Thirty-three Chilean miners, trapped underground in Chile for 69 days, were all rescued and 
are alive. This amazing event has resonated across the globe for a range of reasons.  It has 
also taken its place with other great accomplishments in history.” 

“The rescue exceeded expectations every step of the way. Officials first said it might be four
 months before they could get the men out; it turned out to be 69 days and about 8 hours.”

“No one in recorded history has survived as long trapped underground. For the first 17 days, 
no one even knew whether they were alive. In the weeks that followed, the world was captivated 
by their endurance and unity.”                                    

In clearly one of the most inspiring stories of the decade, the world stood by and watched 33 men        
endure the desperate circumstances of being trapped half a mile under ground and their hope for       
freedom and life. Witnessing the coming together of the miner families, the people of Chili, and the       
hard work of the local mining company helping with the rescue, NASA designing the rescue shuttle 
and even the President of Chile who stood in support of the miners from beginning to end, has moved 
us all. 

All of this was awe inspiring, but the dedication and sacrifice of the rescue workers who went down        
into the mine at the end to save the trapped miners, was the most amazing act of care I witnessed.        
You might remember,  “The first rescue worker down, was the last up — Manuel Gonzalez, a mine        
rescue expert with Chile’s state-owned Codelco copper company, talked the men through the final 
hours inside the mine.”

Manuel’s self-sacrifice to help these desperate men, trapped in the depths of the earth, to bring 
forth life out of the darkest situation, reminds me of our Savior, Christ Jesus.  Just as Jesus laid 
down his life for the world and went to the cross of Calvary, these rescue workers in some ways 
sacrificed everything to descend into the mine, risking their lives to bring forth a way of salvation 
for the miners. From Death to Life…

I am sure we will be hearing more and more faith stories from the miners in the coming months. May 
they inspire us to thankfulness for all that we have before us, and point to the one who meets us in 
our darkest hour, bringing forth light and salvation. 


						Joy and Peace ~ Rev. Tommy Wilkes