As mentioned by the earlier posts, The group in Ukraine got to help at the Franklin Graham Festival. Stateside, we're getting articles on the Festival from other organizations. I wanted to share them with you. Continue to pray for the group over there. They should have completed their first camp Saturday night, and will gear up for the second camp starting Monday AM. - Jeff Reed
Quoting The Church Report...
Over 120,000 Attend Franklin Graham's Ukraine Festival
The Franklin Graham Festival in Kiev, Ukraine, drew more than 120,000 to Olympic Stadium. This weekend event was a nationwide expression of religious freedom for those who were formerly subjugated to strict communist rule. This event would not have been possible 16 years ago.
The Festival on July 6-8 drew 124,586 people to Keiv with more that 107,000 participating in the event via live satellite broadcast in 104 additional venues across the country. Some attendees traveled 17 hours one way just to attend the event. The second night of the festival saw more that 40,000 people standing in the rain as thousands filled the field at the end of Graham’s message. By the end of the event, 6,694 people responded to the invitation to follow Christ.
“For years, Samaritan’s Purse has used the Ukrainian Antonov airplane to transport hundreds of thousands of our Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse. “Now I am here in your country, not because of the Antonov, but because of the Gospel, the good news that you can have spiritual freedom found in Jesus Christ.”
The president of Ukraine sent his Presidential Orchestra, and in an official written welcome to Franklin Graham and the Festival said: “This Festival is one of the greatest things that can bring us closer together. Thank you for all the work you are doing here. May God bless you.” This is a stark contrast to the region’s religious restrictions under communism.
In conjunction with the Festival, Graham’s Operation Christmas Child project handed out some of the more than 100,000 gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children in Ukraine. Graham visited with poor children and orphans at a local charity hospital where he also hand-delivered the shoe box gifts.
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