You have to love Clara Hughes, the only athlete from any country to win multiple medals at both summer and winter Olympic games. She capped her stellar career by winning a somewhat unexpected bronze medal, for which she was awarded $10,000. Clara could easily have justified this chunk of change as the fruits of her dedication. Instead she gave it away. She and her husband got a little lost on a car ramble through Vancouver last summer and they ended up in the lower east side of the city, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the country. After her win Clara decided to give her prize to a program which provides outdoor experiences for disadvantaged youth called Take a Hike. After the Turin Olympics she gave the same amount to Right to Play. What a woman.
There have been protests in Vancouver over the $6 billion price-tag for the Olympics when there are so many who live in abject poverty. The coalitions of activists include church groups working with those on the margins.
In tomorrow's sermon I will include a reminder of Christ's six "mercies" as found in Matthew 25.
Feed the Hungry
Give Drink to the Thirsty
Clothe the Naked
Shelter the Homeless
Visit the Sick
Visit those in Prison
Can spending so much on the Olympics be justified? Does it have to be "either/or? Should we nominate Clara for sainthood or elect her prime minister?
3 comments:
I don't believe it is an either/or ....I feel the pangs of guilt for the money spent yet if these Olympics weren't held the $6 billion wouldn't simply be sitting in an account somehwere to transfer to those in need. The notion of these world games attracted those dollars.
That being said...the 100's of millions that were donated to Haiti weren't "known" to be available ...the imediate crisis attracted them.
The question seems to be how do ongoing crisis get and keep the world's attention?
Canadian athlete's like Clara Hughes sure do us proud, especiallly after hearing the difference between the American's athlete's revenues and our Canadian's frugal support.
I think she would make a wonderful Prime Minister, someone with a healthy sense of priorities!
I'm glad that the Olympics were a success, except maybe for the closing ceremonies! As you say Laura, it doesn't need to be either/or.
Prime Minister it is Deb!
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