for hiu but he ignored it and soon quit coning.

There are nillious of then.

You see them

The fn 1lowahip

long 'and then they rejected steel supports in the foundation. The Church continues to grow, ^hey voted to have a native preacher. Brother Levy cone every other Sunday morning and then the other Sunday evenings of the month. There are several
Churches without preachers. It is too bad there is not a training school.
Continue to remember the work here in Jav;a.ica.

11 is nore or less at a stand still right now. The inspectors took so

771

HARTZELL and MARGARST ESSEX

FORWARD BTG ACEL^IT: Krs. TRUE IS HAM

P. 0. BOX # 5
HAIiF WAX TREE

5125 TR3i\SURE DRIVE

BOISE, ID^UiO

JAMAICA, WSST E^DISS

MY Sc JUNE 1965
Dear Friends and loved ones,

Today our boys are home from school for an end of term holiday and already questioning v;hat can they do# Phonso is here helping me think I guess although he reely hasn't given me any ideas as yet. They do help me asve many steps.

Friday last, five of our boys sat for Scholarship exams#

We trust at least part

of them will pass and go on to school this next fall.

on here in the school and try again, next year.
three years* _

Those who don't, continue

, _ ..

They can have three tries In

We were up at Gamp with the boys for three days during Easter vacation, "^he
Camp is a wonderful place* It is built right on the hill. It is one of the old 'great houses' as they were called a hundred years or so ago. New build ings have been built to accomidate the increased number of boys and girls who attend. These houses are big with many rooms and many of them now stand vac ant as too expensive to operate. It makes an ideal place to have camp. Many of you have asked about the Cuban situation and how it is affecting the Island. Actually there is very little in the papers about it nor on the news broadcasts. We get the Miami paper here on Sunday and thore is p.lwayr nore in
that than we know about from news here. There seems to be less dan^r,r here than In the United States. We flew over the Island when wa came nnd could see

the island very clearly but ofcourse we didn't stop.

planes are starting to fly over.

Just recently cgain the

The clinic is really growing. Last ^baday afternoon they had one hundred and thirty-six children come for treatment. Another shipment of drugs 5sat a

couple of weeks ago.

Many of these were antibiotics and because they have the

assistance of doctors in treating the children at the clinic they can V.e used.

Postage rates are going up July first as are tftxes on many items.

It will cost

ua more to send a leftter to you. go we decided we would write about >.'Vcry five

weeks instead, "^hat is why this is Ifey and June we started already, ileo at midnight last night the bus drivers v^ent on strike. So you see even here is
not much different than home with its problems. iThe strike is very hr^rd on the common laborer as they depend on them to tsJe them to work. Some v)f our melds did not shov; up today* Others walfcod two and thrc.: and four

There are many bicycles as I have said before- '"he bicycle is used rb a n^ans
of transportation like a car. You very, very seldom ever see a child on a
bicycle* likewise a girl or woman.

Something to think about'i The Sunday following Coopers successful orbiting of

the earth Brother Levy said why should wo be surprised at what Is happenijig
Christ was the first Astronaut and He will return in like inennerl
We covet your prayers on our behalf and the v/ork here in Jamaica.
A o

Jc

HAHTZELL AND MARGiiRET ESSEX

FORWARDING AGS^IT:

P. 0. BOX # 5
HAIf' WAY TREE, JAM/vIOA, W. I.
"

MRS, TRUDIE HAM

512? TREASURE DRIVE BOISE, IDAHO U,S.A.

juLr 25, 1965

Dear Trietide and loved ones,

It has been a long time since we brought you greetings from Jaioaica, but we have not forgotten you and we have missed you*

V/e have been very busy as usual* We just finished a week of meetings with the Bob Pucketta from Oollega Park, Georgia and sending fifteen boys off to camp for ten days# It is nice and peaceful but we have many things
we have saved to do while the boys are gone- A few weeks ago a native preacher was here and as he said, "I don't believe the Lord ever intended

people to be so busy."" I think I agree v/ith him,we sometimes get so busy with the affairs of life "that- we forget how to enjoy livingThe Home nov/ has nineteen boys* About three weeks ago Robert, aga one and a half came to live v/ith us- He ie very dark, happy little boy. Very ^fectionate and loveable* Today he is to have an operation for a navel hernia so he is in the hospital# He will bo there about two more v^eeksIn the few weeks he was with us he found his way into our hearts and we miss him greatly# When I tell you that we have been having the Dengue fever you will think

we are sick all of the time but v^e really aren't. Right now we are all well-until the nejct timel Dengue foVGr(pronounced Dingy) or 'breakbone'
fever io not fatal I read in last nights paper but extremely painful and is caused by a large tiger nosquito which is now inmne to the new insect^-oidos. Nearly the whole family had it, the boys light cases bat

Jim Herget and I bad ones.

I vmo in bed almost a week and Jim nearly two

weeksr Hartzell v/as the first down v/ith it and we thought he had throe day measles but when I was dom with it and eight of the boys we had a doctor. One of those boys had pneumonia and the reat of us dingy fever. I can say that it is painful. I would hurt so that I would ask Hartzell

to rab my back and then he couldn't touch it bccause it was so tender. I for one was glad to hear it was not fatali

Wq got the new station vmgon todayl

The Santa Pf^ula docked today and we

were able to drive home right away. Through friends of the Home we had ta .en care of the papers and custona before the boat docked. It '.7a3 a good thing too as the old station v/agon broke down for the last time on the way to tovm to get the nev/ one. Wednesday on the way to camp the front v/heel bearings went out and we fixed them but today it was the transmission so we are giving up on it. The Lord does indeed work won
derous ly.

