A safe Olympics

"Prayer can be an incredibly effective means for ensuring safety, and we don't have to be in Australia to pray."

Mark Swinney

During the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, I worked for a leading ski manufacturer that sponsored competitors from several different nations. Security in and around Sarajevo was very tight. As careful as staff members were to maintain the security, there were so many people in that little area of what was then Yugoslavia that it was almost impossible to ensure that everyone was always protected. Along with the rest of the world, I prayed for a safe Olympics.

During the closing ceremonies, I breathed a sigh of happiness as I watched the competitors' smiling faces. The eyes of the world had been on all of them for several days. There had been no distractions—no violence, no crime. Only grace, precision, and records broken.

Very soon, competitors from over two hundred nations will assemble in Australia for the 2000 Olympics. Coverage is going to be more extensive than ever before. And probably more people will attend than ever before. So public safety is a central priority. You and I may not be on the security force. We can participate, however, and play a part in bringing the world a safe Olympics.