Weather Undercuts Turnout And Events at DC Festival

Born in Argentina, Palau has long had a large following in the Latin world. Since dropping the old-style crusades and adopting festival evangelism in 1999, he has become increasingly better known outside the Latin world. Early in his career, he worked with mentor Billy Graham.

Many in the crowd appeared to be hard-core faithful rather than the unconverted. "It's important for me to let the world know that God is having an impact on our lives," said Mary Seale, 20, also a George Mason University junior. She and roommate Dahlkamp are members of their university's Campus Crusade for Christ chapter.

Officials of Palau's ministry, based in his home town of Portland, Ore., were disappointed at the meteorological setback, but like their leader, they put their frustration in a spiritual context.

"Luis is at peace about it," Chastain said. "It has been his dream of coming here for 40 years, and there's a level of disappointment. But it's not going to steal our joy. We've always approached what we do, not through numbers but by people making a decision for Christ. For Luis, if one person raises his hand, it will be time well-spent."

The day's early events, including a health fair, presentations of the children's program "VeggieTales" by actors and performances by Christian athletes in such extreme sports as skateboarding and BMX biking -- which would have included the athletes' personal faith stories -- were canceled.

The official program opened an hour later than scheduled and ended 90 minutes earlier. After videotaped greetings from President Bush and former president Bill Clinton were played, Palau prayed for hurricane victims.

Palau preached for 37 minutes, although the schedule called for him to be onstage for an hour. In his sermon, he said God allowed the storm and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks "to wake up the nation -- to say, 'You'd better remember me, because without me you can do nothing.' "

When he asked the crowd to raise their hands if they wanted to embrace Jesus Christ, several dozen people lifted their arms. As about 30 counselors stood near the stage ready to speak with them, Palau urged them to move to tents, where they could pray and get Bibles.

The crowd increased, especially as the rain tapered off, eager to hear the night's performers. Toward the end of the evening, people in the energetic crowd were dancing, swaying and chanting along with the lyrics of the Christian band Toby Mac.

Palau later said he was "disappointed" and that "the weather killed us." A large percentage of the crowd, he added, was already deeply Christian. But, he added, "I got the message out."

Despite the soaked-out event, Palau earlier said he was encouraged that "close to 1,500 people have given themselves to Jesus Christ" as a result of his evangelistic outreach at pre-festival events over the past two weeks.

At one point in the afternoon, members of the Nation of Islam, wearing T-shirts and jeans, surveyed the area where the festival was occurring -- the same spot where a huge crowd is expected to convene next week for the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March. Said one Muslim: "We are just checking things out."

Staff writer Hamil R. Harris contributed to this report.