Festival

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Bolivians Move to Tears in Festival Opener

'Hunger' for Gospel Overflows in Bolivia

Saturday, March 09, 2013

Thousands Watch From Outside; 30,000-plus Hear Gospel in La Paz

With every available square foot being used inside Rafael Mendoza Castellón Stadium, a jumbo-screen TV outside helped share the Gospel message to thousands more in the overflow area on Saturday evening in La Paz, Bolivia.

By Trevor Freeze

A mob scene at a soccer stadium?

In Latin American culture, maybe you'd find this for a fútbol match. But to come and hear about Jesus?

Yet that was exactly the scene just outside La Paz’s Rafael Mendoza Castellón Stadium, where thousands simply would not fit inside for the Festival de Esperanza with Franklin Graham.

Bolivians were packed in the stands, shoulder-to-shoulder, and every usable square foot on the infield was filled with red and white plastic chairs. By the time the 4 p.m. event began, the doors had been locked and those in line became restless, feverishly trying to get in.

“You can tell there’s a hunger for the supernatural,” Festival Director Galo Vazquez said. “And that’s what the Gospel is all about.”

In all, 31,250 made their way to the stadium by car, bus, mini-bus, taxi and foot, including several thousands who watched the Festival on a jumbo TV screen in an overflow area outside the stadium.

But that official count was at least two people short.

Maria, 33, and Yumi, 30, came to the Festival right around 4 p.m. and were told there was no room inside. So the two friends who met at church did the only sensible thing: They climbed the nearby Achumani mountain range and took in Festival de Esperanza from a bird's-eye view.

Popular Christian artists Matamba and Daniel Calveti could easily be heard from their perch.

“We have a good view up here,” Maria said. “And you can still hear very well.”

But still, Maria couldn’t help being “a little disappointed,” by not getting in. “But what can you do?”

For the 800-plus involved churches, some for as long as 18 months, you just keep inviting those who need Christ in their lives.

“I think this is terrific,” said Vazquez after more than 2,000 people made decisions for Christ on Saturday night. “You never know what God is going to do. We are rejoicing for the harvest and that God has answered so many prayers.”

Franklin Graham preached from Luke 15 on the prodigal son, stressing how “the father ran to his son and put his hands around him. And the son said, ‘I’ve sinned against you. I’m sorry, please forgive me.'”

He paused, just briefly, and drove home the message: “That’s what the Father will do for you. He’ll put his arms around you and forgive you.”

“Franklin Graham has been amazing, preaching with such conviction and authority,” Vazquez said.

Even before the invitation was given, many had come forward. By the time Franklin Graham called people forward to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, hundreds were pouring down the aisle.

Teen Turns from Alcohol

One of the hundreds to receive Jesus on Saturday evening was Esther, a 14-year-old impressionable teen from El Alto, just north of La Paz.

Coming from a non-Christian home, Esther’s eyes were open when she saw the crowd singing, dancing and worshipping God — even fellow teens.

“She saw that young people and Christians can have fun without alcohol,” said Ariane Paucara, a 21-year-old Festival counselor from La Paz.

The 14-year-old had dabbled in the alcohol and drug scene, which has become more common in the city of El Alto, according to Paucara. According to other locals at the Festival, some teens are using rubbing alcohol mixed with Coca-Cola or powdered Kool-Aid as an inexpensive alternative to getting wasted.

“Because there are a lot of parties,” Paucara said, “it has become common to drink at these parties, even underage.”

But there was something about Esther’s body language that caught Paucara’s attention. As she was explaining what it meant to accept Christ into her life, other girls seemed distracted, but not Esther.

“The other girls were looking around,” Paucara said. “But she was really paying attention and really listening. I think she really made a decision for Christ tonight.”

More Festival Information:

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In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

Bolivians Move to Tears in Festival Opener

How Festival Changed Small Bolivia Town

Saturday, March 09, 2013

10 Busloads Travel 9 Hours Each Night to Hear Franklin Graham Preach Gospel

One 27-year-old woman, still dealing with domestic abuse at home, found freedom this weekend when she traveled nine hours to the Festival of Hope and saw many of her friends come to Christ.

By Kristy Etheridge

When Fernando Larrea heard Franklin Graham was holding a Festival in Bolivia, he knew exactly what he needed to do: shout it from the mountaintops.

