*tfi e cAletheia
»BI_ I jt NO. 3
MONTREAT-ANDERSON
MOVEMBER 4. 1980
THE JflnmCRH SCOOP
JIM PRITCHARD
So, you must be wondering what
the Jamaica trip was like. Well for
starters, some of the people we met
were quite rude and obnoxious. The
load was not too good and there never
seemed to be enough of it. We found
ourselves having trouble breathing at
times, since we were^ all cramped
together like sardines. There was a lot
of turbulance and it became impossible
to sleep . . . then we got off the plane.
But seriously, I can testify that the
trip was a tremendous success and an
awesome experience.
As you may know, 12 students—
Janet Grogan, Paula Johnson, Tracy
Sauls, Ann Travis, Michelle Thomas,
Jeremy Jones, Todd Holtet, Jim
Pritchard, Guy Bishop, Jimmy Smith,
Tim Valesco, Mickey McKinney, and
Resident Director Doug Bel den were
I.U uocrioc LIIC UOrjlOlCQlid III
recovering from Hurricane Gilbert,
which struck the island nation on Sept
22, 1988. As well as the construction
work, we were also involved with the
distribution of food, clothing, soap, and
Bibles to those in need.
Speaking as somecrhe with a few'
years of construction experience, I
honestly thought 'that w/e would roof
about 3 or 4 houses at the most, v/ith'
just 5 workng days (actually, we only
had 4 working days, since there was a
delay in getting materials.). But our
efforts and your prayers were greatly
blessed, as the group's accomplish
ments' show'.
The first area we worked at (Mt.
Salem) exposed us to a level of poverty
that most of us had never experienced
before. It w'as located in a mountain
valley; where an acre might contain an
overage of several hundred houses
(more like shacks). There was one
home, no bigger than my room in
McGregor dorm, w'hich housed 2i
people. Although the situation was
overwhelming (where do you start?),
we tried to assess which families were
most needy and focused on doing our
best for them. In the first 2 'working
days, w'e completely reroofed a house;
rebuilt a destroyed room of a home
which housed 4 adults and 8 children;
refrarned and partially roofed a
corripietely destroyed home; leveled a
home and rebuilt part of the proch; and
patched the roof of a home.
On Thursday, we worked in the
rural areak of Bounty Hall in the parish
of Trelavv'ny. I thin I can speak for the
w'hole group when I say that it was here
where we experienced the greatest
sense of accomplishment as far as our
construction efforts. When we arrived,
W'e found ourselves looking at a pile of
trash W'hich we soon learned was at one
time G mun's house (7 family members).
By the end of the day his house was
completely rebuilt from the foundation
to the roof, and he even allowed us to
hang a makeshift "MONTREAT" sign over
the front door as an ac?i’of gratitiude
toward our help. During the van ride
home that evening we sang several
Vespers songs, including a version of
"We built a house in just one day" (sung
to the tune of "Sing Hallelujah to the
Lord").
The last working day's
accomplishments included the painting
of a building at the St. James Infirmary
(home for the elderly), and the cutting
and removal of fallen trees from around
the Montigo Bay Home for Girls.
As those who went will tell you,
we w/ere very fortunate to reside in
more than adequate living quarters.
This provided a change of environment
from the poverty conditions in which
W'e worked. Our Jamaican hosts,
including Rev. Ed Chambers of Anderson,
S.C., w'ere so concerned with our
comfort and well-being that we felt
greatly priviledged to be a part of
helping their people.
The Jamaican people-- how can I
If mere w/ords could ,
describe them?
you might say they were loving,
sensitive, friendly, caring,
open-minded, unprejudiced, funny,
interesting,. .. the list could go on. It
being my first time outside the U.S., I
couldn't help but to expect to feel like a
minority, but it w'as almost the total
opposite. 1 can't think of one bad
experience w'ith any of the people, even
within the crowded city. When we
would tell people w'hy we w'ere in the
country, they no longer viewed us as
tourists but as fellow Christians who
were willing to serve them. Practically
everybody w'e met, rich or poor, offered
us a place to stay if (when) we decide
to return. 1 think the follow'ing poem
written by Tracy Sauls sums up our
experience with the Jamaican people:
Physically my body
is placed in a chair
but my mind is not here
nrientally I am there
Every beat of my heart
takes me away
and forces out tears
in rernemberance of that place
I see faces blurry
but eyes clear - so clear
staring into mine
nothing equals it here
Those deep sunken eyes
with longing yet love
in them I see hope
and sweet Jesus above
feel their hands
clinging to mine
losing a friend
they were happy to find
long to feel the w'armth
their appreciation spreads
I want to see them clothed
and heartily fed
look at Yv’hat I have
and all that they lack
I remember as I left
flonISSI OHS OFF ICE SEES
DRHSTIC CHRNGES
GREG FERRELL
Did you know that me admissions
office has been turned upside down this
semester?
Well not literally. But the changes
have been rather drastic. This should
have us all wondering if the changes
will be for better or for worse.
It all started with the termination
of the admission's director. In other
words— the director was given his
walking papers. The reason was that he
had not fulfilled the qouta that was set
forth in his contract, i understand, from
inside sources, that he knew from this
contract that he was under obligation
to bring to M-AC two hundred new
students. He and his crew failed to
carry out this objective and he was
fired. His services to the college ended
on September the first of this year.
The director's postition was left
in the lurch. It was necessary to
appoint a temporary director. The
college administration asked Rick
Hughes (the Basketball coach) to head
up that branch of the college. We should
all appreciate his willingness to take
on this added responsibility on short
notice.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the
school administration decided to hire
out the admissions department to a
private consulting firm. The contract
was given to D. H. Dagley and
Associates. The contract began on
November the first. The man in charge
is Ken Doake. He is a full time employee
of Dagley and is not responsible to
anyone at the college, but answers to
his boss at Dagley.
Just what this change means for
the students and college is not
established. Many of the folks that I
spoke with are somewhat skeptical.
Vet, if the changes benefit the college I
suppose we would all agree that the
change was a much needed one.
However, the previous admissions
office was in the middle of
implementing a new program to
increase enrollment when the changes
took place. C6rr'h r\Jtci).