Dear Editor,
On Monday, February 24, a daughter of Guyana’s soil, stalwart of the Christian faith and missionary from Georgetown to Akawini in the Pomeroon died at the golden age of 87 years. I refer to none other than Mrs Dorothy Rodrigues née Skeete.
Up until her death Dorothy was still effervescent about the work of the Lord. I would have loved to have known her when she was on fire for the Lord.
A residue of that effervescence was evident from her steady remembrances of her every step of obedience to the Lord as she answered his ‘call’ to go and serve His people in the Pomeroon. Her story is told in her autobiography entitled The Other Side of Guyana – The Region Beyond and in her numerous poems, when at age 37 in 1964 she travelled to Akawini to pioneer a school and church for the community and remained serving in the “Region Beyond” for 16 years. She became an even more integral part of the community when she was married to the village captain, Alfred Rodrigues.
Dorothy returned to Georgetown in 1980 and some four years later moved to the Uncle Eddie’s Home until the time of her death. Her indomitable spirit kept her throughout those years. To quote her words from her autobiography, “I am preparing for one more call – the Region Beyond the Skies.”
Dorothy had an amusing laugh that tickled her and affected the listener. Her entire being would light up when she talked about her life and God’s faithfulness in providing and protecting her in her new life away from the comforts of the city. There were times when she encountered snakes (boa constrictors) alligators, caimans and electric eels, to name a few, yet she stayed knowing God would protect her.
Dorothy had a big heart of gratitude which is evident in her many poems and the one that stands out for me is her ‘Ode to Uncle Eddie’ which adorns the foyer of the Home in memory of her.
She always talked about expressing her personal gratitude to Uncle Eddie when she meets him in heaven – that was her desire for eternity – once she entered eternity that was the first message of thank you to be delivered by her to the man who provided a legacy of a retirement home for his fellow countrymen.
She had a knack of recounting her years in Akawini, Pomeroon as if it were yesteryear. Her ‘call’ was still alive in her, so that even though her assignment was complete, it lived on in her spirit. Her quiet spirit made it easy to care for her, for she was satisfied with her life and had no regrets whatsoever.
She had found, followed and fulfilled God’s call to serve His people and it brought her the rewards of peace of mind.
Here are some gems from her book: “From my jewel box. What is in my “box”, is more precious than gold. Gratitude is one of my precious gems; experience is a wonderful piece of my jewellery. No one can enter my box to steal what I possess.
“That which is mine will go with me to the Great Beyond; thoughts – precious gems.” I still remember some of those verses, yes, “better light one candle than to curse the dark”; “let your life be like arithmetic, keep the good work up and let your past mistakes be a stepping stone.” Love was another one of her precious gems which she shared with every person she met along her life’s journey.
To those who cared for her within the Home – all the caregivers, housekeepers, cooks, security personnel and the administration and management of the Home; all those family members, daughter Celeste and son Alfred; friends and the church family, I thank you for partnering with us at Uncle Eddie’s to care for her all these years. We were all honoured and privileged to have cared for her. It was a noble assignment to care for her as a mother, grandmother and minister, who first cared for us.
She cared for many of Guyana’s children and her two adopted children, Rev Alfred S Cockfield who resides and pastors a church in Brooklyn, New York and Mrs Celeste Greaves who resides in Georgetown, Guyana.
Many may not have understood her physical challenges due to the aging process of the body but God preserved and cared for her throughout her final years on earth.
May her soul rest eternally in peace.
Yours faithfully,
Maria Rodrigues
