By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
EUNICE – A crowd of more than 800 reminisced about the life-changing impact Acadia Baptist Academy and Acadian Baptist Center had on them during its Centennial Celebration Oct. 13-14.
Held on the grounds of Acadian Baptist Center in Eunice, the event featured a cookout which included several Cajun dishes, games, a historical exhibit of the school and camp, classic car display, hayride and music. It also included a reunion of residents of the school and a group time for sharing memories of the camp and school.
Among the former campers present was Jessica Chapman, who made a decision to accept Christ while attending camp 30 years ago.
“Getting to meet lots of new people and making friends with kids from other churches was a highlight for me,” Chapman said. “The camp has changed a lot but in good ways, especially with the way it’s grown. Coming back here brings back lots of fond memories; including the time I made a decision to follow Christ.”
Jimmy White, a student at the school from 1964 to 1968, drove in from Rowlett, Texas, for the reunion. He enjoyed the stability and love the teachers and staff gave to each student.
“It was a good life while we were here,” White said, “but it wasn’t until later in life we really learned how fortunate we were to attend this school. They taught us about respect and honesty.
“Part of me is sad to see things aren’t the way they use to be but the other half of me understands the many improvements that have taken place are really for the greater good. So many people who returned here today share the same story, in that God used their experiences and time here to change their lives forever.”
Helen Knuckles, a classmate of White for two years, said the school helped build a firm foundation of faith.
“It impacted me so much I chose to attend a Christian college after coming to this camp,” said Knuckles, the wife of retired Acadia Baptist Association Director of Missions Alan Knuckles. “To see people come back here many years later and know they too had a life changing experience is special.”
LASTING LEGACY
For the 56 years of its existence, Acadia Baptist School enrolled several thousand students, according to Acadian Baptist Center Director James Newsom. The school provided them an education with a Christian perspective.
In 1973, the school closed and remained vacant for two years. By 1975, local leadership received permission to lease the facilities for what became the Acadian Baptist Center.
During its first year of operation, there were only three full-time staffers and more than 3,000 people attended events at the camp. Today, attendance has swelled to 13,000 and its staff includes six full-time workers, 25 part-timers and numerous volunteers.
Through the years, ABC has worked hard to improve and expand its facilities. Instead of housing limited to just tents or bunk rooms, Acadian Baptist Center, which can comfortably host 400 campers at a time, now includes a motel, cabins and dormitories. They also have built a new dining hall, expanded their meeting area, outdoor courses and recreational facilities.
But it is the “spiritual impact alone that has been the most lasting legacy of the camp,” Newsom said.
From 1975 until early October, a total of 7,241 people attending camp have humbled their hearts and surrendered their lives to Christ. Another, 5,972 have rededicated their lives to Him and another 649 have indicated a call to full-time ministry.
“The celebration was really moving and moved me to tears a couple of times when I saw the love and support of so many people here who have contributed over the years,” Newsom said. “A lot of people have sacrificed to make it all possible.
“It’s humbling to think about how God has used this place for the past 100 years to touch so many lives,” Newsom said. “It’s great to have seen all the lives touched over these past 30 years I have been the director. I’ve seen God move so much and through so many people. We are thankful for that and how He will direct us for the future.”
