Washington D.C.

Thank you to everyone who prayed for our group as we went to D.C. yesterday. The group I was with had a great day. We started off at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It is the largest church in the Western Hemisphere and the seventh largest religious structure in the world. It was a different experience than the cathedrals I have visited in Mexico. There was a lot more truth in some of the writings and pictures than the places in Mexico. Still though there were things that were very unbiblical and it was sad to see the deception of the Catholic church. Everywhere you looked inside, there were images of Mary, stating that she was conceived without sin and asking her to pray for us. Scripture tells us that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, not Mary. There was a huge stained glass window stating that Mary was worthy of all praise and then something saying that Jesus had come to earth through Mary and that through her He would reign. Mary is to be respected, but she was not without sin, only Jesus was and only He is the one worthy to be praised. One of the many chapels we went in at the basilica was to the Lady of Guadalupe. This is the apparition of Mary that was said to have appeared in Mexico City so the Lady of Guadalupe is who many Mexicans are devoted to. After lunch we went back to Union Station to look for opportunities to observe internationals and witness to them. While looking for someone to talk to, a lady in my group told me about this woman she had met who couldn't speak any English. Right away I went over to her and begin to talk to her in Spanish. I asked her about her family, where she was from, and what she was doing in D.C. I asked her if she knew anything about Jesus, and she said "a little." So as best as I could, I witnessed to her in Spanish. I don't know how much of my Spanish she understood, but I got the point across that man is sinful and separated from God and Jesus is the only answer for that problem. About that time, someone else from our group came along that could speak Spanish so he shared some more with her and her husband. They were open and the husband said he wanted to accept Christ but didn't feel like he was ready. The amazing thing is to see how the whole encounter was orchestrated by God. A friend of the lady told us that just minutes before she was telling her how she needed to start going to church....then the lady from our group came along to her...then I came along and shared...then the other guy from our group came along and shared. Seeds have been planted and now we must trust that the Word will not return void (Isaiah 55) but that God is at work in their lives. So all praise to God for a great opportunity and that He used what Spanish I know for His glory.