Life changing events in the Philippines

Two important life changing events took place this weekend in the Philippines. If you have watched the news this weekend, perhaps you have seen the report of the stampede that took place outside of a Manila stadium Saturday morning. Over 70 people were crushed to death as they waited with over 30,000 others for a gameshow. The gameshow was having its anniversary celebration show. The contestants were to be chosen from the audience; ending with a raffle for a jackpot worth 1,000,000 pesos-- just over $20,000 US. The politicians and media have been reporting that this incident was caused by poverty. That these poor impoverished people were there waiting for a chance to change their lives. While poverty is a huge, horrific problem here, I don't think it is the only reason people showed up--just look at the turn out in the US for American Idol auditions. We all want a chance to get something more, something for nothing. If only these people had known that in a stadium across town, a life changing opportunity was being given for free to everyone who entered the stadium. Franklin Graham is here this weekend for the Franklin Graham Metro Manila Festival. Hope is being offered to this city crushed by poverty --"We want to encourage Filipinos that there is hope, and that hope is in Jesus Christ. It starts with your family and your work, and spreads to the government and then to the nation."(Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)