It might seem like an unlikely friendship for an elderly evangelist and his wife to befriend a world-famous rock star, but that is exactly what happened in 2002 when Billy and Ruth Graham met U2 frontman Bono.

They met at the Graham family home in Montreat, N.C. in March 2002 after mutual connections arranged a time for them to be introduced. After he met with Billy and Ruth, Bono wrote a poem, which he later sent to them, about how Billy Graham’s ministry had inspired him. It reads as follows:

The journey from Father to friend
is all paternal loves end
It was sung in my teenage ears
In the voice of a preacher
loudly soft on my tears
I would never forget this
Melody line
Or its lyric voice that gave my life
A Rhyme
a meaning that wasn’t there before
a child born in dung and straw
wish the Father’s love and desire to explain
how we might get on with each other again…

To the Rev Billy Graham (that preacher)
Ruth and all the Graham family
From Bono (March 11 2002)
With much love and respect

To see this poem and more from Billy Graham’s ministry around the world, plan your visit to the Library.