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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3109 notes).

Note 3108 by UMNS on Aug. 7, 1996 at 16:46 Eastern (3626 characters).

SEARCH: Olympic, competition, courage, endurance, marathon,
ministry
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Ralph E. Baker                         394(10-71P){3108}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Aug. 7, 1996

Not all the winners
were Olympic medalists

by the Rev. Keith Johnson, chaplain
Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta*

      Many wonderful things happened during my 21 days ministering
as a chaplain in Atlanta's Olympic Village.
     People I will mention are not household names like Michael
Johnson, Shanon Miller or the players of the Dream Team, yet I am
convinced they are names that are celebrated in heaven. I believe
my experience in the Olympic Village was a taste of heaven.
     During the closing ceremonies, athletes from all over the
world poured onto the field to celebrate together. It was a grand
example of what happened behind the scenes of the 1996 Olympics.
     The media effectively displayed the medal winning athletes
and some of the Olympic events; however, there were 9,000 athletes
who did not take home a medal. Many of them did have unforgettable
golden experiences.
     One of my many contacts was with the team from Malawi -- a
small country in southern Africa. These athletes and coaches came
to Atlanta to do their best.
     Henry and John were trained marathon runners, but they
discovered a week before the race that only one athlete from their
country would be allowed to run in the Olympic marathon event.
     During one of our Bible studies, the leader of the Malawi
team lifted this issue up as a prayer request.
     The only opportunity for both athletes to compete would be
for one of them to change his event to the 5,000 meter race, a
contest vastly different from the marathon. 
     They displayed such humility in response to this change. They
did not ask me to politic on their behalf; they did not ask for a
change in the ruling; they did not raise their voices in protest
over the International Olympic Committee's decision. They only
asked for prayers for strength and for Henry to do his best. 
     Henry received our prayers for him with a quiet spirit. With
confidence in his eyes, he declared, "I will do my best."
     If you watched the 5,000 meter race you did not see Henry of
Malawi on the medal stand. You did not even see him in the finals;
but Henry broke the 5,000 meter record for his country during his
qualifying heat for the race. In so doing, he brought honor to
himself and God through endurance and courage.
     In the accomplishments of people like Henry, I found a
wonderful sense of God's love for all people.
     There were many instances of athletes caring for one another,
praying for one another and celebrating with one another. Within
the Olympic Village there was little difference between the gold
medalist and the athlete who did not place in his or her event.
Despite the competition, all seemed to enjoy just being together. 
     What a joy it was to see the successful athletes from
Ethiopia, Greece, France and other wonderful places receive their
gold medallions. But the greater joy was to see athletes from all
over the world share a golden experience with one another.
                              #  #  #

     * Johnson, pastor of Park Avenue United Methodist Church in
Minneapolis, is one of five United Methodists who were among the
37 chaplains from seven countries, overseeing religious services
at the Olympic games in Atlanta.

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