Palau's Mexico Fest Draws 300,000 to Christ
Evangelist Luis Palau's first-ever Mexico festival drew a much larger crowd than expected with some 300,000 people attending last weekend's event.
The weeklong festival in Monterrey, Mexico, on Mar. 18-24 concluded with a two-day fest jammed pack with messages of Jesus Christ, on-site community outreach, and family-friendly entertainment.
On the first night, Palau's message focused on family and the importance of the family unit, according to Craig Chastain, director of public relations and media for the Luis Palau Association. Palau referred to the parable of the Prodigal Son and shared about his own son, Andrew, who strayed away from God until the age of 27 years when he returned to the Christian faith.
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Saturday catered to the youth and young families who were in high attendance at the festival. Palau's message to the youth included the importance of sexual purity and resisting temptation in the 21st century.
"God's hand was clearly on this outreach in Monterrey," wrote Jay Fordice, Palau's personal assistant on the trip, in a staff report. "Our service to the pastors throughout Latin America, churches throughout Monterrey, and non-Christians throughout the world, is helping to open doors, encourage partnership, bless ministries, and further the message of Jesus Christ."
The Festival - which initially only anticipated 200,000 people - helped train more than 1,800 leaders from throughout Latin America, provided meals to over 10,000 children from the poorest areas of town, and reached out to thousands of local prisoners with packets of supplies and ministry materials.
During the actual fest days, more than 700 medical doctors and dentists volunteered their time and service to help the poor, providing health services such as eye exams, dental work, cancer screening and physical exams free of charge. As a result, more than 3,500 individuals, who would otherwise not have been able to get the medical attention they needed, were helped.
"By God's grace, we touched every corner of the city, from politicians to prisoners, young and old, the sick and the searching," reflected Fordice.