As general manager of a Bolivian radio station, he was in the perfect position to do just that.

“We wanted people to get to hear Franklin Graham,” said Larrea, who manages JHV Radio in the community of Oruro, about 140 miles south of La Paz. “We wanted them to hear the Gospel.”

So, Larrea spread the word, broadcasting details of the March 8-10 Festival de Esperanza (Festival of Hope) over the airwaves of Oruro. He invited all of JHV’s listeners to come to La Paz and hear a message of forgiveness, love and salvation and even arranged nine-hour round-trip bus rides.

Among the people who heard the invitation was a young woman named Ana,* who decided to do everything in her power to make it to the Festival.

“I wanted to see the concert, but most of all I wanted to see Franklin,” said the 27-year-old.

As excited as she was to attend the Festival, she knew she faced some obstacles on the road to La Paz.

First, she had to figure out how to get to the venue. Rafael Mendoza Castellón Stadium is a four-hour drive from her home in Oruro. Then, there was the issue of money. Food and lodging would be expensive —maybe too expensive. But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was right under Ana’s roof.

As a single woman, cultural expectations dictate that Ana must live with her parents and obey them at all times. She needed to ask their permission to make the journey to the Festival, and she was almost certain the answer would be a resounding "no.”

But God is full of surprises. To Ana’s delight and amazement, her parents said “yes.”

“It’s kind of a miracle my parents gave me permission to come, because my parents aren’t Christians,” said Ana, who is the only Christian in her family of 10.

Each day, Ana prays for her family to come to know Christ, even as she carries a heavy burden.

“I come from a family with a lot of domestic violence,” she said, explaining that she continually experiences emotional and physical abuse behind closed doors. Hard to believe the bright, brown eyes smiling beneath a worn baseball cap have seen so much pain.

Ana is not alone. The Festival’s committee chairman, Pastor Johnny Dueri, says domestic violence is a major problem in Bolivia.

Even though Ana had her hands full in her turbulent household, she refused to let anything stand in the way of inviting others to the Festival. She asked five friends to join her in La Paz. None had ever heard about Jesus. On Friday night, during Franklin Graham’s message, that changed.

“They were overwhelmed by the Gospel,” said Ana, who was filled with joy when her friends decided that night to follow Christ.

“I was with one of my friends who is a sergeant in the police. He said, ‘This is so unique. I never thought there was a different life than the one I have now.’ He said he’s going to be committed, and he’s going to introduce his wife to Jesus,” said Ana.

As for the determined radio broadcaster from Oruro, his on-air announcements about the Festival worked. The small community had its own section in the stadium. Larrea even helped make transportation arrangements for anyone who wanted to come. He averaged 10 busloads of people per night.

For the people of Oruro, it wasn’t an easy journey. The trips were exhausting. But when asked whether it was worth it, Ana didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Definitely, it was worth the time and the long trip.”

*Name has been changed in order to protect the identity of the person.

More Festival Information:

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In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

Bolivians Moved to Tears in Festival Opener

Friday, March 08, 2013

Festival of Hope in La Paz Draws More than 20,000

When two friends in their 20s felt the Holy Spirit prompt them to come to Friday night's Festival de Esperanza in La Paz, Bolivia, little did they know their night would end with tears of salvation.

By Trevor Freeze

Two 20-something friends, Alvuro and Franklin, had heard about this Festival de Esperanza coming to town.

They had received plenty of invites from other friends. They knew it was this weekend at the soccer stadium in La Paz. Three nights. A lot of bands. A lot of fun. Franklin Graham preaching.

But neither really wanted to go.

“They couldn’t decide whether to come or not,” said Festival counselor Juan Carlos Duarte. “But something moved them to come.”

Maybe not so coincidentally, a team of prayer warriors have been lifting up the Festival de Esperanza (Festival of Hope) all week. Even on Friday morning, many were praying specifically for those who were on the fence, that the Holy Spirit would pierce their hearts.

Alvuro, 25, and Franklin, 26, were pierced not once Friday, but twice.

“They couldn’t explain it,” Duarte said. “But there was something in their hearts that moved them to come tonight and again to come forward.”

What they heard when they came to Rafael Mendoza Castellón Stadium on Friday was entertaining and uplifting music, most notably the popular Christian/Latin pop crossover duo Tercer Cielo, whose love ballads have been played at many Bolivian weddings.

