Thank you, ‘Dee’

Dennis Thomas Alkins celebrated his 94th birthday on Friday, October 9. Tony Romero submitted this article to wish this “man of God” a happy birthday on behalf of those ‘Dee’ has influenced.

All of us must sit with our elders and first teachers to glean from them the deep reservoirs of wisdom and knowledge they gained through decades of struggle and victory. Their understanding comes from guidance by the Spirit of God.

Wisdom speaks to us if we can pause and listen, and place our feet in the steps left by our elders, observing and capturing their every habit and moment before the Lord.

Today, I bring you my brother and spiritual father, Dennis Thomas Alkins. God gifted him with the baritone voice, ruggedness, and no-nonsense attitude of St Paul and St John the Baptist when it comes to preaching the Good News and deliverance. His knowledge came, like St Paul, through direct intervention from the Holy Spirit.

In the early days of the Renewal, Word of Life Community in Arima was the epicentre of evangelisation and training for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. At Word of Life, you could hear the baritone voice of the brother bellowing to someone who came for ministry, the verses recorded in John 8:31–32: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”

Another favourite verse of his was, “In All thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path” (Prov 3:6).

‘Dee’ became a father-figure to many of us who had abusive fathers, fathers in absentia, or those addicted to drugs. He also led us into ministry, which included exorcism at Word of Life and throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

As an evangelist, Dennis went all over the country. He ministered in those areas, hidden from the camera and the spotlight and preached the Word of God in power.

He formed the first men’s group in the country, trained priests, and lay-people alike through God’s guidance for the deliverance ministry. He ministered to the poor and often forgotten folks in the northern parts of Trinidad and throughout the nation.

Prayer groups benefitted from the ministry of Brother Dennis and The Word of Life cadre during the 70s and 80s.

We are losing so much knowledge and wisdom and experience from our seniors who are willing to share if only we will sit down and listen. They should be honoured and exalted as champions for the Gospel of Jesus Christ instead of hidden and retired and forgotten in some home or on a bed somewhere.