FOLEY, Ala. — The name says it all: Winter Olympics. It’s cold and thus it was recently in Vancouver, British Columbia, where the 2010 Winter Games were held.

One church from South Baldwin, where snow is rare and the temperature rarely dips below freezing, sent some warmth north to Canada during the Winter Games and did so through one of the church’s families and the talents of several church ladies who crocheted colorful scarves and made handmade mittens.

Ron and Susan Bartholomew of Pleasant View Baptist Church in Foley, along with their daughters Emma, 6, and Mary Alice, 4, were in Vancouver from Feb. 21 through March 3 as a result of an invitation from national WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) in Birmingham and the “More Than Gold” team, a faith-based hospitality effort involving several religious denominations.

Eighteen people made the WMU mission trip to the 2010 Winter Games and five of those were from Alabama.

“We met in Canada to go and serve the people and tell them about Jesus,” said Susan, who is WMU director for Baldwin Baptist Association.

“We were able to witness through handing out homemade scarves and mittens and free hot chocolate.”

As Susan notes, however, telling the people of Vancouver about Jesus isn’t as simple as that.

“It’s illegal to tell about Jesus in the city of Vancouver. You can actually be arrested for that,” she said.

But by handing out crocheted scarves, handmade mittens and serving hot chocolate, the latter in conjunction with the Salvation Army, questions were asked and doors were open to share their Christian witness and opportunities were created to help those in need.

“At the Olympics trading pins is a really big thing,” Susan said, so the WMU team took along a lot of “More Than Gold” pins, a reference to the Christians’ belief that the love of God is more valuable than even Olympic “gold.”

“Our church has prayed for us and has sent us off on a mission so we can share Jesus in a city that doesn’t allow you to do that,” Susan said this week.

According to her, the Vancouverites were some of the friendliest people you could meet - people with whom you could easily strike up a conversation.

“But you don’t see many Christians,” she added. According to Susan, only one-percent of the 30 percent of Christians in Canada attend church.

“More Than Gold,” the hospitality group that works both the Winter and Summer Olympics, comes up with faith-based ideas that are designed to create avenues for Christian witness.

“They (More Than Gold) sent me a pattern of the official Olympic scarf for salvation, so I asked the ladies of our church if they could crochet or knit scarves,” Susan said.

As it turned out, there was plenty of crocheting experience at Pleasant View.

Rosalea Stewart has been crocheting for over 70 years. She made five or six scarves that the Bartholomews took to Vancouver.

“You’re doing it for something special,” Rosalea said of her role in the Olympic mission effort.

Same for Ellie Montgomery, who made 12 to 15 scarves and who has been crocheting for 60 years.

“I really didn’t know how to work it out,” she said of making the scarves. “It took me a few days.”

Gertie Mae Stearns, an officer in Pleasant View’s WMU, has a snowbird friend, Nancy Spanton, who attends First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores, while a winter resident here from Michigan. Gertie Mae told Susan that Nancy could make mittens to take on the Vancouver trip, and Nancy did.

“I love to do it. I’ve been so blessed, so if I can help others so much the better,” Nancy said. Nancy’s handmade mittens were for adults and children alike.

Susan and her family not only took mittens and scarves made by Pleasant View ladies but were able to hand out over 200 bags containing such items as hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand-warmers, New Testaments and other Christian literature thanks to the support of the entire congregation.

“I have always been interested in missions,” said Pleasant View member Geraldine Beech, who is described by Susan as playing a vital role in the mission trip as a person who “gives a lot, prays a lot and does a lot.”

“We’re delighted to be involved not simply in an effort local but be involved in an effort that takes us around the world,” said the Rev. Kelly Brown, pastor at Pleasant View Baptist Church.

“We’re real proud of our ladies for using their skills that they’ve developed over a lifetime and use those skills to serve Christ.”

Susan is GA (Girls in Action) director at Pleasant View. “That is where my heart for missions is,” she said of the missions organization for girls ages 1-6.

Asked about her favorite part of the Olympic experience, Emma, the Bartholomews’ 6-year-old daughter, said, “Getting to see the bobsleds.” She also liked the snow. Emma and Mary Alice attend Open Door Christian School.

Churches, GA groups and WMU groups who want to hear more about Pleasant View’s mission to the Winter Olympics can contact Susan at 251-233-7336.