Winter Games Chaplaincy 2010: Friday, Feb 19 update: Web Links and Skating Rinks

Saturday morning in Vancouver. The past couple of days have been filled with divine appointments and great opportunities to share the Olympic spirit with the millions here from around the world. My role as official chaplain in the Vancouver Olympic Village is primarily to serve the athletes and officials who come to the Multi Faith Centre which is located in the center of the village. This past Wednesday was the start of Lent, so there were services in the Centre for the Italian, German and Polish delegations in addition to the daily catholic and protestant worship times. Some of the teams (Italy, Germany, Finland, Austria, Russia) bring chaplains with their delegations. The Multi Faith Centre also provides chaplains from Vancouver if needed. There are many on the team of international chaplains who specialize in sport ministry. Our job is to respond to the spiritual needs to serve the village. Many of the Olympic Family continue to come to the chapels in both villages to sign the Memorial Book for the Georgian Luge athlete Nodar. Please continue to pray.

This is my fourth Winter Olympics as an official chaplain, so it is a place of many reunions as I see athletes who are now coaches and Olympic Team Leaders whom I know from the past games. I have many friends from Belarus, Kazakhstan, USA, Canada and Russia here. Please pray that I will be an encouragement to them as they serve their teams and compete.

My wife Noreen and I are enjoying the festivities at the events and around this beautiful city. I am meeting friends from AIA Canada and USA who are here. I am able to provide some free tickets to events, so I am a popular guy. McDonalds provides food for the athletes of the world and the over 20,000 volunteers. Also near Sochi 2014 Russky Dom there is a McDonalds which is a popular meeting place, with many TVs inside showing the games. Another meeting place near the village is Mario’s (Italian Ice Cream).

After cheering on the USA Women in their Ice Hockey victory over Finland. Noreen and I had tickets for the Medal Ceremony. We sat next to some of the USA speed skaters. I knew the coach from the past three Olympics. A great day of medals for Canada and USA. I am on my way to cheer for Belarus men’s Hockey. Thanks for your prayers.

(click on any photo above to see all photos)

Here is an article from the Vancouver Sun about the head chaplain and the multi faith centre:

http://communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/thesearch/archive/2010/02/18/beyond-belief-pentecostal-heads-multifaith-winter-games-chaplaincy.aspx

Also, American Shani Davis Wins Speedskating Gold, Chad Hedrick Takes Bronze