Olympic hope
I love watching the Olympics when it rolls around every couple of years (I love both the Summer and Winter games). I enjoy some of the sports themselves, but it’s more than that. It’s the hope for world peace (for at least two brief weeks) and it’s seeing the realization of people’s lifelong dreams become reality. I love watching the backstories on the athletes almost as much as the competitions themselves and am amazed at the dedication by both the athletes themselves but also of their families.
I was excited this year to hear a new group has been added.
Ten people proudly marched in the parade of nations under the Olympic rings. They belong to no one country. They have fled their home countries and for all intents and purposes, they are homeless. They are the first team to represent refugees world-wide on the Olympic stage.
The backstories of more than one of them had me tearing up.
One swimmer fled from her homeland staying temporarily in one host country before leaving again to find a more permanent home. She left on a raft, but when the motor died she and her sister swam pulling it with seventeen people aboard. Not the typical gym workouts that most American athletes endure.
A runner was left in the care of a neighbor at the age of ten, but when their village burned they had to flee. He didn’t know if he would survive or not.
Most of the athletes don’t meet the normal qualifying times, but under the circumstances, allowances have been made. Some of them have only been training for less than a year. They’ve had more pressing concerns than shaving seconds off their time. It can be hard to run fast when your shoes are falling apart and you may not know where your next meal is coming from.
It’s easy to be moved by their backstories… but then forget them after the closing ceremonies. These stories are common to the millions of refugees worldwide though. Our new neighbor told us last week about the fighting in his home country. He can’t go back there now. They left eight years ago. Three years were spent in a refugee camp before coming here. During that time, his father-in-law passed away. His wife would like to try to visit her mother next year, but in order to do so, they’ll have to meet at a neighboring country. They like it here but their family has been torn apart.
A year ago the plight of refugees seeking refuge in Europe was all over the news. Many people I know have moved on to more current issues, but the truth of the matter is it’s still very much still a current issue.
The United Nations created the image below:
There are so many people forced to leave their homes and start their lives over. The bulk of the displaced people are forced to leave their homes but find safety within their own country. Twenty-one million people must leave home and homeland. More than Florida’s entire population. Slightly less than Australia’s population.
This year as I listened to the backstories that tugged at my heart, I look next door, I talk to my friends, I drive through town and I know each one has a story. While they may not have the athletic ability that the ten Olympians representing refugees show, they have the same determined spirit, the same desire for peace and a place to call home, the same resiliency.
I was excited this year to hear a new group has been added.
Ten people proudly marched in the parade of nations under the Olympic rings. They belong to no one country. They have fled their home countries and for all intents and purposes, they are homeless. They are the first team to represent refugees world-wide on the Olympic stage.
The backstories of more than one of them had me tearing up.
One swimmer fled from her homeland staying temporarily in one host country before leaving again to find a more permanent home. She left on a raft, but when the motor died she and her sister swam pulling it with seventeen people aboard. Not the typical gym workouts that most American athletes endure.
A runner was left in the care of a neighbor at the age of ten, but when their village burned they had to flee. He didn’t know if he would survive or not.
Most of the athletes don’t meet the normal qualifying times, but under the circumstances, allowances have been made. Some of them have only been training for less than a year. They’ve had more pressing concerns than shaving seconds off their time. It can be hard to run fast when your shoes are falling apart and you may not know where your next meal is coming from.
It’s easy to be moved by their backstories… but then forget them after the closing ceremonies. These stories are common to the millions of refugees worldwide though. Our new neighbor told us last week about the fighting in his home country. He can’t go back there now. They left eight years ago. Three years were spent in a refugee camp before coming here. During that time, his father-in-law passed away. His wife would like to try to visit her mother next year, but in order to do so, they’ll have to meet at a neighboring country. They like it here but their family has been torn apart.
A year ago the plight of refugees seeking refuge in Europe was all over the news. Many people I know have moved on to more current issues, but the truth of the matter is it’s still very much still a current issue.
The United Nations created the image below:
There are so many people forced to leave their homes and start their lives over. The bulk of the displaced people are forced to leave their homes but find safety within their own country. Twenty-one million people must leave home and homeland. More than Florida’s entire population. Slightly less than Australia’s population.
This year as I listened to the backstories that tugged at my heart, I look next door, I talk to my friends, I drive through town and I know each one has a story. While they may not have the athletic ability that the ten Olympians representing refugees show, they have the same determined spirit, the same desire for peace and a place to call home, the same resiliency.
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