Ch. 156 - Parade of Nations

So tonight I watched the opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics, right? And I was completely awestruck at the amazing different aspects of it all. I couldn't seem to wrap my mind around all the imagination and thought and technology and work and power and detail that it encompassed. It was a breathtaking spectacle and, by far, the best opening ceremony that's ever been arranged. But my favorite part was not the performance aspect of the ceremony. Rather, it was the parade of nations - the part where the athletes for the respective competing countries walk in. The parade of nations has always been my favorite part, and I know it will be for years to come.

To see the unity and the peace and the joy of the athletes is simply something else. From the United States with its 647 athletes to Naura and its single competitor... many countries are represented in the world, given perhaps only one chance to bring home honor, respect and glory. The athletes are the best of the best and they deserve to be there. Why anybody would want to spoil what the Olympics is all about and boycott the games or bomb stadiums is beyond me. Being able to put aside differences and coming together in harmony - the theme for Beijing 2008 - is just as important as competing and winning a gold medal in my opinion. There was a lot of speculation about the politics of it all, being in a Communist country and whatnot I mean, but it seems to be off pretty well; so far, so good. Now if it could just stay that way for a couple more weeks... that'd be peachy.


'... God has called us to live in peace.'
[1 Corinthians 7:15]

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Ch. 156, Part Two:

I think my absolute favorite part of the parade of nations was when China walked in last, and next to the flag bearer (Yao Ming) walked a young boy. He is nine years old, but looked incredibly small next to seven and a half foot tall Yao Ming. The boy's name is Lin Hao. He is a survivor of the earthquake in Sichuan. Twenty of his thirty classmates died. Lin Hao had freed himself from the rubble and soon after went back into the rubble to find his classmates and help pull them out. He said he was a class leader and a hall monitor and thus felt it was his responsibility to try and help them. Lin Hao encouraged his classmates to sing songs to help keep up their spirits while rescuers worked to free them. Amazing, amazing, amazing boy.