Preaching Behind the Old Iron Curtain: Franklin Graham in Belarus
This episode is a firsthand account from Belarus, where Greta joins Franklin Graham during his Festival of Hope in Minsk. The heart of the story is how extraordinary the event is: an evangelical preacher is allowed to come into Belarus, preach with the blessing of President Lukashenko, and fill a 10,000-seat arena with thousands more in overflow — all without formal advertising, relying only on word of mouth through hundreds of churches. Greta frames it as more than a religious event; it is also a rare thaw in a difficult and often hostile relationship between Belarus and the United States, made even more striking by Graham’s private meeting with Lukashenko and the decision to have the crowd pray for him.
The episode then pivots sharply from revival to crisis management. Between the first and second nights in Belarus, Graham learns of a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the conversation shifts to Samaritan’s Purse preparing an emergency response. Greta uses that moment to show the breadth of Graham’s work: one hour he is preaching the gospel before thousands, and the next he is coordinating planes, protective gear, water systems, and assessment teams for one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks. The result is both a portrait of an unusual diplomatic-religious breakthrough in Belarus and a look at the speed, scale, and seriousness of the humanitarian work Graham’s organization takes on around the world.
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This episode is a firsthand account from Belarus, where Greta joins Franklin Graham during his Festival of Hope in Minsk. The heart of the story is how extraordinary the event is: an evangelical preacher is allowed to come into Belarus, preach with the blessing of President Lukashenko, and fill a 10,000-seat arena with thousands more in overflow — all without formal advertising, relying only on word of mouth through hundreds of churches. Greta frames it as more than a religious event; it is also a rare thaw in a difficult and often hostile relationship between Belarus and the United States, made even more striking by Graham’s private meeting with Lukashenko and the decision to have the crowd pray for him.
The episode then pivots sharply from revival to crisis management. Between the first and second nights in Belarus, Graham learns of a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the conversation shifts to Samaritan’s Purse preparing an emergency response. Greta uses that moment to show the breadth of Graham’s work: one hour he is preaching the gospel before thousands, and the next he is coordinating planes, protective gear, water systems, and assessment teams for one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks. The result is both a portrait of an unusual diplomatic-religious breakthrough in Belarus and a look at the speed, scale, and seriousness of the humanitarian work Graham’s organization takes on around the world.
Got a comment or question? Send it to EmailGreta@newsmax.com and it may be used or answered on an upcoming episode.
You can watch the video version of the “Greta Wire” podcast on NEWSMAX social media channels, plus YouTube and Rumble, on the same afternoon the audio version launches.
Listen to Newsmax LIVE and subscribe to our entire podcast lineup at http://Newsmax.com/Listen
Don’t miss Greta every weekday on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren” at 4 PM ET, only on NEWSMAX TV.
Watch the show anytime, anywhere with NEWSMAX+. Get your 15-day free trial of NEWSMAX+ at http://NewsmaxPlus.com
Follow Greta on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greta/
X/Twitter: https://x.com/greta
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/greta
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greta.com
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TRUTH Social: https://truthsocial.com/@NEWSMAX
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