Refugee Team Competes in 2016 Olympics

The Wired Word for the Week of August 14, 2016

In the News

This year's Olympics has a historic first: a team of 10 athletes who are displaced persons from South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria and are now together as members of the Refugee Olympic Team.

As a team, the 10 represent no nation, but at the opening ceremony, they walked in under the Olympic flag, while the Olympic anthem was played.

The team was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to raise awareness of the world refugee crisis. IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement, "This will be a symbol of hope for all the refugees in our world, and will make the world better aware of the magnitude of this crisis. It is also a signal to the international community that refugees are our fellow human beings and are an enrichment to society. These refugee athletes will show the world that, despite the unimaginable tragedies they have faced, anyone can contribute to society through their talent, skills and strength of the human spirit."

Initially, 43 potential candidates were identified by the various National Olympic Committees for inclusion in the team. The final selection process considered sporting ability, personal circumstances and United Nations-verified refugee status. To pay for athlete training, the IOC established a fund of $2 million.

The 10 refugee athletes include:

• James Nyang Chiengjiek, who fled South Sudan to avoid being captured by rebels intent on recruiting child soldiers. A runner, he is competing in track-and-road, 400m.
• Rose Nathike Lokonyen, who fled South Sudan at age 10, competing in track-and-road, 800m.
• Paulo Lokoro, another refugee from South Sudan, competing in track-and-road, 1500m.
• Anjelina Lohalith has not seen her parents since she was 6 and her village in South Sudan was destroyed. Competing in track-and-road, 1500m.
• Yiech Biel lived for 10 years in a refugee camp after fleeing South Sudan. Competing in track-and-road, 800m.
• Yonas Kinde fled Ethiopia. Competes in track-and-road, marathon.
• Popole Misenga fled Democratic Republic of Congo at age 6 after his mother was murdered. Competing in judo, 90kg.
• Yolande Mabika, a refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo, competing in judo,  70kg.
• Rami Anis fled Syria. Competing in swimming 100m butterfly.
• Yusra Mardini fled Syria. When the crowded small boat she was on started to capsize, Mardini and her sister swam for more than three hours in the sea, pushing the boat and helping more than a dozen non-swimmers on the boat survive the journey. Competing in swimming, 100m freestyle.

This is not a fairy tale story, and none of the refugee team competitors is likely to medal, but for many, the symbolism of their participation is powerful. They are 10 people, representing 60 million refugees. 

There are critics who view the refugee team as an exploitation of the athletes for political gain, but whatever the case, these 10 people have expressed their sense of thrill to be competing at an international level. Several of the refugee team members say they hope their participation in the Olympics will bring hope and inspiration to other refugees.

More on this story can be found at these links:

From Helplessness to Hope: Inspirational Tales of the Refugee Olympic Team. The Guardian She Swam to Escape Syria. Now She'll Swim in Rio. New York Times 
James Chiengjiek's Escape From the Clutches of War to Rio 2016. Rio 2016 
Two African Refugees Aim to Make History at 2016 Rio Olympics. The Guardian

Applying the News Story

There are some gospel songs that were once quite popular, but which we hear less often today. They include lines such as these:

• "I've got a mansion, just over the hilltop, in that bright land where we'll never grow old."
• "I am a poor, wayfarin' stranger, a-travelin' through this world below."
• "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through."
• "My heav'nly home is bright and fair; I feel like traveling on."

The common theme in those songs is that we Christians are primarily citizens of God's kingdom in eternity and that our sojourn here on earth is just a temporary stop on the way to that "glory land."

While those old songs continue to have some value, they may be sung less often today because they seem to suggest that once we are headed for heaven, our existence as "earthlings" is unimportant. While we get the point, many of us aren't ready to write off our lifetime on earth.

We're not sure that "refugee status" is any more effective as a metaphor to describe what's intended by the Bible's teaching about the kingdom of God, but TWW team member Malia Miller points out that "Although we as Christians haven't necessarily been 'driven out,' we don't always 'fit into' our earthly home. Like the refugee team, we Christians look to others who share our beliefs and experiences for support and strength to live out our lives in a world that doesn't always acknowledge Christ as the Son of God."

While in some parts of the world, Christians are literal refugees -- people seeking safety from danger -- all Christians are at least "pilgrims," if not in the original sense of the word as a traveler away from home, at least in the modern sense of a traveler heading to a sacred place. Hymns of pilgrimage and of journey are still sung fairly often, and you may recognize these lines:

• "I'm but a stranger here ... short is my pilgrimage: heaven is my home!"
• "Jesus, lead thou on, till our rest be won."
• "Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land."

These hymns focus on God’s guidance through this world to the next. If anything, we are refugees from the world who take refuge in God.

In any case, we're going to use the refugee status symbolism to think about what it means to belong to God's kingdom.

The Big Questions

1. How is our Christian walk similar to the experience of a refugee? How is it similar to the experience of a pilgrim? How do those who live apart from their spiritual homeland maintain their faith, hope and courage while in the "foreign" land?

2. What is the home ground from which Christians are separated? For those who are separated from their spiritual homeland, what are their moral and spiritual obligations to the places where they currently live?

3. To what degree should Christians become comfortable with the secular society in which they are immersed? What does it mean to be too attached to this earth? To your nation?

