Below is any update on today's Saint Paul Street Evengelization (SPSE) Greenvile Team's outing to the Jockey Lot in Anderson, but before that, let me give thanks to God Almighty and all those who have helped us so far in our mission to bring the Truth in Love to the many desperate and hungry souls who need salvation and to those who say they believe the Gospel but do not believe the whole Gospel preserved and presented in its fullness in the Catholic Church. When we requested prayers and funding for materials we have received both - for that I am grateful. Not only that but a new evangelist, Mason, came out with me last week on a Saturday and plans to come out again (we plan on doing Saturday's once monthly). If you are interested in helping here are some ways:

1) Pray: Please consider becoming a SPSE Prayer Warrior. You can pray for our efforts or you can come out with us and simply pray while we evangelize. If this is what you want to do please let me know and I will add you to the team as a Prayer Warrior. Pray the Rosary for our efforts and if possible please pray one Chaplet of St. Mary Madeline mentioning all the names of all we have reached so far.

2) Evangelize: If you would like to come out and evangelize let me know! There is some very good training that SPSE offers to help equip you. Our next outings are as follows - Sunday 8/13 0700-1200, Saturday 8/19 0700-1200, Sunday 8/27 0700-1200.

3)  Donate: At this point we have been well provided for. Because of some very generous donors I was able to buy more Spanish booklets, pamphlets, Bibles, and more...a back wall for our canopy and a very authentic copy of the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

4) Make Rosaries: We will host a Rosary making party on Sunday 8/13 from 1400-1700 at my house.

So far, we know we have reached over a hundred people with the Gospel and planted seeds that will help them consider the Catholic Church. Here are the names of those whom we have met (remember there are many more that engaged us or took Holy Cards, Pamphlets and other items for whom we do not know their names): Pauline, Kayla & John, Will, Jack Finley, Bill, Debbie, Danny & Carol, Joshua James,  Pat, Christine (mom) and Sherlyn (daughter), Daisy (mom) & Lily (daughter), Rosalva & Juan, Barbara & Eric (with 5 kids), Angela Maria & Senovio, Marcos & Amanda, Aaron & Becky, Rena, Angie & Greg, Harry Smith, Hernandez & Elvia Cruz, Clara, Alejandra & Julio, Bonnie, Daniel Jimenez Ramirez & Maria Candelaria Trejo, Dolores, Brian, Jose Rodriguez, Gloria, Jose Rodriguez, Mateo Cruz & Natalia Gonzalez, Jim & Gail, Jimmy Brown, Wayne, Midal, Nestor, Tracey, Isabel & Gabe, Honorio, Miguel Dias, Mira, Chandu, Tray Patrick, Dennis, Paton, Juan,  Izabel and Margarito, Julia & Juana, Russell, Maria, Mariela, Mike & Melinda, Mr. Wood...

Okay, here is the update from today:

It was hot. Yes, really hot. Hot and dusty, but we made it out alive today. I stood next to the table corner where everyone was walking and handed out over a 100 of our Gospel cards in both English and Spanish. We met so many Hispanics for whom we did not get names. Many of them took pamphlets and Rosaries. Someone took a Spanish Bible. Many of them are Catholic but not currently attending Mass. Ernesto, my Cuban friend, pro-life warrior, and fellow evangelist was able to have friendly conversation with many also directing them to their nearest parish with a Mass in Spanish. Maria and her family took a Rosary and many different pamphlets including a Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth booklet (in Spanish of course). They live in Spartanburg and wanted to get to Mass so Ernesto directed them to Jesus Our Risen Savior which offers the Mass in Spanish.

Mariela and family, who are Catholic, took many Rosaries and pamphlets on how to pray it. The kids spent some time petting my 7 month old mess of a Great Pyrenees puppy Huan and picked out Rosaries of different colors that they liked. This time we busted out the glow in the dark Rosaries (I have hundreds of 'em from giving them out during All Hallows Eve in New York - the state - not the city) and the kids liked that. They also took a Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth booklet. Another Hispanic gentleman was interested in the 3 Minute Catechism DVD but didn't have a DVD player at home so I pointed him to YouTube where he can watch it for free and in Spanish!

We also met Mike and Melinda who identified as Baptist. After giving Melinda a Gospel Card, she was certainly interested in everything we had. Ernesto explained why we were there and that she is welcome to voice any concerns she may have about the Catholic Church. She said the problem she has with Catholics is that she has always been taught that we put Mary ahead or in front of Jesus. I told her I at one time was a member of a Baptist church and had the same suspicions until one day I found out a friend of mine had become Catholic and when he was posting stuff about Mary on his social media account I became interested in finding out what Catholics actually believed about Mary (not what Protestants said about what Catholics believed about Mary). I confirmed to her that we do not put Mary in front of Jesus, we do not believe she is God, and we do not worship her. I said one great example of this is the Mass (or our "Catholic worship service" - trying to use familiar language) in which Jesus is at the center of it all. I explained the intercession of the saints, of those in heaven, that we believe they still pray for us, especially those who are closest to him because of their holiness and great love for God. I connected this with the priesthood of all believers and said that our duty as priests does not cease when we go to heaven. I said in no way does our duty to intercede on behalf of others get in the way of Jesus our One Intercessor in heaven but is sharing in that ministry. She said that she didn't realize Catholics believe that all believers share in the priesthood of Christ. She said she was told that because there are no tears or sorrow in heaven, Christians in heaven do not care about what happens on earth anymore and do not pray for us. I said, we all believe Christ intercedes for us, but he is in heaven where there are no more tears right? Just because there are no more tears, doesn't mean they can't pray for us. I gave her the pamphlets "Praying to the Saints" and "What About Mary?"

We met Mr. Wood, an older wheelchair bound man with a tracheostomy and a veterans hat, who I thanked for serving. He said he wanted to tell me one thing, "I love you and there is nothing you can do about it". He said he has been saying that to everybody he encounters as a way of sharing God's love with them when after facing death in an ICU and waking up after a coma it was one of the first things he said to a "nurse" in his room who began crying after he said that (he believes she was an angel because later she never came back and he asked other nurses about her who denied she existed). He believes it is now his mission to spread this simple message and is going to write a book entitled...okay you may have guessed it..."I Love You and There is Nothing You Can Do About It". He said he was a former Methodist and was very glad to see us out evangelizing.

Peace,

Caleb