Just wanted to check in and tell you all thanks for your prayers! We are feeling your faithfulness! Despite lots of the team encountering flight delays, lost luggage, weird illnesses and the like… I think the last of them finally should be touching down or are on the mend now! Andrew’s first official US festival is HERE!

Just a few short hours ago, Andrew hosted an intimate appreciation gathering for the donors where he spoke words of hope and encouragement over them. It was moving as each of the chairs shared their hearts for this community and how God has already used the festival to work in their own lives albeit mostly through tears. Andrew maintained his composure (most of the time), but joked he was going to take festival chairman Mark Kiskunas on the road with him full time to help downplay his own tears. I personally love our sensitive men and their tender hearts. If the Lord is leading you, there is still time for you to financially support BeachFest. I know we have a tad bit more to raise to fulfill the budget and you can donate online if you’d like to help support this incredible outreach in Myrtle Beach, SC.

As for the build out… everyone has stepped up to the plate to pull it all together (with the Lords help of course) and it’s an honor to be a part of such a well knit team! We kick off tomorrow morning with a surf demo from 8am-12pm and then the festival site starts to roll at 2pm. Keep praying for the weather (still looking good!), the athletes, the staff, volunteers and of course the attendees-that all would be encouraged and those that need Christ would find him before the setting of the sun.

Pre-festival buzz is going strong, so we are praying for a great festival with a great harvest! Everyone is playing vital roles to get the word out. From churches, radio partners, sponsors, and the like, the word is on the street! Plus, the media has been very generous to us so far. This is largely due to Craig Chastains’ excellent PR work* for the first BeachFest in 2002 & SummerFest in 2004. Thankfully we had news coverage on all three local tv newscasts (ABC, CBS & FOX) yesterday at 12, 5 & 6pm. Then the Sun Times sported 2 different stories on the front page! Nice pieces which you can read online here for the lead story and here for the business story (both made the cover along with a helpful site map!) Praise the Lord!

This afternoon Andrew met with reporter Rebecca Carter from Channel 13 (CBS) onsite. It made a nice featurette on CBS & Fox news tonight (both the 6p and 11p newscasts). Keep asking for favor in this department — it helps extend the reach into the community!

Just remember He is doing a great work here in the Grand Strand and you are a part of it through your prayers, your financial support and your encouragement. Thanks again for your faithfulness… Please keep lifting us up!

Until all have heard,
Holly

*Craig is busily preparing Celebrate Freedom in Dallas for Luis & Andrew which is June 27th & 28th while Kathy C. and I work on this one!

Posted in BeachFest, Andrew Palau News