4. What are the dangers of thinking of life on earth as dwelling in a land that is not our own?

5. What is your attitude toward actual refugees? How about toward refugees coming to the United States? How do you differentiate between those who are legitimately refugees and those who are claiming to be refugees for other reasons? What responsibilities do refugees have to adapt themselves to the culture in which they are seeking refuge? How do your answers to these questions reflect your understanding of Christ's teachings? Explain your answer.

Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Hebrews 13:14For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. (No context necessary.)
Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (For context, read 3:17-21.)

The Hebrews verse is one in which a biblical writer stated the refugee theme quite plainly.

The Philippians verse shows that for the apostle Paul, there was no question where the ultimate citizenship of Christians is held. He envisioned Christians on earth as living colonies of heaven.

Philippi was a colony of Rome. As such, its residents were citizens of Rome, a city that many of them had never seen. Some were retired military personnel who had fought in Rome's wars even if they had never seen the city. Philippians received the privileges of Roman citizenship. Paul probably used this image in his letter to the Philippians because they would understand what it meant to be a citizen of heaven, a place they had not seen either, but which operated by different rules than their earthly city.

Questions: In what sense is your church a living colony of heaven? In what sense is it not? Do you think of yourself as a Christian or as an American first when the two citizenships are in conflict? Or is this an "apples and oranges" comparison? Why or why not?

2 Kings 17:6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria captured Samaria; he carried the Israelites away to Assyria. He placed them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. (For context, read 17:1-23.)

In 722 B.C., the Assyrians conquered the northern Hebrew kingdom, Israel, and marched many of the Jewish inhabitants to other lands of the Assyrian empire. Then, the Assyrians imported some peoples from these other lands and settled them in Israel's territory. As a group, the exiled Jews never got to return. 2 Kings 17:23 notes, "So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day."

In 586 B.C., the Babylonians conquered the southern Hebrew kingdom of Judah. Many of Judah's citizens were then taken en masse to Babylon, where they lived in colonies, separated from their own country. 2 Kings 25:21 sums up this sad event by saying, "So Judah went into exile out of its land."

TWW team member Frank Ramirez points to the various exiles when the Jewish people were scattered, and notes that they ultimately created a new identity as residents of many nations throughout the diaspora, while still maintaining their original identity as well.

Many biblical scholars describe the Babylonian exile as a creative era "in which traditions were adapted and reformulated to meet the challenges posed by political, religious, and social disruption" (quoting Jill Middlemas, The Templeless Age).

Questions: Why does one's religious identity sometimes become wrapped up in one's physical location? When you move for a job or other reason, why does it sometimes seem difficult to find a new church? What are some reasons you should try to find one?
Were you able to creatively redefine yourself religiously or socially during a period of "exile" (such as a move, a loss of and/or change in job, a change in marital status, attendance at college)? Describe how.

Jeremiah 29:7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (For context, read 29:1-14.)

This is from a letter the prophet Jeremiah wrote to the people of Judah shortly after they arrived in captivity in Babylon. Some apparently argued that the stay there would be short, but Jeremiah had heard different news from God. Although Jeremiah said the people would be allowed to return to their homeland eventually, that was to be many years in the future.

In the interim, said Jeremiah, the people should not only resign themselves to a long stay, but actively seek the welfare of the land where they had been taken. They were actually to work for the good of Babylon. They were not to forget who they were or where they came from, but neither were they to think of themselves merely as short-term visitors.

Questions: The term "diaspora" is from a Greek root meaning "to spread about" or "to sow." In what positive sense does the "to sow" definition apply to Jeremiah's advice to those in exile? How does it apply to you as a "refugee" from the kingdom of God?

Isaiah 2:2
In days to come the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. (For context, read 2:2-4.)

This is a prophetic vision mentioned both here in the Old Testament and in Revelation21:24 in the New Testament. The idea is that in God's kingdom, we won't march under the flags of our nations, but all nations will walk together.

Questions: What is the importance of this vision? Why?

For Further Discussion

1. When have you felt that you have become too settled in the secular way of life of our society? What have you done about that?

2. As a group, look at the lines of the songs listed above in "Applying the News Story." To what degree do you identify with them? Why?

3. Respond to this, from a TWW team member: "Yes, we Christians are citizens of two worlds, but we live our 'kingdom principles' here on earth, in a culture that is our home at present. Moreover, God is the sovereign of this world as well as of the next one."

4. Discuss the statement of  IOC president Thomas Bach, quoted in the "In the News" section above, about the purpose of creating the refugee team.

5. Comment on this, from TWW team member David Lee: "I'm reminded of the people of Israel calling themselves the Am Ha'Aretz, the people of the land. Sometimes they didn't have land, but the land was what they carried in their hearts. I may have been born in one state and I have lived most of my life elsewhere, but in my heart, I know where my home is."

Responding to the News

This is a good time to find out what your denomination is doing to address the refugee crisis around the world and consider how you might help.

Prayer

O God, help us to live faithfully for Jesus Christ, wherever we are. And help us never to lose contact with "Christianity Central." In Jesus' name. Amen.

You may also use (or sing) the final stanza adapted from the hymn in Pilgrim’s Progresssung by Mr. Valiant:

Since, Lord, you will defend
            Us with your Spirit,
We know we at the end
            Will life inherit.
So fancies, flee away!
            We care not what men say!
            We’ll labor night and day
To be true pilgrims.