Alyssa’s parents aren’t Christians, but Alyssa’s aunt is. And so the 11-year-old Newfoundland girl went with her aunt to the Avalon Celebration of Hope with Will Graham in St. John’s and committed her life to Jesus Christ.
“I’m hoping that by Alyssa* getting to know the Lord and telling her parents, that might turn their hearts to Him,” said Trudy, who received permission from Alyssa’s parents to bring her niece to Kidzfest, the child-oriented first night of the three-day Celebration outreach weekend at Mile One Centre.
“I wasn’t sure how Alyssa was going to react, but she enjoyed the worship and when Will spoke, she understood what he said,” Trudy joyfully explained. “When Will prayed, she immediately bowed her head and prayed too.”
Trudy’s daughter, 23-year-old Arielle, was with them and said she was “so happy for Alyssa and so proud of her. I’m going to help her study the Bible.”
Almost 6,500 people from Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula and beyond attended the Celebration’s outreach evenings Nov. 2-4, 2018. They experienced music from popular Christian musicians, powerful testimonies, and compelling Gospel messages of hope from Will Graham. More than 21,500 people from around the world also watched the Celebration online via live streaming.
We thank the Lord for the more than 900 people who responded to invitations to commit their lives to Christ at the outreach evenings, online, and during Celebration evangelism training classes held in the weeks and months before.
Following the lead of her cousin, Arielle went forward to the front of the stage at Mile One Centre the following night and rededicated her life to Christ, knowing that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, ESV).
“I’ve been experiencing depression and felt myself pulling away from God,” said Arielle in explaining her decision to renew her relationship with the Lord, “who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).
After the Celebration, we worked with our 70 Newfoundland partner churches to ensure each person who responded to Will’s invitation was connected to a local congregation (if they weren’t already attending a church), so they could be welcomed into a faith community and discipled in their new faith.
*Name changed to protect privacy
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