Luis Palau was an internationally influential Christian evangelist. Born in Argentina, he moved to Portland, Oregon in his mid-twenties to enroll in a graduate program in biblical studies. As a crusader for Christ, Palau had a long and close relationship with the legendary Rev. Billy Graham, whom he had first heard on a radio broadcast in 1950, and immediately drew inspiration from. He later worked for Graham as a Spanish translator and evangelist. In 1970, Graham contributed seed money for Palau to start his own ministry. He hosted three daily radio programs—an English show carried by 900 stations in 23 countries, and two Spanish programs carried by 880 stations in 25 countries. Palau was known for his strong appeal to young people and for his efforts to reach out to secular leaders to address issues such as homelessness. In his lifetime, it was estimated that Luis shared the message of Jesus Christ with over one billion people! Palau's ministry is based in Oregon and operates another 25 ministries around the world, including offices in Argentina and the United Kingdom. On March 11, 2021, at the age of 86, Palau died of lung cancer surrounded by family in his home.
