The 10-day journey of the 2018 Winter Paralympics came to a close on March 18. Throughout the 27 days of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the Korean churches have quietly devoted themselves to service activities on the scene, in a drama that has continuously unfolded without script. The contributions of church members in the Pyeongchang and Gangneung areas, where the main events took place, were particularly impressive. Emotions ran high as Christian athletes fought for the gold, cheered on by the Korean churches. One noteworthy outcome was the discovery of new paradigms of sports mission on the occasion of Korea’s second hosting of the Olympics, 30 years after the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Centered around the Christian Council of Gangwon-do (president: Rev. Seo Seok-geun) and the Christian Council of Gangneung City (CCGC; president: Rev. Lee Cheol), volunteers carried out service and support activities without rest for the duration of the Olympics. In downtown Pyeongchang and Gangneung and around the Olympics sites, local believers handed out informational materials, distributed cheering equipment and drinks, organized cultural performances such as flash-mob folk dancing and hymn-singing, and in various other ways gave unforgettable memories to visiting Koreans, foreign tourists and athletes’ teams.
*In top photo, Gangneung-area church members hand out cheering equipment and information booklets to visitors outside Olympic Park on March 10.
*Head pastor Yun Deok-shin of Jincheon Athletes Village Church prays for athlete Seo Yi-ra at the Gangneung Athletes Village religious center.
*In front of Somang Presbyterian Church, volunteers from Gangneung-area churches offer snacks and hot packs to visitors.Reporter Choi Ki-young (ky710@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)
Full Story in Korean:
선수들은 선전·성도들은 헌신… 선교 올림픽 꽃피워: 평창 동계올림픽·패럴림픽 마친 한국교회 무엇을 남겼나