They also heard a crystal clear Gospel message from Franklin Graham, who preached out of Mark 10:46-52, about the blind man Bartimaeus who called out to Jesus as he passed and was healed because he cried out Jesus’ name in faith.

Alvuro and Franklin had a similar experience as they made their way to the front — along with a throng of more than 1,000 other Bolivians — as Franklin Graham gave a clear invitation to receive Christ.

Duarte could see in their eyes, they were ready for a life-changing relationship.

“They both were crying,” Duarte said. “They were both happy they came and they gave their life to Christ.”

Duarte, 42, who lives in La Paz, had no doubt he was witnessing two souls on fire for Christ, even as temperatures had dropped into the mid-40s.

“They said their lives were messy and were destroyed,” Duarte said. “Seeing the tears made me think there was real repentance.”

Duarte, himself, was moved by the crowd’s response to Franklin’s message: “Tonight, are you willing to cry for mercy? Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus and He’ll stop for you.”

Bolivians started moving down the aisles about halfway through Franklin Graham’s message and many had already made it to the infield by the time the invitation was given. Two women, dressed in traditional Bolivian clothing and hats, began running toward the front.

“Very special,” Duarte said of his Festival counseling experience. “It was memorable to walk down the stairs with them. I felt like I was going on the journey with them to meet God. Very special.”

The Festival de Esperanza is the 14th Franklin Graham Festival in South America and the second one in Bolivia (Santa Cruz, 1999). With more than 800 churches involved, expectations for God to do great things continue throughout the weekend, with festivities beginning at 4 p.m. local time both Saturday and Sunday.

More Festival Information:

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In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

Three-Day Festival Brings Hope to Bolivia Mountain City

Thursday, March 07, 2013

Franklin Graham Address La Paz Media for March 8-10 Outreach

After preaching in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, in 1999, Franklin Graham was a bit hesitant to return to the country to preach in La Paz, with an altitude over 2 miles above sea level. “I was afraid I may faint in front of a crowd of people," he said at a press conference Thursday in La Paz. "But we prayed and felt like God was calling us to come."

By Kristy Etheridge

As media from all over Bolivia gathered in the city of La Paz Thursday, one thing was clear: Like all of us, Bolivians are searching for hope.

During the March 8-10 Festival with Franklin Graham, more than 800 Bolivian churches will band together to freely offer that hope by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Because of the social problems we’re having in our country, some pastors decided to invite Franklin Graham, because we know he delivers hope,” said Pastor Johnny Dueri, executive committee chairman for this weekend’s Festival de Esperanza, which translates to “Festival of Hope.”

There was just one problem. Franklin Graham was hesitant, at first, to come to this part of Bolivia to speak. He came to Santa Cruz in 1999, but the city of La Paz reaches heights of 13,500 feet, making it the highest capital city in the world.

“I wasn’t sure I would be able to preach,” said Franklin Graham. “I was afraid I may faint in front of a crowd of people, and that would be very embarrassing. But we prayed, and we felt like God was calling us to come.”

Graham arrived in La Paz several days early in order to adjust to the altitude. Still, Festival organizers have a back-up plan.

“They have provided an oxygen tank, so I can take a breath of oxygen if I need it,” Franklin Graham said with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ll need it.”

With the Festival set to begin Friday evening, excitement is building in La Paz. As local church leaders gather for final preparations, their anticipation is palpable. It’s clear that they’re expecting the Holy Spirit to move in a powerful way among the people of Bolivia.

“Our society needs a deep change. It needs transformation,” Johnny Dueri said. “When we see violence in the family and violence in the streets, we know something is wrong in the people’s hearts.”

His daughter-in-law, Monica Dueri, has worked for Samaritan’s Purse in La Paz since 2009. She echoed her father-in law’s sentiments.

“There is a lot of sadness here,” she said. “You see it on the people’s faces. And you cannot give them jobs. You cannot give them money. You cannot give them hope. Only Christ can do that.”

Monica Dueri will attend the festival all three nights. Like hundreds of other believers in La Paz, she has invited friends who don’t know Christ.

“I think the hope for everyone who’s taking someone is not only that they will hear the Gospel, but accept Jesus Christ as a friend and savior,” she said.

