This year the Olympics will make history for so many reasons. One historical milestone for Rio 2016 is the participation of the first Olympic Refugee Team.

This team is made up of 10 athletes who have fled their home countries because of war or some other type of conflict and now reside in a country where they are not citizens.

They lived in various refugee camps in many parts of the world. This historical event just so happens to also be occurring during a time where almost 60 million people are being forced to leave their homes because of conflict and become refugees, the most there has ever been.

According to the UNHCR website, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees states that “Their participation in the Olympics is a tribute to the courage and perseverance of all refugees in overcoming adversity and building a better future for themselves and their families."

I want to introduce you to these 10 inspiring athletes and show you how we can pray for them.

1.Rose Nathike Lokonyen

Rose is a 23-year-old woman from South Sudan. Rose fled her country and went to Kenya when she was only 10 years old because of war. After she discovered her talent and love for running, she moved to a training center in Kenya to prepare for Rio 2016. Rose had no professional running shoes or training until just recently, because of this she fears injury during her race. This Olympics she will compete in the women's 800m race on Wednesday, Aug. 17. We can pray for Rose by asking God to protect her from injury and also to use her to inspire others no matter what the outcome of the race.

2. Yiech Pur Biel

Yiech is also from Sudan and fled to Kenya. Yeich, 21 years old now, was a teenager who fled his country on his own. He puts things into perspective for us when he says “In the refugee camp, we have no facilities – even shoes we don’t have. There is no gym." Pray for Yiech, pray that he will be able to accomplish his dream to use this experience to change the lives of many others like him.

3. Yonas Kinde

Yonas Kinde, the oldest of the 10 refugee Olympians, was born in Ethiopia. Because of the great danger in his hometown, he had to leave his country and is now a refugee in Luxembourg. Yonas has been juggling French classes, taxi driving, and training for the Olympics. Yonas competes in the men's marathon on Sunday, Aug.21. We can pray for Yonas during his competition and afterward for the people he may inspire throughout the refugee camps.

4. Popole Misenga

Popole fled his city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he was only 9 years old. He was separated from family and spent eight days in the forest before he was rescued. He found Judo at a children's center and fell in love with the sport. Unfortunately, his coach was very strict and would lock him in a cage with hardly any food or drink if he lost a competition. Finally, when he competed in the Rio world championship in 2013, he decided to stay in Brazil as a refugee. He now has a wife and kids in Brazil watching him compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic games. Popole won his opening Judo match against India, but lost in the next round. But, that win for Popole may bring hope to others like him. He says, "Every refugee is a human being, too, and we can win in everything we want if you believe in yourself" after his win. Pray for Popole and the difference he will make in future games, pray for his family in Brazil and in the Congo.

5. Rami Anis

Rami Anis is a Syrian refugee who was forced to leave his home because of bombings and kidnappings. He went to Turkey to stay with an older brother. He thought he would only be gone a few months, but years later he has still not been home. He trained in a Turkish swimming club, but he was unable to compete in any events. It was then when he went on to Belgium so he could train to compete in Rio 2016. He was a competitor in the men's 100m freestyle and butterfly had good swims but did not qualify for the semifinals. Pray for Rami and his war-torn home of Syria.

6. Yusra Mardini

Yusra, a competitor in a couple of the women's swimming events, is also from Syria, she is only 18 years old. Yusra, along with 20 other people, was stranded off the Turkish coast, what did she do? She swam and pushed the boat all the way to Greece. Not many Olympic swimmers can say they had to use their sport to save the lives of others. The troubles this Syrian refugee has had to go through in her short lifetime have been more than we can imagine. She traveled to Germany to seek asylum and started training here. From the UNHCR website, we see that Yusra says “I want to represent all the refugees because I want to show everyone that, after the pain, after the storm, comes calm days, I want to inspire them to do something good in their lives.” Pray for Yusra and her heart to inspire others.

7. Paulo Amotun Lokoro

Paulo is a refugee from South Sudan. He did not discover his talent for running until just a few years ago while living in his refugee camp. He is competing in the 1,500mrace on Aug. 16. He is competing for the refugees in the camps like his own. Pray for Paulo as he competes and pray for his home country of South Sudan.

8. Yolande Mabika

Yolande and Popole Misenga have very similar stories. They grew up in the same country and found Judo at the same children's center. Both were abused by their coach, and both escaped after the 2013 world championships in Brazil and became refugees. Yolande, unlike many Olympians, has no clue if her family is watching her at the Olympics, she doesn't even know if they are still alive. Please pray for Yolande, that she will be able to find people in Brazil who can comfort her and become a family to her. Pray for the coach who abused these athletes, pray that he will not continue this harsh way of training.

9. James Nyang Chiengjiek

James is also a refugee from South Sudan. He discovered his love for running when he was forced to leave his home because of conflict and go to Kenya. There, at a school, he trained to run long distances. I want you to think about all of the USA athletes who train in top-notch facilities, who have many outfits designed just for training, and of course, the necessary shoes made just for running. This athlete had none of those things, he had no training shoes. James talks about the boys at the school he went to, he says “We all of us got a lot of injuries because of the wrong shoes we had, then we were sharing. If maybe you have two pairs of shoes, then you help the one that has none.” Pray for James and the school in Kenya he attended. Also, pray for your own heart as you think of the selflessness these people show in things we would never think of.

10. Anjelina Nadai Lohalith

Anjelina fled her home in Southern Sudan when she was only 6 years old. She has an obvious heart for others as she continuously says that if she has success with her newfound running career, she wants only to help her parents who remain in South Sudan. She has not seen them in 15 years. Anjelina will compete in the 1,500m race. Pray for Anjelina. Pray for her family and her village that was basically destroyed in the conflict happening in South Sudan.

Now that you know a little more about these 10 brave refugee athletes, join with me in praying for not only these few, but the refugees they represent all throughout the world. These people have gone through more hard times that many of us will even think about experiencing in our lifetimes. Pray that those of them who do not know the hope of Jesus will be able to find it, and those that have accepted that hope, pray they don't forget about it.

For more information, check out The UN Refugee Agency website, where I learned about these athletes.