Franklin Graham takes Gospel to end of the earth in historic evangelistic event in world’s southernmost city
Ushuaia, Argentina, Feb. 16, 2026 – One of the most beautiful and remote areas on earth is the extreme southern tip of Patagonia in Argentina. Ushuaia—the small city located at the end of the world—sits between the base of the Andes Mountains and the frigid waters of the Beagle Channel. It is the gateway to the Antarctic, but this weekend, it became a gateway for the Gospel.
During an evangelistic event on Saturday and Sunday called Esperanza Ushuaia, which means “hope for Ushuaia,” thousands of people packed into an indoor stadium. Every seat in the arena was taken, and the overflow space was so full, people gathered outside the arena in the cold to watch the festival on a screen.
Rev. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, told the crowds, “If you don’t remember anything else tonight, remember this, God loves you!”
Rev. Graham continued, “God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins. He came to save sinners. He didn’t come to condemn you. He came to save you! The Bible says that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.”
When Graham invited people to come forward and give their lives to Christ, hundreds of people responded. The first person to step out from the crowd was a man named Walter who had suffered from years of addiction and homelessness.
“I just knew I needed to repent of my sins,” he said. “God has been so good to me. I know it’s because of Him that I’m not suffering cold or hunger. I know it’s time to give Him everything.”
Walter and hundreds of other people who made decisions for Christ on Saturday and Sunday left the arena with new Bibles and are being connected to local churches that will help them grow in their faith.
“I can feel His love,” Walter said. “I am convinced that Christ is my only hope.”
More than 65 churches partnered with Rev. Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for the two-night festival, and dozens of buses brought people to the event from across the southern Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego. Some people were so excited, they drove for two days from provinces as far as Rio Negro, Chubut and Neuquen, which is more than 1,500 miles away.
This was the first time in history that a large-scale evangelistic event has been held in Ushuaia, which is known for its socially progressive culture.
Ushuaia Mayor Walter Vuoto welcomed Rev. Graham to the city on Friday afternoon. During their meeting at the mayor’s office, Rev. Graham thanked Mayor Vuoto, prayed for him, and spoke about the important and valuable contributions that the churches in Ushuaia make for life and society.
Graham was invited to preach in Ushuaia in November when church leaders from the city heard him share the Good News of Jesus Christ in Buenos Aires where he preached to nearly 75,000 people.
In addition to a message of hope from Rev. Graham, Esperanza Ushuaia also featured live music from Rescate, an award-winning Argentinian Christian band, and Evangelina Crubinca, a Christian Argentine singer.
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DOWNLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEO FROM ESPERANZA USHUAIA: Media.BillyGraham.org/esperanza-ushuaia-press-room/
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Contact Mark Barber at 828-386-5803 or mebarber@bgea.org.
ABOUT FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Franklin Graham held his first evangelistic event in 1989, and since then, he has preached at more than 345 outreaches in 55 countries.
Most recently, Rev. Graham has proclaimed the hope of Jesus Christ in Siem Reap, Cambodia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Brussels, Belgium; London, England; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Rev. Graham is looking forward to sharing the Gospel in Lima, Peru; Madrid, Spain, and Manchester, England, in the coming months. Graham has a heart for Latin America where he has preached 34 times in over 15 countries over the past three decades. This was his fourth time preaching in Argentina since 2002.