Graham's 'Festival de Esperanza' To Bring Hope to Tijuana, Mexico

Franklin Graham will be delivering a message to the people of Tijuana during an evangelistic Festival, June 10-12. Festival de Esperanza ("Festival of Hope") is a cooperative effort of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and hundreds of local churches to reach the area with the Gospel.

Last year in Veracruz, Mexico, 250 local churches came together in support of the Franklin Graham Festival. More than 57,000 people attended the event, and 9,196 people made decisions for Christ. Christians in the Tijuana area are praying for a similar move of God.

Tijuana, Mexico, is known as the most visited border city in the world. Thanks in part to its proximity to the United States -- about 15 miles from San Diego -- more than 70 million people go there each year. It is known as the "most visited border city" as well as "the wildest of the wild." Tijuana was a relatively quiet town until 1920 when Prohibition banned the sale of alcohol in the United States. As nightclubs closed in the US, they opened south of the border. The city grew, but so did many social problems -- alcoholism, corruption, crime, poverty, and broken families, said the BGEA.

Though Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Tijuana still attracts visitors for its "nightlife that never sleeps." And this city of nearly two million people is still plagued by the evils that arise when sin runs rampant.

”The answer to Tijuana's problems is Jesus Christ. Only He can change human hearts, take away our sins, and give us eternal life,” stated the BGEA. “They want to see thousands of hearts changed and Tijuana gain a new reputation -- as a city sold out to God.”

Graham’s most recent evangelistic crusade, The Thekwini Festival in South Africa, saw a total attendance of 47,128, and more than 2,400 people made decisions for Christ over three days. It was Franklin Graham's 100th evangelistic crusade.





Kenneth Chan
Ecumenical Press