The arrival of evangelist Luis Palau is making headline news in landlocked Paraguay.
Palau’s arrival in Paraguay this week was announced in four out of five of the major national newspapers. Articles also carried word about the evangelistic festival set for Friday and Saturday.
It’s a significant opportunity for Palau and his son, Andrew. Although Paraguay is only 6 percent evangelical Christian, thousands of Paraguayans will gather for the festival. Moreover, Saturday’s events are being broadcast on a local, secular television network to the rest of the country. The gospel message could reach places it has rarely been heard or seen.
Recognizing the possibilities, the Palau team has wasted no time in Paraguay. Tuesday, Luis met with Paraguay Vice President Federico Franco. The two spoke candidly about the relevance of God and the Bible to leadership, the economy, and confronting the issues of the country. Palau also met with members of the Supreme Court at the Palace of Justice.
Between 900 and 1,000 people attended an afternoon gathering at a large local church on Tuesday, and more than 9,000 people attended the final event of the day. Luis spoke about leadership with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Yesterday Palau and the team met with the mayor of Asuncion to spread the word about the festival through radio interviews and a women’s tea. Andrew hosted an event in Ciudad del Este.
The events of this week are both church-strengthening and church-growing. The two-day festival in Asunción will not only call many to Christ, but call centers will provide ways to receive follow-up from local churches.
Pray for the Palau team over these next few days. Pray that people who hear the gospel would not make emotional commitments, but eternal decisions to follow Christ. Pray that this might be the start or revival in Paraguay.
