In Yerba Buena's early history, the questions "How is Yerba Buena doing?" and "How are the Comstocks doing?" meant the same thing. The destinies of the family and the institution were so intimately entwined that anything that influenced one influenced the other. Thus in the December, l967 issue of the Newsletter it was completely appropriate for Marie Comstock to report on her family. She writes:
Anita now 29, our eldest, is enrolled as a pre-medical student at La Sierra College. Her burning desire to become a Medical Missionary doctor is becoming a reality made possible by many interesting Providences; living in the village, batching, working, along with financial help from a very dear friend is making her education possible.
Burton 28, wife Nela 26, with children Ruben 7, Boby 6, and Nancy 4 are helping carry the load here at Yerba Buena. Nela although busy with her home has charge of our little store or Tienda and is now assisting with deliveries and teaching the O. B. class part time. Burton, our only son, a third-generation "self-supporting" missionary (Marie's father was a self-supporting missionary in Honduras in the first decade of this century), is filling a very important place in the work here at Yerba Buena. He has charge of all the working men, is a member of the construction committee, work committee, and general operating committee. Even though he has had no engineering training he drew up the complete plans for the reinforced rock and concrete dam -- 22 feet high, 75 feet long, l2 feet thick at the base and 3 feet wide at the crest. This dam is curved to take the stress of the water against the dam. The reservoir above the dam has a capacity of one and one quarter million gallons. Burton supervised the construction of this dam using unskilled, local labor. Present plans are to build several more dams to give Yerba Buena ample water and enough for hydro-electric power part of the year.
Ray still has to spend too much time in Mexico City on legal business. Working in a foreign country presents many problems not encountered in the United States of America. Marie as mother of 34 students, carrying office work, the responsibility of Ray's work in his frequent absences, operating the home and enjoying being grandmother has no time yet for knitting.