Camp Laurentide was a beautiful place. The main house set off the road which led into Montreal and a dirt road led in the other direction to the girls' dorm and several small cottages which were used for the married couples. I don't remember the placement of the boys' dorm. The dining hall was a walk through the woods and across a small creek. As you can imagine, one of my favorite places in the camp. The top leaders lived in the main house.

At this point there were from 50-75 people in the group but everyone was not at Laurentide. Our team from Miami had joined a team from, I think, Tucson and there were still people on the road. We were quite a mix of personalities with varying pasts. There were reformed drug-addicts, militants and little church boys and girls like me. 

My room mate was a tall, willowy woman who had been one of the early experimenters with LSD. She played guitar and sang and I was fascinated.

Our days were filled with Bible study, cooking meals, doing laundry and more Bible study. I wasn't good at memorizing Bible verses, never had been good at memorizing, and this was considered a weakness. But the Bible study I ate up with a spoon. I loved it. Isn't this what I had longed for while sitting in the Baptist church listening to some long-winded, dry as cracker dust preacher? 

The man who owned the camp had arranged for us to use a band shell at the Montreal Expo site. We would perform on stage singing and giving testimonies and then go out two by two witnessing.

It was while at the Expo that I first met David Berg. We had heard that he might arrive while we were there and everyone was giddy with excitement. I was clueless. All I knew were the wonderful people with whom I felt a close bond. What could be so great about him?

Word got around that Uncle Dave had arrived. He, his wife, Jane, and his secretary, Karen, were sitting where the audience had been earlier. There was another girl who acted as their housekeeper and, again my memory, she may or may not have been there. After meeting them I was sent out witnessing and, to my surprise, Karen went as my older sister partner. She was a very nice lady who had been a secretary before joining the team and was now David's constant companion. Imagine my surprise when she asked if I would like to share a candy bar. I had enough money to make a phone call in case I got seperated from the group and that was it. Forsake all, remember? She must have been somebody pretty special to have her own money.

Back at the camp we still had Bible studies but now some of them were given by Uncle Dave. I became as fascinated with this man as the others. I learned that he was God's prophet for the endtime. With his leadership we would change the world. We would be a Revolution for Jesus. I was part of a great work of God.

We had been encouraged to write home for two reasons. To let our parents know we were all right so they wouldn't send the authorities after us and to "spoil Egypt". This was our phrase for getting as much money or material goods out of our families and friends as possible. It comes from a verse when Moses was leading the children of Isreal out of Egypt.

Exodus 12:35-36  And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

So, when the tragedy happened my family knew where to reach me. I was awakened and asked to come to the main house where I was told that my brother had been killed in a car accident. I don't remember if they asked me whether or not I wanted to go home but I knew what was expected of me. I got on the phone with my aunt who explained to me what had happened and she asked me to come home. My mother had been sedated. I told her that I couldn't possibly leave what I was doing and that they should just be taking care of my mother and not worrying about me. I was serving the Lord. 

After hanging up the phone I was in tears and Faith offered to pray for Johnny with me. In my emotional state I could see his face shining with a white light which I took to mean that he was in heaven.

Our relationship had been that of an older sister with her brother; he drove me crazy but I loved him. Our birthdays were a week and 2 years apart and we were alike in so many ways. I knew that he had been having some problems with alcohol and had prayed for him not to grow into the same kind of man as my father. Was this God's way of answering my prayer?

I had passed a great test by not going home. How could I have been so cold I'm sure you're asking? I was following the teaching of Jesus.

Luke 9:59-62 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.