Monica Dueri loves her breathtaking mountain city and believes God’s work is visible in her hometown — if you just open your eyes.

“Look at the houses built on the mountains. The land isn’t always steady. It can be very dangerous,” she said.

But somehow, the houses stand, even as they appear to cling precariously from the steep ledges.

“It seems like someone is really holding the houses,” Monica Dueri said.

She believes the same God who holds up the homes of La Paz will move among her people this weekend. Most of all, she believes the words of Jesus Christ will spread hope.

“It’s amazing to see how the Gospel can change and transform a community.”

More Festival Information:

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In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

Expectations, Altitude for Festival Reach New Heights

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Two Miles Above Sea Level, Gospel to be Proclaimed in Cool Climate

Johnny Dueri, a La Paz native who is the Executive Committee Chairman for this weekend's Festival of Hope, has great expectations of the high-altitude evangelistic event: "We’re expecting a lot of people to come to the Lord."

By Trevor Freeze

Perched some 13,000 feet above sea level, the city of La Paz, Bolivia, is unlike almost any other place on earth.

There’s no quick way to describe it. Sure, you could say it’s a metropolis of more than a million people living in a region more than twice as high as Denver, Colorado. But it’s much more complex than that.

Pastor Johnny Dueri, a La Paz native and executive committee chairman of the March 8-10 Festival of Hope (Festival de Esperanza) with Franklin Graham, gives it his best shot.

Describe La Paz:

“La Paz is like a canyon, but it’s filled with houses,” Dueri said.

He pauses briefly, then extrapolates.

“It has mountains on one side and flat lands on the other side. And rivers that go underneath. ... It’s a valley, but not really a valley.”

Clear as mud, right? Dueri finally finds words to try to do his city justice.

“At night, it’s illuminated like heaven.”

Not Vegas. Or a Christmas tree. Or the solar system. But “heaven.”

La Paz might not be heaven to everyone, but then again, most people don’t have the passion for this city like Dueri does.

Born and raised in La Paz, Dueri, 59, spent his college years in southern California, bouncing between UCLA, Pepperdine and UC-Santa Barbara, graduating with an electrical engineering degree. But in 1976, he came back.

Sure, California was nice, but La Paz … well, La Paz is home. Dueri couldn’t escape this burden to reach his city for Christ.

“I’ve always had a calling on my life,” said Dueri, who worked for 25 years before finally becoming a full-time pastor a decade ago. “I’ve always wanted to do ministry, but it was what I did on the side. It’s very hard to see it as a job. I enjoy it too much.”

So shortly after moving back to Bolivia in the mid-70s, Dueri and two other close “brethren” began a small church. Some 37 years later, that church is still going.

The three “brethren” are still together. In fact, there are eight pastors who serve three campuses of the non-denominational Congregational Christiana, including one in the bedroom community of El Alto.

And these three churches are among the 800-plus churches that have caught the vision of this weekend’s Festival of Hope. So much so that expectations are through the open-air roof of the soccer stadium where Franklin Graham will present the Gospel message of Jesus.

“We’re expecting a lot of people to come to the Lord,” Dueri said. “We expect the churches to grow. We even expect the authorities to be touched somehow.”

They are also praying for favorable weather this weekend. Forecasts for the 50s and rain have dramatically improved over the past week to low 60s with little precipitation.

“La Paz has a mild climate,” Dueri said. “Right now we’re getting off the rainy season. We’re praying it will be sunny for those three days.”

And if not?

“People are used to the cold here. They’ll probably put on a coat and come. It’s not too cold. Not like cold in the U.S. It rarely snows here.”

Just a couple hours down the mountain it’s actually quite warm in Bolivia. In fact, within an afternoon’s drive down an “old curvy road carved into a mountain” — known to some locals as “death road” — you’ll find a subtropical climate where pineapples, papaya, watermelon and tangerines are grown.

In other parts of Bolivia, quinoa is grown and has become a hot export as a trendy grain full of protein, particularly popular in many U.S. diets. Also found in the flatlands that extend to Peru are potatoes, corn and peas.

But this weekend, the Festival of Hope is not about food. Rather, it's about the sustenance that only the Father can provide through the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

“Our prayer is for our city to be touched by God’s power and the Gospel of the Good News," Dueri said.

