VIENTIANE, Laos, Dec. 10, 2024 – Rev. Franklin Graham and the Lao Evangelical Church brought the Christmas of Love Festival to the Saint Phila Convention Hall in Vientiane this weekend. It was a historic event—the first time people in Laos have had the opportunity to come together publicly in such a way to hear a message from the Bible about God’s love.
“It was a great privilege and honor to come to Vientiane at the invitation of the Lao Evangelical Church. They have been praying for years for this opportunity to share the message that God loves the people of Laos,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “I’m especially grateful to the government for welcoming me and giving the evangelical church this incredible opportunity.”
Rev. Graham cares deeply for Laos. In addition to leading the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he is also the president of Samaritan’s Purse. The international Christian disaster relief and evangelism organization worked with the Lao Evangelical Church and other partners to provide desperately needed relief supplies for hundreds of people after Typhoon Yagi caused devastating flooding this past September and after the deadly dam collapse in Attapeu province in 2018.
The two-night Vientiane Christmas of Love Festival was free and everyone was welcome. In addition to a message of God’s love from Rev. Graham, the event featured live music from the Lao Evangelical Church Worship Band and American musicians Charity Gayle and The Afters.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
- For media inquiries, please contact Mark Barber at mebarber@bgea.org.
- To download high resolution photos of the Christmas of Love Festival, visit https://media.billygraham.org/Vientiane-christmas-of-love-festival-laos/.
ABOUT FRANKLIN GRAHAM
As president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Since 1989, he has held more than 325 outreaches in 55 countries. This year, Franklin Graham preached in Mexico City, Mexico; Krakow, Poland; Birmingham, England; Glasgow, Scotland; Can Tho, Vietnam; Vientiane, Laos; and 10 cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. Next year, he is looking forward to preaching in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; London, England; Brussels, Belgium; Madrid, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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