Edward J. Thompson was raised here in Arkansas, just north of the airbase. His father was a Marine working with the Airforce and helped open the base. He joined the Army National Guard in 1989 and was attached to Fort Robinson as an aircraft mechanic. He left the military in 1991. The journey he told us about can only be described as a “God-thing.”
“I was living on my own on some property I owned. I got very ill and ended up going to the hospital. I went to one hospital, was released, was still sick, and went back, this time to St. Vincent. One night I was feeling really bad and so I called the priest. I didn’t have any faith, I wasn’t raised in the church so I asked him “How do you know”. We talked, but of course, I really didn’t get an answer that made sense to me. That night all of a sudden I was in this very dark place. But it wasn’t bad dark, it felt good, safe. I heard a voice, not just heard, felt, a voice that said I wasn’t done yet. I can’t explain it, it’s just when it’s God, you know it.”
Mr. Thompson recovered and went back to his life. But something had changed. He kept trying to understand that experience. “I asked anyone who would listen to help me understand what had happened. I think most of them just thought I was crazy.”
That was about seven years ago. Mr. Thompson continued, ”Then recently I started waking up every night, at the same time. I finally just asked, “What do you want?” and I heard that voice again just telling me to things His way, to listen. That’s what I’m trying to do. And things happened that took me out of the place where I wasn’t listening and to a place where I could. I had a friend and his wife who were living on my property. I didn’t have any family so I decided to leave it to him. It was paid off so I let him take over ownership and I continued to live there. But when they divorced, she took the property, sold it, and all of a sudden, I was homeless. I was supposed to move into housing, but when I got there, I needed a special waiver that I didn’t have. They put me in touch with the Day Treatment Center and I was able to come here.”
But it seems the story doesn’t stop there. “Yesterday I had a bad day. Too many people, too many rules, and the walls felt like they were closing in. But then we went to a Veteran dinner. I went outside for some air and just asked “Are you sure I’m supposed to be here?” And I saw this flower. One little purple flower, all alone in a sea of grass. And it came to me. No matter if you feel alone, or misunderstood, think of the purple flower. Just like it, you are right where you need to be.”
“I’m working on getting housing and I’m very thankful for St. Francis House, the Day Treatmentment Center, and HUD-VASH for helping me. I’m thankful for the people in the community that take the time to provide food and fellowship for all of us. And any time I get down, I remember the purple flower. I’m right where I need to be.”