'My Hope' Outreach to Take Place April 22-24

Contact: Graham Clark, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 704-401-2116, 980-939-4377 mobile, gclark@bgea.org

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 21 /Standard Newswire/ -- Christians from churches across Puerto Rico will hold the island's largest evangelistic outreach in its history over the next three days. More than 20,000 Christians representing over 1,700 churches will host small gatherings in their homes Thursday, Friday and Saturday to share their faith with friends and neighbors as part of My Hope, a project carried out in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), based in Charlotte, N.C. The outreach comes on the heels of a successful implementation of My Hope in neighboring Dominican Republic in March.

"The church is ready and homes are being prepared now for what we know will be a life-changing experience for the people in Puerto Rico," said Greg Matthews, My Hope manager, Latin America. "We are urgently praying alongside our fellow Christians in Puerto Rico that God would open up many hearts and minds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

At the home meetings, guests will watch one of three nationwide TV programs, which include sermons from Billy and Franklin Graham. The programs also feature testimonies from famous Puerto Ricans, including former Major League Baseball player Carlos Baerga; Hector El Father, known as the father of reggaeton; and comedian Yasmin Mejias, who was also a Puerto Rican senator.

After viewing the program, the hosts will share their own story of coming to faith and invite guests to make a commitment to Jesus Christ. Follow-up efforts will help these new believers become involved in a local church body.

"One of the great things we see from evangelistic efforts like this is that the impact goes far beyond the implementation phase," said Matthews. "We often hear reports of how God has moved in the lives of churches and individuals months and sometimes years after My Hope projects have been completed. We believe the same will be true in Puerto Rico."

Preparations for the outreach began nearly a year ago, as Christian leaders shared their vision and invited churches to participate. Leaders from three different ministries that represent the majority of the island's evangelical population had visited Brazil during a My Hope outreach in 2008 and desired to implement the project in Puerto Rico.

Since My Hope began in 2002, projects have been implemented in 49 countries, with many making commitments to Jesus Christ. Upcoming projects this year will take place in Malawi and three sensitive countries in Asia. Preparations are beginning for 2011, for potential My Hope outreaches in Portugal and other African countries.

About BGEA
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) proclaims the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world by every effective means available. From its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., BGEA directs a wide range of domestic and international ministries, including: large-scale festivals led by evangelists Franklin Graham and Will Graham; Dare to Be a Daniel, a youth evangelism training project; My Hope World Evangelism Through Television; the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team of crisis-trained chaplains; and many others through print, television, telephone, radio and the Internet. For more information, please visit www.billygraham.org. Get BGEA news updates on Twitter @ www.Twitter.com/BGEAMediaPR.

PHOTOS
For photos of Puerto Rico, please e-mail Graham Clark at gclark@bgea.org.

Interview Opportunity
Greg Matthews, My Hope manager, Latin America

ARTICLE
To read an article about My Hope Puerto Rico at BillyGraham.org, visit http://bit.ly/9wc44i.

According to one regional coordinator of My Hope in Puerto Rico:
"I hope that Christians and pastors will not get too comfortable and become passive, but that they will be passionate about evangelism. My Hope is the perfect tool for empowering Christians to move from complacency to action."