I didn't know they had to pay their own way to get there. That's pretty messed up for a group that supposedly believed in socialism and equality. But yeah, a blessing in disguise.
Most went to their families to help pay for it....the ones left behind either got jobs, begged, or tried to do something to get the money to go.
Life in Jonestown was anything but pleasant....it was brutal, hot, humid, South America jungle down there. These people were used like borrowed mules to try and farm the area. Not much in the way of tractors or other farming tools except hand tools.
Eventually they hit an equilibrium and people were eating enough....there never was enough protein to go around though. (Eggs, fish, and etc) But by this point lots of people had "drifted away" from the camp in the middle of the night or day when nobody could catch them.
Which these desertions are what led Jones to begin the "practice" sessions of suicide kool-aid.