For Dueri, nothing would make him happier. He invites others to join him in prayer for his country to experience revival through the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit.

“We’re expecting people to understand that the only way to change life is through Christ,” Dueri said. “He’s our only hope.”

More Festival Information:

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In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

More Than 800 Churches Join La Paz Festival

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Perfect Timing for March 8-10 Franklin Graham Evangelistic Outreach

Up high in the mountains of Bolivia the area of La Paz and El Alto are dealing with great uncertainty, bringing churches together like never before: “They are not sure about the future,” said Festival of Hope Director Galo Vazquez. “It’s a society in transition at all levels.”

By Trevor Freeze

If time is of the essence, then the timing of the Franklin Graham's Festival of Hope in La Paz, Bolivia couldn’t be more essential.

The Good News will be proclaimed outdoors at the tail end of the rainy season, as summer turns into fall in this South American metro area some 13,000 feet above sea level.

A crisp Gospel message delivered in the crisp mountain air.

But any uncertainty of weather conditions for the March 8-10 evangelistic outreach pales in comparison to the region’s outlook.

“They are not sure about the future,” said Festival of Hope Director Galo Vazquez. “It’s a society in transition at all levels.”

When souls are at stake, there’s never a moment to waste. But in the case of La Paz, those hours seem to be ticking down in slow motion for churches involved.

In many ways, the Festival of Hope can’t get here quick enough.

Since 2011, there has been a passion to bring a revival to La Paz by local church leaders who dream of the life-changing Gospel sparking a fire that turns its city around — and to God.

“They are looking at it as THE time to preach the Gospel,” Vazquez said. “There’s a fear or concern that in the near future things may change radically and they won’t have the same freedoms as they have now.”

So churches — by the hundreds — are jumping at the opportunity for a region-wide Franklin Graham Festival, one that firmly unites the churches of La Paz and the neighboring bedroom community of El Alto.

To date, more than 800 churches are involved in the Festival, with many booking buses to transport people to the three-day events, many who live up in the mountains of El Alto.

“Right now there is a projection of over 900 buses for the three nights,” Vazquez said.

The three-day event at Rafael Mendoza Castellón — also known as Achumani Stadium — will transform the 15,000-seat soccer stadium into an arena for revival with extra seating.

Headline musical artists include Tercer Cielo on Friday, Daniel Calveti on Saturday and Alex Campos on Sunday.

The Tommy Coomes Band along with Dennis Agajanian and the Guitierrez Brothers will set the stage musically — as well as local bands — for Franklin Graham to deliver a Gospel presentation each evening.

It’s the second Bolivian Festival for Franklin Graham, who preached in Santa Cruz in 1999.

“It’s been very, very encouraging to see the response of the local churches,” said Vazquez as this year’s Festival of Hope has three times the number of churches involved as Santa Cruz. “Every step. Every initiative. We are very much encouraged.”

Follow the Festival of Hope on BGEA's Facebook and Twitter pages.

In Spanish, follow the Festival de Esperanza Bolivia Facebook page.

Lecrae and Michael W. Smith in Haiti

Lecrae's Arresting Call to Serve Christ

Sunday, February 10, 2013

How Grammy-winning Christian Rapper Found Jesus

Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae, who won the Best Gospel Album Grammy for "Gravity" on Sunday, shares how a police officer and Jesus both gave him a second chance at life.

By Joy Allmond

Growing up on the south side of Houston, Lecrae Moore was raised by a single mother and heavily influenced by relatives who were gang members. “I was brought up in hip-hop culture, and I idolized my uncles, who were involved in gangs. I even wanted every tattoo those uncles had. I just sat on their laps and soaked it all in.”

As a teen, he was imitating the life his early influences lived before him. Still, he knew something was missing. He kept a Bible in his car as what he calls at that time of his life “a good luck charm.” As it turns out, “luck” couldn’t protect him from getting caught in possession of drugs.

A Merciful Moment

The police officer who arrested him saw the Bible in his car, and asked Lecrae if he knew what that Book is all about. Lecrae replied that he didn’t know, but that he knew he needed to understand. The officer let him go, if he promised to spend some time in the Bible.

Lecrae held up his end of the deal.

