It was a tremendous eye-opener for our teenagers to take a trip in late May to Aguascalientes, Mexico.

We were able to go with Dr. Ernest Gambrell who heads Fundamental Baptist World Wide Mission. We were able to learn a couple of important lessons.

First, we were at the border for over 13 hours. The border police on the Mexican side did not want us to cross over. It was very irritating, but very good for the teens to endure. Many times we think that because we are Americans, everyone will bow and move over when we want them to move. Through the help of a lawyer, our tour bus was eventually given a pass.

The second thing that we were able to learn is how the country is so controlled by the idolatry and traditions of the Catholic church. We were able to visit the only basilica in Mexico and actually saw people on their knees crawling to the front of the basilica to pray to a 13-inch doll known as the Virgin of Zapopan.

The following excerpts from a Catholic brochure describe what the Catholic Church claims for this 13-inch high ceramic doll:

"The statue of our Lady of Zapopan is a little carved piece of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother...

...In 1641, information was sent to the Holy See, by order of most reverend Don Juan Ruiz Colmenero, concerning the miracles that God had worked through this holy image. (The Indians had the statue hidden for some time so that they wouldn't be deprived of such a precious relic). The information was necessary in order to declare the image to be Thaumaturge (Worker of Miracles).

At her feet in 1655, Bishop Colmenero and all his clergy promised to confess, to hold, and to defend her Immaculate Conception; and the same bishop changed her feast day from the 8^th to the 18^th of December.

...The city of Guadalajara was stricken by pestilence and the Most Rev. Nicolas Gomez de Cervantes issued a decree in 1734 which permitted processions and visits of Our Lady of Zapopan in the city. When the Cathedral Chapter, and the Royal Court of Justice noted a miracle that upon taking the statue of Our Lady to every suburb, the pestilence stopped immediately, they declared her (Our Lady) patroness against thunders, storms and epidemics...

...For ten years, since 1946, the water level of Lake Chapala (A lake some 20 miles outside of Guadalajara), diminished tremendously. At the beginning of 1956, Guadalajara and the lower region (Bajio) underwent an unbelievable shortage of water. Then the whole city of Guadalajara, headed by Caridnal Garibi, implored the Blessed Virgin's aid, who during four centuries has protected the people and consoled it when in sorrow; and the Blessed Virgin answered their prayers obtaining from her Blessed Son the benefit of the former increase of water. Then the original Holy Statue was taken in procession to the Lake of Chapala, where Cardinal Garibi celebrated a Pontifical Mass of Gratitude to God who through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, so succored his faithful servants.

With the usual conditions, the faithful are granted plenary indulgence by assisting to the feasts of the Blessed Virgin, the 18^th, of December.

Another plenary indulgence, applicable to the poor souls of Purgatory, may be gained, by hearing Mass or praying (any devotion), in the Basilica, the 18^th of every month. An indulgence of 200 days is granted, by saying the Litanies of the Blessed Virgin before the Holy Statue of Our Lady of Zapopan.

(Plenary Indulgences: "The remission of the total temporal punishment which is still due to sin after it has been forgiven"-Random House American Dictionary.)