By Dennis Edwards:
Chapter 6 - A Visit from Family & Friends
Upon finally having word from me, my parents came to see me at the "Bible Institute" in Ellenville. The conditions at the Community College were very basic. I remember sleeping on the floor at night in a thinly-walled cabin. But I was learning to be a “revolutionary” for Jesus. Whatever physical sacrifice was hardly important. My parents wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing. They were quite reluctant to let me stay at the community. If I wanted to serve God, why could I not become a Priest or find some other way. But seeing I was twenty-two at the time, and they could not convince me otherwise, they left hoping it was a passing phase. My father later told me something when he was near to the end of his life. He had found Jesus through some woman he had met at the nursing home. He said, “Dennis, you found Jesus when you were young and dedicated your whole life to Him, which I could never understand. I lived almost my whole life without that personal relationship with Jesus. I do not know how I did it, but now that I have found Jesus, I understand your decision and life choices.”
A few days afterward my parent’s visit, a close friend from childhood named Chris came for an afternoon. He was going to bring me home “one way or the other.” That´s what he told me when we went for ride in his car. But seeing the conviction and happiness I had, and that I was staying at the Community College under my free will, he also left, though somewhat disappointed.
Finally, some of my college friends and my brother came from Ohio to convince me I was making a bad decision and bring me to my senses. But again, it was fruitless. My will was sure and I could not be moved. I must apologize here to my brother for the way he found his car. All his music tapes were missing. The tires of his car were flat and no compensation was given, though he did recover some money from my bank account back in Marietta. With close to two hundred young people, many coming off drugs and out of hippy lifestyles, not everyone was as “Christian” as everyone else.
I remember thinking during my first days at the Community College that maybe it was all a communist plot to subvert American young people against the war using the Bible. But the Word of God I was learning in the classes could not be refuted. The Word had become a light unto my path & a lamp upon my feet.[1] I was building my foundation of faith based on God´s Word, & it was refreshing. It was like taking a bath and getting cleansed from all the filth of my life! I was being born again.[2] But, like in the movie The Matrix, it was not easy. I had to let go of old, false mindsets, and accept new ones. As Jesus said, “If you continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed, & you shall know the truth & the truth shall set you free.”[3] Paul also said, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.”[4] I was becoming that new man in Christ.
In December, there was a heavy downfall of snow. I was responsible for bringing the food to the director’s office in the evenings. One evening I overheard the directors talking about testing some of the new students to see if they were really there for the right motives. The following morning a group of us were taken on a job to move a broken-down vehicle to a more accessible location at the camp. Besides the snow, it started sleeting, and I remember I did not have adequate winter clothing, as I had never gone back to Marietta to pick up my things, seeing it was so far away. It was freezing cold and I ended up fainting as we tried to push the vehicle, I had not been eating properly, also. The group carried me back to one of the cabins. Someone tried to light a fire in the wood stove to warm us up. However, the chimney was blocked and all the smoke filled the room. Here we were freezing cold, wet, choking from the smoke. But I was happy. My heart was with God and I had found His peace & truth. Love was indeed the answer. “Peace I leave with you,” Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”[5] I was not worried or afraid anymore. God was real and He was going to take care of me somehow.
The time at Ellenville was like being at a boot camp or in the war together. Great bonds of friendship were formed, some of which I have until this day.
Footnotes:
[1] Psalm 119:105
[2] John 3:3
[3] John 8:31
[4] 2Corinthians 5:17
[5] John 14:27
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