Upcoming ‘Festival of Hope’ to Bring Peace to Chile

More than 250 churches in the Araucania region of Chile, in cooperation with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, have joined together to support an upcoming evangelistic Festival in the region’s capital city of Temuco. Through prayer and witnessing, the churches of Chile are looking to spread the message of the Gospel as the Nov. 11-13 Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham draws near.

Peace has proved to be elusive in Chile, the BGEA stated in a recent report. The country has suffered through numerous wars, revolts, military coups, and political battles since the close of the 19th century. For more than 300 years, the native people in the Araucania region of Chile, with their reputation as fierce fighters, have repeatedly repelled the Spanish soldiers who tried to invade their land. It wasn’t until 1881, that they accepted a peace treaty with the Chilean government.

But despite the signing of the agreement, peace remains elusive. “Christians in Chile know that the only way to true, lasting peace is through a right relationship with Jesus Christ,” the BGEA reported.

To spread that message throughout the region, Christian leaders invited Franklin Graham to hold the Festival of Hope in the Araucania capital of Temuco.

Franklin Graham, the son of renowned evangelist Billy Graham, has led more than 90 Festivals in locations from Johannesburg, South Africa to Tupelo, Mississippi—averaging seven evangelistic Festivals each year for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).

“I look forward to bringing God’s message of hope to Temuco,” Graham said earlier this summer. “People will hear a lot of music from award-winning artists, personal stories, and most importantly, an opportunity to accept God’s love that will change their lives.”

The Festival will include music by Steve Green, Marcos Vidal, Dennis Agajanian, the Tommy Coomes Band, and local musicians, as well as a special program for children. But the most important moment each night will come when Franklin Graham delivers the Good News that peace with God is available through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“In the shadow of Cerro Nielol, the site of the historic peace treaty, people will be invited to bring their sin and shame, their problems and fears to Jesus,” the BGEA reported.

Graham’s previous “Festival of Hope”, held in Tijuana five months ago, saw the attendance of more then 51,000 people, and over 3,400 decisions for Christ. Despite difficulties before the event and several nights of chilly winds and unseasonably cool temperatures during, participants were drawn from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, making the event one of the largest evangelical events in the history of the city.





Kenneth Chan
Ecumenical Press