“I never wanted to get into that kind of trouble again,” said Lecrae, who has performed at many "Rock" youth evangelism events for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

At the encouragement of a Christian leader, he attended a conference and heard what Jesus Christ had done for him on the cross. Thus began the transformation in his life as he asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.

Hearing God’s Call

With a talent already intact, Lecrae began freestyle rapping after Bible studies. Encouraged by his community of believers, he took his gift to the juvenile detention centers to minister to the residents. He later performed at BGEA's Rock the River Tour West, where he became more passionate than ever about sharing the message that saved his life.

“It is very humbling that I get to do this, and I don’t want to get used to it," he said at the time. "People are hungering and thirsting for something. I want to serve them with quality music, and more importantly, deliver a message that will challenge and inspire change in their lives.”

The most crucial thing he says he does to prepare for an event like Rock the River in St. Louis (2009) or Rock the Range in Denver (2011) is to pray and focus on the Scriptures. “I spend time in prayer and meditate on God’s truth, and allow that truth to penetrate my heart. If I don’t believe it can change anyone, they are just empty words.”

Although he is well regarded as one of the premier Christian rap artists, he does not forget the depths from which God brought him.

“I have to remember what God did for me. He loved me when I was unlovable. I feel fortunate to have a huge family that extends beyond race and culture. Now, I also have a Father who shepherds us all. When I think about that, it blows my mind. There’s nothing like it.”

Festival of Hope Reaches Into Thin Air

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Franklin Graham Returning to Bolivia for La Paz Outreach

At two miles above sea level, the altitude of La Paz, Bolivia can only be matched by the lofty prayers of the 700-plus churches involved in preparation for the Franklin Graham Festival of Hope March 8-10.

By Trevor Freeze

Perched high in a South American mountain range — twice as high as Denver — live more than 2 million people in the metro area of La Paz, Bolivia.

The city is serviced by El Alto International Airport, the world’s highest International airport at 13,325 feet above sea level.

Water boils here at 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

But even the high La Paz altitude can’t quite match the expectations for the upcoming Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham March 8-10.

“The leaders are quite excited about what God is ready to do in that country,” said Viktor Hamm, Vice President of Crusades for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “There’s over 700 churches involved and there’s a lot of prayer going on in the La Paz area.”

The excitement was evident at the launch event 14 months ago as 942 church and local leaders attended.

To date, 777 churches are involved in preparations for the Festival of Hope, which will feature Dennis Agajanian and The Gutierrez Brothers, The Tommy Coomes Band, along with acclaimed artists Daniel Calveti, Tercer Cielo and Alex Campos.

“We have lined up a tremendous group of international musicians,” Hamm said.

Ministry has already been in full motion in both La Paz and its neighbor city El Alto. Each city hosted a children’s festival in October where a combined total of more than 14,000 attended and over 3,000 decisions were made for Christ.

“Hundreds of buses are booked already,” Hamm said, “with close to 30,000 people ready to come to the Festival.”

This marks the second time Franklin Graham has come to Bolivia to hold a Festival — with Santa Cruz hosting one in 1999. It's also the 14^thFestival in South America with Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the most recent host of an evangelistic outreach in May of 2010.

The BGEA has also invested ministry in Bolivia through My Hope, a nationwide relationship evangelism outreach, which culminated in October 2004.

“La Paz is a city that has been prayed for by a good number of people who have a burden for the destiny of this city,” Hamm said. “It’s a pretty modern city with all the social and spiritual challenges you would face in North America or other parts of the world.”

A growing city, La Paz attracts many people from nearby mountain towns with vistas of Illimani, a triple-peak snow-capped mountain range.

“Communities were established outside the core city of La Paz, closer to the airport (in El Alto),” Hamm said. “That’s where the new churches were established and that’s where a lot of the buses will be coming from.”

Thus far, more than 10,000 Operation Andrew cards have been filled out, representing approximately 70,000 people who are being prayed for and invited to the Festival. Nearly 9,000 have been trained through Christian Life and Witness classes with more than 3,000 counselors signed up for the three-night event.

“There’s been a lot of preparation, a lot of expectations about what will happen in La Paz,” Hamm said. "They are really looking forward to hearing from Franklin Graham.”

