In 1960, Billy Graham set out on an 11-country tour in Africa, where many of the countries were still under foreign colonial control. Movements towards independence were underway; much change was occurring in Africa, and uncertainty loomed in the minds of those on the continent. They needed hope – hope that only Jesus Christ would give.

The tour included the countries of Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe), Kenya, Tanganyika (now part of Tanzania), Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanda and Burundi), Ethiopia and Egypt.

After a turbulent plane ride, Billy Graham arrived in Liberia, where he was met by the country’s Vice President, William R. Tolbert, and President, William V.S. Tubman – who was a professing Christian.

With the tour encompassing such a large geographic area, Billy Graham enlisted the help of friends and associates, including Howard Jones, who started the Crusade in Liberia prior to Rev. Graham’s arrival. Billy Graham preached the final two nights of the Crusade, resulting in 1,000 inquiries of salvation, making it an encouraging first stop of the tour.

The next stop in Ghana brought a different cultural experience with the country’s diverse population of tribes and languages. With two interpreters, Billy Graham preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

He writes in his autobiography, Just As I Am, “I repeated what I had said in India: that Christ was not a white man; he was a Middle Easterner, darker than I and lighter than they. I pointed out to them that when Jesus fell while carrying His cross, it was an African, Simon of Cyrene, who was pressed into service to carry it for Him. Jesus’ parents, I noted, had fled to Africa after He was born.”

In Nigeria, five days of evangelistic outreaches proved to be rather hostile. Even still, the Crusade attendance totaled over 200,000 with 5,000 people responding to the invitation to make a commitment to Christ.

While in Ibadan, Nigeria, Billy Graham had the opportunity to speak to students at University College. He said in his autobiography, “I gave the college audience the Gospel. Some of my listeners were disgusted with what I was saying, but others were receptive. When I asked for hands to be lifted up at the invitation, several hundred people responded.”

From Nigeria to Congo, then to Southern Rhodesia, Billy Graham and his team prepared for what he called, “a multiracial meeting.” In Salisbury (now Harare, Zimbabwe), Europeans discouraged Billy Graham from providing translations for the African languages. The team strongly refused, and as a result, people from both white and black communities not only attended but came forward at the invitation.

After being warned about hostile demonstrations in Northern Rhodesia by his friend, Grady Wilson, Billy Graham and the team prepared an exit strategy in case of a violent threat. Thanks to proper preparation, Rev. Graham was able to swiftly exit when demonstrators began to march.

In Moshi, Tanganyika, Billy Graham preached to a crowd of 40,000 in a grass field that held Mt. Kilimanjaro in its sight. Public meetings were also held in Nairobi at the agricultural fairgrounds.

After another harrowing plane ride, Billy Graham landed in Ruanda-Urundi, where a Crusade garnered over 26,000 people.

Nearing the end of his tour in Africa, Billy Graham arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he became ill with a fever and sore throat. After being taken to the hospital, his fever soon subsided and he felt strong enough to preach. The one-day outreach brought 18,000 people with several thousand staying for counseling afterward, making it “the greatest response of our African trip,” according to Billy Graham.

While in Ethiopia, Rev. Graham visited the emperor’s palace, where he was surprised and startled to see domesticated lions roaming the property. Thankfully, the lions were tame enough for him to live to tell the story.

The final stop of the tour landed the team in Cairo, Egypt, where nearly 10,000 people jammed into a tent, with many people having to stand. Despite the cramped environment, Graham said, “Seldom have I sensed the presence of God so deeply in a meeting.”

While Billy Graham went to Africa to teach about the Gospel, he also learned from his experiences within the various countries. In his autobiography, he said, “For one thing, I came away with an overwhelming impression that God was at work in Africa and that, with the movement for independence sweeping across the continent, conditions were ripe for an unparalleled spiritual awakening.”

He also added that he left feeling grateful for the faith and sacrifice of those who went before him, bringing the Gospel into all of the world – a blazed trail that Billy Graham would continue to follow, but also a trail he would continue to blaze for others.

Find out more about Billy Graham’s efforts around the globe in The Journey of Faith tour at the Billy Graham Library. Reserve your spot today.