Bishop T.D. Jakes is moving MegaFest, the giant Christian entertainment and teaching event that ran in Atlanta from 2004 to 2006, to another continent.

MegaFest International 2008 will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 11-12.

Jakes put the event on hiatus after three years in Atlanta, saying he would resurrect it, although not necessarily here.

Attendance had declined over its three-year life from about 500,000 to fewer than 100,000.

When Jakes pulled out of Atlanta after 2006, Derrick Williams, a spokesman for Jakes' mega-church, the Potter's House in Dallas, said Jakes made the decision based on post-MegaFest surveys. Attendees found travel and lodging costs burdensome. At least 70 percent of the MegaFest's visitors came from outside Atlanta, Williams said.

"When you're the mother of a couple of kids, it's not something that you can do on an annual basis, " said Williams, who managed MegaFest for Jakes. "We want to be sensitive to the needs of our delegates."

The organizations's announcement didn't explain why it chose South Africa and it didn't respond to requests for more information.

The South African event will include not only speakers and teachers, but also will offer free medical care to South Africans from Oct 10-12 and Oct. 17-19.

Jakes' organization is also coordinating 11-day tours around the event dates, which will cost Americans from $4,998 to $6,098 per person.