A Message for Billy Graham
I was standing in the entryway to church on Sunday, when an elderly woman approached me. In her hands was a stack of paper. She explained that it was a list of prayer requests, and asked if I would be willing to spend a half-hour each day praying for various members of the church. It was first time at this church, and the list of requests looked daunting in Russian. I started to explain that I wasn't a native speaker, and that I might have difficulty understanding the lists. She asked where I was from, and I responded America. A Protestant church is one of the few places where I can confidently except a positive response to that.
Her expression immediately changed, and she grabbed my wrist. She said that if I saw Billy Graham she wanted me to thank him. As she related the story of his crusade in 1992, her eyes welled up and her voice wavered. Graham rented out the Olympic stadium, and she came and heard him preach. Fifteen years later, and she is still moved to tears. In the time since she has probably seen many more missionaries come to Russia, but I am undoubtedly the first American that she has been able to speak to without a translator. Finally given an outlet to express her deep gratitude, I became a stand-in for Billy Graham and the organizers of the 1992 crusade.
I didn't know how to respond. Here was a sixty-something year old woman pouring out a deeply personal story of her coming to Christ, and asking me to thank a man that I will likely never meet. I fumbled for words and said something about the growth of Protestantism in Russia and how much progress has been made in fifteen years. Feeling an insufficient response to her heart-felt plea, I then assured her that if I see Billy Graham I will thank him for her. I intend to follow through.
It's highly improbable that I will meet Billy Graham, but actually rather likely that I will one day meet his son or grandson. In the case that I do, I will relate this woman's story. It will be twice removed from the original people involved, but hopefully still hold its meaning.
Her expression immediately changed, and she grabbed my wrist. She said that if I saw Billy Graham she wanted me to thank him. As she related the story of his crusade in 1992, her eyes welled up and her voice wavered. Graham rented out the Olympic stadium, and she came and heard him preach. Fifteen years later, and she is still moved to tears. In the time since she has probably seen many more missionaries come to Russia, but I am undoubtedly the first American that she has been able to speak to without a translator. Finally given an outlet to express her deep gratitude, I became a stand-in for Billy Graham and the organizers of the 1992 crusade.
I didn't know how to respond. Here was a sixty-something year old woman pouring out a deeply personal story of her coming to Christ, and asking me to thank a man that I will likely never meet. I fumbled for words and said something about the growth of Protestantism in Russia and how much progress has been made in fifteen years. Feeling an insufficient response to her heart-felt plea, I then assured her that if I see Billy Graham I will thank him for her. I intend to follow through.
It's highly improbable that I will meet Billy Graham, but actually rather likely that I will one day meet his son or grandson. In the case that I do, I will relate this woman's story. It will be twice removed from the original people involved, but hopefully still hold its meaning.