World Cup Churches: 31. Uruguay

Continuing a series of blogs heading round the 32 qualifying countries in the 2022 World Cup - I will pick out one church in each one.  I am not going to choose only churches that are to my liking.  This is an exploration not a recommendation! To see all in the series select the label 'World Cup Churches' below.

Uruguay won the first World Cup and again in 1950 and though a small country have consistently qualified for the tournament in contrast to several larger South American nations.  Arguably football is what Uruguay is famous for, but it is an unusually peaceful and progressive nation on its continent.

Progressive is not a word to fill believers with great joy given that in many parts of the West it is synonymous with unbelief attacking and dismantling belief, at least in the public space.  Nevertheless, in Uruguay it has had positive aspects in offering freedoms that non-Catholic churches found hard to come by in much of South America.

Allow me to introduce Esperanza en la Ciudad.

The sufferings of the Armenian people have led to them finding their way around the world and, despite its small population, Uruguay has many thousands of Armenians who have benefited from its placidity and freedom as a place to live.

Most Armenians identify as Orthodox but there are also Armenian Evangelical Churches, not least in the Americas, including Uruguay.  'Hope in the City [Eng]' is one and of course they bear the outreaching characteristics of all evangelical churches.  While my church has been shivering with carols on the street in North London, this Armenian evangelical church in Montevideo is giving out foody gifts in the sunshine by the waterfront.  Ah well.

World Cup Blogs 32: Uruguay

Uruguay may be last in the English alphabet in this World Cup but in two important ways they are first.

They were the first nation to host a World Cup (in 1930) and the first to win it that same year.  They have also won it again, and finished in the top four three times too.

The qualification of Iceland at this tournament was remarkable for, as we noted in an earlier blog, it is a country with the population of a single London Borough.  Uruguay has arguably achieved something more remarkable because its achievements span 80 years of World Cups.  

Every other nation that has won a World Cup has had a population at least 10 times that of Uruguay, usually 20 times or more.  And remember, Uruguay has won it twice and sustained some success right through to the 21st century.

Perhaps more than any other country Uruguay ARE the World Cup.  Certainly Brazil are closely identified with it, but we all know other things about Brazil (beaches, rainforests, coffee, nuts, carnival).  Every European country has other associations than World Cup football that readily come to mind.  But Uruguay?  I've never even met anyone whose visited Uruguay, or if they have then they couldn't be bothered to tell me about it.  In my experience if I think of Uruguay I think of the World Cup.

It reminds me of the man who, in Jesus' parable, received the one talent.  The man whose master had given him five made five more, the one given two made two more and alike they are pleasing.  The man with only one talent did nothing with it and incurred his master's deep displeasure.  

Life, population, or whatever, does not offer equal opportunities to all.  Uruguay ends my blogging on this year's World Cup by reminding us to do something with what life offers us - and especially with the gift of grace that is offered in the Saviour of the World, the Lord Jesus.