On September 3, 2001, Bro. Hugo Mitchell, Georgetown, Guyana, fell asleep in Christ. Following are tributes to a brother who was a pillar in the household of faith.
THE FALLING ASLEEP of Bro. Hugo Mitchell of Georgetown, Guyana is an intimately personal loss to Sis. Mary and myself. It was a letter from Hugo which gave our lives their special focus. In 1961, when we were in our early thirties, he wrote to us in Jamaica pleading with us to take over the production of the Caribbean Pioneer magazine from the Georgetown ecclesia. Except for the years 1965 to 1971, I have been senior Editor, a responsibility ably assisted at times by several younger brothers and sisters. Until 1998, Mary was effectively the publisher, and for most of those 37 years printer, accountant, record keeper and dispatcher as well. The letter that Hugo wrote to us was typical of the man. You just could not, or dare not, resist his appeal!
Hugo was baptized in the old Georgetown ecclesia before the days of the Bible Missions. A magazine called The Pathfinder was mimeographed by a remarkable American sister, Evelyn Banta of Ukiah, California. Evelyn was one of the very few links to the wider Christadelphian world that the brothers and sisters in Guyana had at the time. Hugo was a government postal inspector. His job involved checking mail coming into Guyana. He was intrigued by the unusual material coming to this group called Christadelphians, sought out the ecclesia, was converted and baptized. He knew nothing about Christadelphians anywhere else. He quickly became one of the most dynamic Christadelphians in the world.
Hugo was a very determined man — an ideal partner for an equally determined wife — both in ecclesial and professional life. His expertise was in the evaluation of human beings; and during the days of the Guyana Socialist Co-operative Republic (basically Marxist and communist in disguise), he was a true Daniel or Mordecai, wielding a considerable, impartial influence on state affairs at the very highest level. In a region where corruption is endemic, he was incorruptible.
In the last few years he was the unquestioned senior Christadelphian figure in the Caribbean. Unfortunately he was not a natural writer and very few of his powerful exhortations have survived in print, which is a pity — though they remain imprinted on the table of our hearts.
Right now Caribbean Christadelphia without Hugo seems inconceivable. But we must come to terms with his passing, especially the younger leaders amongst us, and see him now as an obvious role model. He resisted all temptations to emigrate, and had to see more than 50 of his fellow-elders leave
Guyana and the region, so that more and more responsibility fell on his broad but ageing shoulders. The last time I saw him was the saddest. Still in an obvious state of shock from the brutal murder of Sis. Karolyn Andrews, he was standing on a table and organizing the crowd at her memorial service. I had no idea that he would follow her to the assembly of sleeping saints so soon.
May God reward a wonderfully faithful servant.
Alan Eyre
A highly educated man with an analytical mind, a voracious reader, an excellent bible student, a loving and a caring brother, one who stood up for the truth never afraid to say when wrong was wrong and right was right was Hugo Mitchell. The in-depth Bible explorations this excellent speaker led us through, has developed many a brother and sister and has caused knowledge of the truth to increase by leaps and bounds. His passion for the state of Israel ensured that brethren and sisters became intimately familiar with the geography, of Israel and followed keenly with him the events in Israel.N 1957, Hugo married an enthusiastic sister, Lorraine Spence. This marriage worked wonders for the truth in Guyana, the Caribbean and further afield. An example of the couples’ commitment was seen in 1962 when they went to the United Kingdom for a year. So impressed were Hugo’s employers that they offered to train him with the possibility of posting him to one of their European branches. At the same time, there was an urgent outcry from British Guiana (now Guyana) that the ecclesias were in need of his assistance. This created a dilemma for our brother and sister who, as two young people, had been thoroughly enjoying the United Kingdom and were now faced with what has been described as one of the most difficult decisions in their lives. They prayed and cast lots. The answer was “return.” They answered the Macedonian cry and never looked back. Even later in life, when the opportunity for permanent residence in North America presented itself, this was no longer an option as their committal to the truth in Guyana was now total.
Hugo was integrally involved in the creation and administrational affairs of the Guyana ecclesias as our CBM linkman and it was to him more than simply a duty, it was a personal commitment that he shared with his sister wife even to his last few conscious days. He also took seriously the idea that family life in the Lord stemmed from us helping to bear each other’s personal burdens and this also became one of his hallmarks, to which many brothers and sisters can attest. His guidance and advice were always there and even to the last, though weak in body, he was very alert in mind.
He took stoically the news and progression of his illness and directed everyone’s attention to the support of his sister-wife. Only when told by his doctor a few days before his death that there was no hope did he ever outwardly show any grief but even to the last, he never doubted that the hand of God had worked in his life and never wavered from his hope.
To the young and old, he has done much and he will be remembered with deep affection. His booming voice, witty and sometimes mischievous deeds, will be missed. Our only consolation is the hope that we will all be reunited in the Kingdom to come.
Sis. Pat and Sis. Tanya Cumbermack, Georgetown, Guyana
Yet, Uncle Hugo was never a push over. His was a zealous spirit that would fight vigorously to uphold whatever principle he believed in. He understood other’s weaknesses yet was very direct if you deserved it. To encourage us youths to contribute new ideas to the meeting, he organized an essay competition. To his disappointment, there were only two entries for the second time running that he had tried it. I felt I should have been excused as I was too busy. His response to this will never be forgotten. “Didn’t have time? You mean you did not make the time. There are 24 hours in a day, no more, no less. You will never get a second more than you had yesterday and the day before.” This lesson is a vital one. Whatever we want to achieve in life can be achieved if first we start with a willing mind and careful planning of our resources.Y FIRST MEMORIES of Uncle Hugo are of his doing all that was in his power to make me happy as a three-year-old child. My dad had left to go abroad for an extended stay and I was inconsolable on the way back from the airport. Uncle Hugo seemed to have a special way of connecting with children and, on the way back, he was able to convince me that I should look forward to the time I would go on the plane and fly as well. The remainder of the time was then filled with laughter as he drove faster to make me feel I was about to take off in the plane
The last time I spoke with Uncle Hugo will never be forgotten. Such was his fatherly care for the meeting and its upkeep that this time was spent discussing ideas that can be implemented in the ecclesia to improve the spiritual health of the brotherhood. He had clearly been thinking deeply about it for sometime and reminded me of the apostle Paul when he said: “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” Uncle Hugo was clearly distressed by the disappointments that occurred over the years but was still being optimistic for the improvements that can be accomplished.
It is on this note that I would like to end. A people with no vision are a people that have lost. Vision of where we are going and where we can be is one of the most central themes of our lives in the truth. Without a vision and a plan how can the fire of faith burn in each of our hearts? How can we pray and ask Christ to grant the desires of our hearts if we have no desire? Apathy can easily overtake us if we forget where we want to go and eventually we go around in circles.
The challenge goes out to each and every one of us, wherever we are, in whatsoever circumstance. Desire the will of Christ more than our will and he will take care of our needs (Malachi 3:10 and Matthew 6:33). May God bless us on our journey to his kingdom as we seek to renew our walk with the confidence of His word.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One