Franklin Graham’s South American Festivals

1991: Londrina, Brazil

1998: Lima, Peru

1999: Santa Cruz, Bolivia

2001: Recife, Brazil

2002: Mendoza, Argentina

2003: Rosario, Argentina

2004: Temuco, Chile

2005: Asuncion, Paraguay

2006: Quito, Ecuador

2007: Guayaquil, Ecuador

2009: Bogota, Columbia

2009: Montevideo, Uruguay

2010: Belo Horizonte, Brazil

2013: La Paz, Bolivia

Tens of Thousands Meet Jesus in Juba

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Festival Brings 'A Future and A Hope' to South Sudan

Thank you for praying for the Hope for a New Nation Festival with Franklin Graham in South Sudan. More than 98,500 heard the Gospel over two nights in Juba. We are praising God for the thousands who accepted Christ as their Savior.

“Hope for a New Nation” brought the Gospel home to nearly 100,000 people Friday and Saturday at John Gerang Memorial Park in Juba, and the people received the message with joy.

Both days began in sweltering heat, with the sun beating down on the thousands in attendance. People found shade where they could, or used umbrellas or even a washcloth on their heads to fight the heat.

In spite of the heat, the 500-member choir sang for more than a half hour straight in a jubilant offering of praise to God that had many in the crowd swaying and dancing as well.

As the sun sank lower, offering relief from the heat, The Tommy Coomes Band and Dennis Agajanian also presented songs of praise. Then Franklin Graham preached from the Word of God: The story of Bartimeus the blind man on Friday, and the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector on Saturday.

These are simple stories of how God met people in their need, but God obviously drove the message into hearts. Both evenings, when Franklin gave the invitation to receive Christ, people young and old alike ran forward to the platform. Over the two nights, more than 6,270 responded to the invitation.

As the inquirers were being counseled on Saturday, Bishop James Lagos Alexander, national coordinator for the Festival, said: “I think this is a great feeling. And it’s telling me that God is answering our prayers.

“And today, it’s wonderful. So God is reigning in this nation. God is blessing this nation. God is pouring in and bringing hope to this nation. And God’s Name will be exalted. And South Sudan is not going to be the same. God has visited us yesterday and tonight, and we’re not going to be the same. And the churches of this land are not going to be the same. Praise the Lord. May His Name be praised!”

Report courtesy of Bob Paulson, Decision Magazine

Friday, Oct. 26—As the Hope for a New Nation Festival with Franklin Graham kicks off in Juba, South Sudan, tonight, tens of thousands of people are expected to gather at John Garang Memorial Park to hear a Gospel message from Franklin Graham, and music from a 500-voice choir, Dennis Agajanian and the Tommy Coomes Band.

With every minute that passes until the first note sounds at 5 p.m., excitement and anticipation are building. Pastor Mawan, senior pastor of Juba international Chapel, said his expectations for the Festival are high: "This is the first time since the nation has been formed that so many people of God will be coming together.”

Mawan is praying that many people will come to know Jesus as their personal Savior during the Festival. "If they do," he added, "our churches will grow and we will have influence in our nation.”

Afaf Awad, a woman counselor who attends Hope Pentecostal Church in Munuki, told Decision Magazine that she has encouraged people from her family and her area to come with her to the Festival. “I’ve spoken to many people; I didn’t count them,” she said. “Some of them have said they will come. So many responded, and today some people came and visited me at my house and asked me when the program will start.”

Awad believes her involvement with the Festival is part of her life’s purpose which is to proclaim His Name. “Through me, people in my family have received Jesus Christ. And I made a covenant with myself, a vow, that all my life I will be a servant of God."

Evangelist Charles Lumori with the Episcopal Church of the Sudan said he has seen the testimonies. “Already there are people knowing Christ…before the Festival, and now they want to come among this multitude to express their joy and happiness."

During a Thursday dedication service, the choir stood patiently in a mixture of rain and a few moments of sun without complaining, reported Festival Director Hans Mannegren. “When the choir sang the Hope for a New Nation song, the strength of their voices and passion came through strongly. When they sang other praise songs in Arabic, their passion was equally as clear.

“They were also praying with great fervor as they dedicated the park and the meetings to the Lord,” said Mannegren.

"Only God knows what will happen after the Festival," said Bishop Archangelo from the African Inland Church in Sudan. "I believe God is making a new beginning. This is a time that God is preparing us as his vessels to reach out to people in this new nation."