Franklin Graham Encourages Newly Appointed Special Envoy to Sudan

April 14, 2009 - Shortly after President Obama's appointment of retired Air Force General Scott Gration as Special Envoy to Sudan, Franklin Graham spoke with Gration to offer encouragement and insight into the needs of the Sudanese people.

Graham, who is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and also international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse, traveled to Sudan last month where he met with the country's president, Omar al-Bashir.

"I told General Gration that I would be praying for him and that I would encourage other Christians to pray for him as well," said Graham, who has a long history of providing humanitarian aid to Sudan - a country where people continue to face incredible hardship after enduring years of bloody civil war.

"I also suggested to him that he try to meet with President al-Bashir and help impress upon him the importance of allowing relief organizations to continue the incredibly important work of helping people who’s lives hang in the balance," Graham added.

Listen as Franklin Graham talks about the church in Sudan »

During Graham's trip to Sudan, he met with President al-Bashir (shown above, right) and Salva Kiir, vice president of Sudan and president of the semiautonomous southern Sudan.

"We want to work for all of Sudan," said Graham last month. "We want to help Christians, Muslims, people of no faith—we want to help them all," he continued.

"We want to show the love of God—the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—to each and every person in this country. We want to work toward peace.”

Alberto Fernandez, the top American official in Sudan, briefed Graham and key leaders of Samaritan's Purse and the BGEA with the latest information on the political and humanitarian situations, the complexities of the Darfur crisis, and the policies of the new U.S. administration regarding Darfur and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

BGEA senior vice president Ken Barun shares his thoughts from Africa »