LONDON, UK (ANS) -- When Madagascan Olympic athletes, team officials and families landed at Luton Airport, just north of London, with no luggage, it was the churches that sprang to their aid.

More Than Gold (www.morethangold.org.uk)  says the international travelers, who arrived over two consecutive days, had expected their 26 bags to automatically follow when transferring from Paris.

But, the website says, they ended up with their carry-on bags and no more. However, on hand were representatives from More Than Gold, an agency helping churches serve others through the 2012 Games. At the airport they helped the distressed visitors with all the negotiations needed to locate their bags.

Meanwhile, standing by to provide hospitality for athlete family members through More Than Gold’s Athlete Family Homestay Program was Sister Anne Spilberg. She was to open her door to find more guests than expected with only the clothes they stood up in.

More Than God says on the second day this included parents with a one year-old baby.

“We did what we could immediately,” said Sister Anne.

But the following day she took the need to those meeting at the nearby Brentwood Catholic Church.

“People were overwhelmingly generous,” she said, adding: “Someone instantly gave us a cheque for £100GBP – which we used for food, toiletries and nappies [diapers]. Others dashed to the shops and returned with so many clothes we had 20 bags of them.”

David Willson, CEO of More Than Gold,said: “When people from the churches signed up to support athletes’ families, there was no expectation this could also involve sorting out lost luggage of Olympians. Or helping to find alternative clothing and other items. But our people rose to the challenge.”

The President of the Madagascar Olympic Committee, Solo Siteny, praised the help his countrymen had received. He said: “This has been really helpful as these athletes did not fly into one of the official airports. I really respect what More Than Gold have done for us. We are so grateful.”

More Than Gold says that even now, four bags are somewhere between Paris and Luton. And More Than Gold has dispatched a team member to the French airport to continue the rescue operation. “We are committed to sticking with this until the job is done,” Willson added.

The island nation of Madagascar has seven athletes competing at the London 2012 Olympics, in athletics, swimming, wrestling and judo.

More Than Gold’s Athlete Family Home Stay program allows friends and relations of athletes to see their loved ones competing without having to pay for accommodation.

Willson stated: “We know the bags will turn up eventually, and the immediate issue of the lost luggage will fade into memory. But I hope that the response from the volunteers will remain a lifelong memory.”

** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International To support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism,' please contact Michael for more information. Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter