by Kristine Lucrida

Two days before Obama’s inauguration, Last Generation went to work in Washington, D.C.

Patriotic insignia flooded the cold streets of Washington, D.C. Policemen, security guards, and helicopters swarmed around the Lincoln Memorial. Over 400,000 people from around the world assembled on January 18, 2009, to attend a concert entitled “We Are One.” Thousands were excited about the impending inauguration of the United States’ first African-American president. A thrill of hope was in the air!

Hartland staff and students were also there, not to enjoy Bono and Renee Fleming, but to take advantage of this spirit of hope by passing out Last Generation magazines: “The Perfect Economic Storm” and “Back to Basics.” This spirit made possible a day of notable progress for God’s truth. “This was the most receptive group of people I’ve ever seen,” said Brian Beavers, Hartland’s outreach coordinator.

Nathan, a student who participated, recalls an experience he had. “I noticed a group of teenagers dressed in black. Even their make-up and dyed hair were black. I thought they would never accept this magazine, so I was surprised that one of the girls in the group took it. As she walked toward a trash can, I thought, She is going to throw it away. I prayed for the Lord to impress their hearts to read these precious truths. She then passed the trash can, sat down, and began reading. As she read intently, her friends looked curiously over her shoulder. Then I knew that the Lord was working not only on them, but also on all the people who received the Last Generation magazines.”

The Lord blessed the efforts of His servants. “It’s amazing how God can use strangers who initially didn’t plan on passing out literature,” said Bogdan, a student. Eva, another student, describes her experience. “As I handed out the magazines, two women approached me asking, ‘Could we have a couple of magazines to pass out?’ I decided to give her all the magazines in my hands. I wouldn’t have given that stack to her if I hadn’t seen how sincere she was. I know she gave out all the magazines.”

God used this secular event to further His cause. While many who attended had that spirit of hope we mentioned earlier, many were also apprehensive about our current economic crisis. Sharing this truth-filled literature at this event couldn’t have been timelier. The group succeeded in passing out about 9,000 Last Generation magazines in only four hours. Bradley (age 13) exclaimed, “It’s fun to share the gospel. If you haven’t experienced it, I advise you to give it a try!”