Shortly after nine o'clock we drove into the Washington, D.C. downtown area and parked the motor home in front of the National Gallery of Art. This gave us a place to rendezvous with the other volunteers and to distribute the BfA materials. From there we went to three locations on the Mall in the nation's capital.

Not long after we set up our distribution tables with brochures and Bibles, people began to walk up to us to learn about our offer. Although traffic was light, there was a steady stream of people who were interested in what we were doing and happy to find that they could instantly receive a Bible simply by filling out the reply card. Before noon, we gave away over 20 Recovery Version New Testaments to passersby and people who work in the area, especially to employees of the National Art Gallery.

While one man was filling out his information card and getting his Bible, he overheard a conversation a volunteer was having with someone about the outline of the Gospel of John in the Recovery Version. After going off with his Bible, he came running back to the motor home and asked, "Could you tell me what it was you were saying to that other man about God coming into man?" The volunteer showed him the outline of John, pointing out its two Roman numerals on the eternal Word through incarnation bringing God into man, and Jesus crucified and Christ resurrected going to bring man into God. Just the reading of these two sentences captivated this believer, and he went off thanking us and the Lord for such light in God's Word. Throughout the morning, he sent his coworkers over to the motor home to get their own New Testament Recovery Version. When he came by later in the day, he exclaimed "You're not just giving away the Bible. You're giving away light. You're giving away the Spirit." Then we asked him if he would like to become a volunteer and labor with us to spread the Recovery Version to others. When he gladly responded, "Yes," we prayed with him, pinned a Bibles for America button on his jacket, filled his pockets with wallet card offers, and sent him rejoicing on his way. We thank the Lord for opening his heart to receive and even to spread God's Word.

In addition to spending time at the Mall, we also sent a team of volunteers to nearby American University, where they distributed about 500 offers in a little over an hour. Several employees there were so happy to obtain a New Testament Recovery Version. Some commented that it was good timing since they had just started going to church again.

While we were in the capital today, we also took time to visit the Pentagon, site of the third attack on September 11. We viewed the building from a nearby grassy slope, where several informal memorials to the victims of the attack were set up. Among the mementos people had left were many reminders to turn to the Lord, to seek after Him, and to love Him. We saw again how much the hearts of this nation's people have turned back to the Lord and are beginning to look to Him, seek Him, and trust in Him more than ever before.

Surely this is the time to go forth with the precious seed the Lord has entrusted to us and commissioned us with spreading. May the Lord water the seed that has fallen on the good soil today and cause it to grow for His satisfaction.