Historic Gospel Outreach In the Horn of Africa
Dear Friend,
I recently returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, where we saw God move in amazing ways through the two-day Encountering God evangelistic outreach. The Crusade was held 8–9 March, exactly 65 years after my father
preached there.
In the nation’s largest outdoor gathering space, 117,000 people gathered the first night followed by 320,000 on the final evening—all to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We give God all the glory for the thousands who surrendered their lives to Him. We are “abounding through many thanksgivings to God” (2 Corinthians 9:12, NKJV) for what He did in the Horn of Africa, and I’m eager to share some of the stories with friends like you who made this possible.
On the first night of the outreach, I told the crowd that without God, we are spiritually poor and blind—but He offers new life when we place our trust in “Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own” (Titus 2:13–14, NKJV).
Ayana* was among those who surrendered her life to Him. The 20-year-old wanted to ride a coach to the event but missed it, so she took a taxi with her older sister instead. When I gave the invitation, she responded by receiving Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. Long before the Crusade, she had been interested in the Gospel—but her parents were against it. When Ayana’s father said she could attend on Saturday, she was thrilled. She shared that she had struggled with anxiety but now was filled with joy at giving her burdens to the Lord. Before she left, we gave her a copy of the New Testament and discipleship materials to help hew grow closer to the Lord.
Please pray for our new brothers and sisters in Ethiopia. Ask God to strengthen these men and women, and make them bold witnesses for Him.
I am so grateful for friends like you. You are vital to the eternally important work of proclaiming the Gospel.
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President & CEO
THE CONFIDENCE TO BE BOLD
There are 22.2 million people in England and Wales who say they have no faith. Over 6 million more follow other religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam—which means that 28.5 million people do not know the hope, peace, and freedom found in Jesus Christ alone. That’s why Franklin Graham is returning to the UK this summer for the fourth time. In preparation for the outreach, Christians across the country are preparing to effectively share their faith with others—both in daily life and as volunteers at the upcoming God Loves You Tour at ExCeL London in June.
Christian Life and Witness Course (CLWC) classes are being held across England. The three-hour seminar invites participants to dive into the Biblical principles that form the foundation of a Christian’s life, and provides guidance on effectively sharing God’s truth with those who do not know Him.
With the iconic Wembley Stadium nearby, a crowd of believers gathered at the New Life Christian Centre International to deepen their understanding of the Bible and learn practical skills on how to share their faith. CLWC began with prayer. One participant prayed for the training to inspire action and boldness for the Gospel. 
As others lifted up requests around the room, there was a common thread. Many asked the Lord for courage. “Let every person in this room be courageous, encouraged, and emboldened to witness for Christ,” said one participant. “We pray for many souls to be saved at the God Loves You Tour in June!”
This prayer deeply resonated with Manuel, who attended the Saturday training at his local church. A natural introvert, 34-year-old Manuel struggles to share Jesus with strangers, especially in public spaces. But Manuel wants to change.
He believes that God is calling him out of his comfort zone to bring lost people in his community back to Christ. That’s why he is making plans to volunteer as a counsellor at the God Loves You Tour in London. But first, he wants to focus on equipping himself with evangelism skills. “I want this course to give me the confidence to be bold in preaching the Gospel in every area of my life,” he said. “There are so many searching for hope in London. When they have questions, we need to be prepared to give an answer that points to Jesus Christ.” Manuel wants to encourage other introverted believers like him to attend.
“You just need to take the first step and make yourself available for God to use you. Just like learning a new skill, the more you evangelise people, the more confident you’ll be. That’s why I’m at this training today.”
‘GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH THE UK—HE IS JUST STARTING’
Debbie Fordes, from London, has not only attended CLWC twice, but she’s also brought people to the previous God Loves You Tour events in 2022 and 2023. God has placed a burden in Debbie’s heart to reach the lost in her community. Every Saturday, she opens the church doors to welcome vulnerable, homeless, and suffering people, offering them a free meal and a chance to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. “I believe God wants us to share the Gospel with whoever He places in front of us, irrespective of who they are,” Debbie said. “I remember God put it on my heart to invite people from the Saturday group to the God Loves You Tour in August 2022.” 
Debbie recalled how she drove a van carrying eight people to ExCeL London almost three years ago. She also remembers the joy she felt when a few of them walked forward to receive Christ that night—including Mike.*Mike would walk into the church building every Saturday visibly on edge. He was searching for something to fill the void in his heart, but he didn’t know what. As Mike listened to Franklin Graham share a message of hope, everything changed for him forever. “When Mike heard the simple preaching of the Gospel, he received a fresh understanding of God’s love,” Debbie said with a smile. Mike prayed to receive Jesus Christ into his heart. “That night, I saw Mike—with freedom and joy—worshipping the Lord!” said Debbie.
Just less than a year after he accepted Christ into his heart, Mike passed away. “This massive testimony is just amazing, and I feel like crying,” Debbie tearfully said. “Because at Mike’s funeral, I just knew he was in safe hands. I knew Mike was saved and he’s now [rejoicing] with the Lord above!” That’s why Debbie believes that it’s crucial for churches in London to get involved with the God Loves You Tour, which is providing free coaches to bring people to the event. “All we have to do is bring them there! Take them on a bus, get them to the ExCeL centre, and then God will do the rest.” She wants to encourage every believer to attend a CLWC class and bring many to the God Loves You Tour in June. “We have to live an evangelistic lifestyle because that’s how we’re meant to be,” Debbie said. “Believers need to be a part of this movement because God is not finished with the UK—He’s just starting!” Will you pray for the event in London this June? Please also lift up all those who are preparing for this Gospel outreach now.
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