Ten year old Kenneth and eight year old Henry wore cleaning out the bap tistry awhile ago and the aides and bottom were covered with a very black
mold. This mold grows any where wntar stands for a tine but Kenneth and

Henry didn't know v/hat it was.

Kenneth was questioning

the whys and

wherefores of it when Henry spoke up with all the knowledge of an eight

year old,"\'ftiy, Kenneth, it is the sin of the people who have been bap

tised."

Wo love each of you and miss you.

HARTZELL AND MARGARET ESSEX

FORWARDING AGENT:

P.O. BOX # 5
HAIP WAY TREE, JAmiOA, WEST BODIES

14RS. TRUDIE HAM

5125 TREASURE DRHE BOISE, IDAHO

AUGUST 21, 1965

Dear friends and loved ones. Just about time we let you in on someof our plans for the near future# We oame here for the one year and have mutually agreed that it is for

the best for us to leave at the end of that tjiia-which is October second#
As to our plans after that time we ar^^uncertain but we expect to stay

for a few days and see something of tW~Island while we are here# Our
visas run out October second but we can Stay awhile longer so long as we
are leaving and not returning* It is after we reach Miami that_ we-are_

not sure# We will have to make a living and Boise In the winter is a bad place t find work so we will not return to Boise right away, prob ably early spring. We will need transportation from Miami and at the time

we are thinking of buying a truck as we will need a vehicle when we get to Boise# We had almost three hundred dollars income tax refund this year and we will apply that towards a truck# Ofcourse we will need money for food and lodging btrb we know we will not go in want as the Lord has oared
for us abundantly till now.

We made friends with the Pucketts of College Park, Georgia while they

were here and as they would be on our way we would likdjio stop and see
them. Also we would like to stop in ladoga, Indiana and see the Tuckers and Evans et the Children's Home for a day or two then on to Minnesota and ny family. We haven't been there for over three years and some of them

haven't met Hartssell.

We just havelto wait and see what comes up for us#

Hartzell may work somewhere along the way if something turns up or it may be in I^innesota for a few months before returning to Boise in the spring# Whatever it is th^t we do we continually pray that we do the will of the Lord and that He will direct our lives as He has done in the past#
Biough of our plane at present except to say thank you to those who made it possible for the year wehave had in Jamaica# We have appreciated the
^liritig^tlYilrw^ave had with home folks and after October" we feel^hiS&~we should not accept or expect you to continue to help us as we will not be

on the field any longer# It has been a wonderful year of experience and fellowship with Jamaican Christians* We have made some good friends here
and count it a privilege that we were able to help out in the lords work in a small way.

44 boys attend and girls 21#

September#
ation too#

The last of the camps will be this week with the Adults.

Just closed this morning was ministers camp

The sixteen bys are

Boys camp had

with 8 ministers there which was very good for here.

at ca:!ip and will be there now until nearly time for school the 9th of

Only the three little ones home with us whiob gives us a vac
Pray forus as we prepare to leave this work.
Sincerely in Christ,

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H^TZELL. & MA.RGARET ESSEX

c/o Bob Puckett 4023 Hilltop'Drive
College Paxk, Georgia

3.123 Treajjure DA\*.-ro Boise, Idaho

Fcrv?ard.lng Agents Mrs# Trudie Ham

Dear Friends and Loved Ones at Home and in Jamaicag Greetings to each of you in the name of cur Lord Jesus Christ

As you can see, vje are back in the states#

It is good to be "home",
We are with

but we have left a little of our*hearts in Jamaica.

the Bob Pucketts in College Park, Georgia,for a few days and have had a good trip all the way here The Lord has been good to uso
We left the Boys-Home in Jamaica on Saturday, October 5th, and we boarded our ship. The Kirkdale, but due to hurricane "Flora" and other things we sat in the harbor at Kingston until Wednesday. While Flora wandered around in the Carribean, Jamaica was having hard rains
that did much damage. We sat high and dry on The Kirkdale and lis tened to the radio and watched the men wade knee-deep on the streets

We had a good trip to Nassau with fairly calm seas. We didnt skip a meal although I lost twoI Hartzell and I were the only passengers and were treated like royalty. Capt. Kirkconnel was in no hurry so we stopped about two hours on Friday for deep-sea fishing. Hartzell and I each caught a black snapper, and with a barracuda and a dolphin caught by members of the crew, we had lots of fun and good fish
dinners!

We had 3 days in Nassau and did a little shopping (very little as prices are very high). We stayed with the Jim Redmons, and since
the Aubrey Paynes were staying with the Ed Spencers, the four fami lies had a wonderful fellowship. We traveled the length and breadth
of the Island and went shell hunting at the beach.
South'of Jamaica there was much debris in the ocean due to hurricane

Flora, but most interesting of all were the royal palms we saw north of Cuba standing erect in the water miles from land with roots under the water and fronds waving in the sea breezeI I suppose the roots were heavy enough to keep them erect.
We arrived in Miami on October I6. We couldn^t find a truck in our

price range but finally found a 195^ panel Volkswagen for |i350. It
has proven a very good buy although it did stop dead one night with fuel pump trouble. We limped to a motel and spent the night and went
on the next day to Ft. Pierce to stay with the Leon Bakers for Church on Sunday.
The Chetalets who left Jamaica about a month before we did were in

Swainsboro, Ga., and we arrived in time to help them move into an apartment. We had a good visit with them for 2 days.
The past year has been a good year. The Lord has blessed us greatly. We have made many new friends in a beautiful country. It is a year which we can treasure in service to our Lord. e appreciate all of you that have made it possible. e are not sure of our plans-for the immediate future although Hartaell has been looking for work, but we do know that whatever the work, we will serve the Lord. This will be our last newsletter. Continue to pray for us and the work in Jamaica.