Palau plans to hold off on Portland Festival in 2001

Even if his Portland Festival 2000 Aug. 18 and 19 matches or exceeds the 93,000 who attended the debut festival last year, Luis Palau says he won’t put on the same kind of event locally next year.

But the famed evangel-ist hasn’t ruled out staging more festivals in his home city in later years.

In a letter last month to local pastors, Palau an-nounced he and his team have “prayerfully decided” not to do a festival in 2001.

“If and when we do another festival will be determined by you and the other pastors and leaders, as God leads,” Palau wrote. “It is tremendous to proclaim the Gospel in such a positive, united way as we did last year and will again this August. I’m sure we’ll all know when the right time comes around again.”

In his letter, Palau noted he and his team have already broken tradition by holding festivals in Portland two years in a row.

“This has been our home for more than 30 years now, and honestly, to see God at work here in such a powerful way has been the highlight of my ministry. We’ve never before done events in back-to-back years, and are much in prayer that God will not allow any of us to take this year’s festival too lightly!”

Palau, who came to the United States from his native Argentina, also expressed a deep love for his adopted home city.

“I thank the Lord over and over again that He led us to make Portland our home over 30 years ago, and that he gave me the wisdom to marry an Oregonian!” he said, referring to wife, Pat.