by Gideon Newheart
Jesse was the original Tarzan, a true son of Mother Nature. He was a pure soul who loved all living things and shared God’s love with all he knew.
I first met Jesse in 1972, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was the first time he had been out to the mainland having grown up on Saint John’s in the Virgin Islands. I couldn’t help but be impressed by his soft-spokeness and gentle nature. That and the fact that he never wore shoes! (He said they hurt his feet and he had rarely ever worn a pair.)
Jesse prayed with us there to receive the Lord and joined the Family several months later in the Caribbean. I met him again in Puerto Rico about a year later. Together with his boyhood friend, and fellow Family member, Zephaniah, they pioneered many of the islands of the Caribbean in the early 1970’s.
He was well known on Saint John’s and well spoken of by all. He had a way with animals and a reputation with the locals for having a special connection with the wild horses that were living on the island.
Jesse went to bed early one night in a home in Puerto Rico, (San Torsi?) and passed away peacefully in his sleep from a brain haemorrhage. His passing was a surprise to all who knew him, as he was always the picture of health.
Jesse made a big impression on me from the first time I met him until the last day I saw him. He was always cheerful, straightforward and without guile.
by Gabriella
In 1972, my husband and I flew from Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands where we were to join a team on the tiny island of St. John. We landed late at night and were greeted by Jesse who was to escort us from St. Thomas to St. John. I could hardly believe my eyes! There stood this tall, bare-foot guy with long blond hair and a grin from ear to ear. After the initial feeling of meeting the original Tarzan, I was impressed by his genuine humility and sweet spirit.
It was so easy to talk to Jesse, but even more interesting was listening to him. He was young and so the first thing he did was tell us all the latest tales of terror. How many whites had been killed in the last 3 months, etc. Here it was late at night and we were the only 3 white people ANYwhere. And we did stand out. To top it all off, we missed the last boat to St. John and were stuck! But then Jesse had a terrific idea and remembered an English couple who had a house boat nearby.
In Jesse's magical way, he found a local boatman to paddle us out to the houseboat. As we stepped into the rickety boat surrounded by dark water, he told us more tales about how sometimes stingrays fly across and land in the boats. So I had one eye on the water and the other on the boatman who glared at us suspiciously. Thankfully it was a short trip and as Jesse knocked on the side of this big wooden boat, his English friends heartily welcomed us for the night.
After being on St. John's for about a month, I got a massive education in island survival from Jesse. He was just amazing. He always carried a machete (big jungle knife) in his belt and whenever we were hungry or thirsty, Jesse would get us some coconuts. I watched dumbfounded as he climbed the coconut tree like it was a ladder! "Do you want a young one or an old one!" he'd shout down to the rest of us land-lubbers. He taught me the difference between the different types of coconuts, the plants, he even had his own banana plantation! He'd been raised there and what could you do but just marvel.
His dad, equally unusual, had moved to the islands when Jesse and his two brothers were small. Wanting nothing to do with society, he found a nice house hidden away near a lagoon. He taught his sons himself and let them pretty much live as free souls. Growing up in such a tropical paradise was reflected in everything Jesse did.
Once we had no protein for dinner, so to my delight Jesse chose me to go spear-fishing with him! I was giddy! We dove in, masks, snorkels and all and started looking for a nice fat fish. After a few minutes, Jesse poked me to get my attention then pointed. A baracuda swam by just a few meters away. Thank the Lord he kept swimming and Jesse and I decided sea snails were better than nothing that night.
I was so moved to hear of his graduation which I only just found out about recently (2002). He went to be with the Lord sometime in the late 70's. It seems that someone so close to Heaven as Jesse was only had to take a short step to get to the Other Side.
Jesse, thank you for your sweetness. Thank you for being one of the most precious memories I have. I wish I could have your humility, your selfless heart, but at least I had the wonderful priviledge to know you. And now it is a great blessing and priviledge to be able to tell others of your life and your testimony that yet speaketh.
You are loved here and I hope to see you again some beautiful day. Keep shining sweet Tarzan!
