One day I was helping security at the Transport
Mall, the entrance to the Olympic Village where
the ahletes arrive back from events or practice,
when the Greek water polo team arrived back
from a game. Discussion arose about tactics of
their game and they wondered that I knew about
the game. Somebody asked, "What else do you
do?"I was amazed how this opened opportunities
to share spiritual things with them for a few
precious minutes.
Over the next hour I met up with the Australian water polo
champion, Alexander Over the next hour I met up with the
Australian water polo champion, Alexander Osadchuk, the Spanish
Physiotherapist, Miguel Angel Cos, and Calvin Bruton an Australian
basketball player - an powerful young Christian man with
Proverbs 3:5-7 tattooed on his arm.
One day while walking near the entrance where the
athletes return from their events that was good place
to talk with them - they were either jubilant after
winning a medal, or discouraged after losing. Either
way the were willing to talk) a tall young man,
Vadim Makhreu, a rower from Belarus, arrived
back with a wreath on his head, his bunch of flowers
and a bronze medal around his neck. I greeted him
in Russian and blessed him in the name of the Lord.
He whipped around and said back, "That is why I
won medal, because He blessed me." What a great
time we had sharing the Lord. Shortly after that
Aleksey Krupniakov, a wrestler from Kyrgystan
walked by. I greeted him too in Russian. He came over as
we started chatting. He was thrilled the way he was progressing
at the Games. He hugged me and asked me to pray for him.
He willingly prayed and received Jesus.
In the shopping precinct I met up with a huge man - the
Ukrainian wrestling coach, Yuriy Yevchenko. I asked to him, "Do
you remember me from Sydney?" He blinked and a smile
broke out across his face. He burst out, "You are the
man who prayed in Sydney. You are the man who prayed in Sydney." I
had led him and the Ukraine wrestling team to Jesus at the
2004 Games, and he remembered. That was precious.
While helping with security checks at the International Zone, I was introduced
to a young Chinese man, named Liangzhi Jiang whom I found was the man in
charge of the Volunteer Selection of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He'd
come to learn how to organize the volunteers for Beijing. He personally asked
if I'd apply for the 2008 Games and gave me his official email address. What
an amazing God-incidence.
PARALYMPIC GAMES 2004
I had a short stint of ministry to the Paralympians.
It was really fun counselling them. They were very humble
and far more willing to talk and open their hearts. These
two early arrivals from Australia were amazing girls and
ready to compete for gold.
As the volunteers arrived I saw many who were disabled too,
with such willing hearts to serve their
special friends.
 One of these wonderful "servants" was Jamie
from Mexico. His heart was so open to the Lord. As in
Sydney in 2000, I had to be careful
not to be patronizing and offer too much help. These
folk are fiercely independent. I had to remind myself
these were the real champions. They had overcome their
personal tragedies and gone on to be super athletes -
they were the real heroes. I had to help him find accommodation
in the Paralympic Village on his first day their as normal
accommodation in Athens was not suitable for wheelchairs.
I met a delightful married couple from England,
Ian and Tanni Thompson, who were just so thrilled to be at
the Games. They were very gracious in listening to me as
I shared with  them. Both were Paralympians and I watched,
without them noticing, how they helped each other, not
only with training but as they moved around the difficult
uphill ramps at the transport mall of the village. I wondered
what they had had to overcome in their relationship with
each other as well their sporting career, to reach their
high standard of competition. Then I thought of how so
many married couples really couldn't be bothered to help
each other, even in the normal issues of life's problems.
This couple here, ministered to me, I think, more than
I ministered to them.
We want to thank you so much for standing with us in prayer,
support and sponsorship. during this time. Your investment
through me into the lives of so many high profile athletes
will bear fruit further than we can imagine. They will influence
people in a far wider context than we can, and sow the seeds
of the Gospel through their testimonies in far corners of
the world. We only see the full harvest in eternity.
In addition to this we have had to keep up the support of
the 4,200 orphans in the 32 orphanages we sustain, and the
workers we pay to minister the Word of God regularly into
these needy homes. You have helped and encouraged us greatly
in this context.
God bless and reward you for your help and sacrifice, with
harvests of blessings that will overwhelm all your needs.
We love you,
Dave & Margurita Smethurst
| 
Bookmark
this site
