by Maureen Fiedler
That was one of the most memorable statements to come from one of the men trapped for 69 days in the bowels of the earth in Chile. I can only imagine how these miners coped with their confinement, especially during the first 17 days when they had no contact with the surface, and no assurance that anyone was even close to locating them.
Reports indicate that faith and prayer played a significant role for many of them and for their families.
The whole rescue highlighted the power of “resurrection” and why it is so central to the story of Christianity. Those of us who watched the capsule emerge from the earth, each time with a freed miner, were mesmerized and thankful. I know I asked friends for hours, “How many have been rescued now?” “Are they all out yet?” And I suddenly sensed what it might have been like for Martha and Mary watching Lazarus emerge from his tomb.
This successful rescue also highlights the power of peaceful cooperation across boundaries. According to The Washington Post, Chilean engineers worked with Korean cell phones, fiber optic cable from Germany and advisors from NASA as a private mining company with Japanese and British investors paid for the U.S. drilling rig that penetrated the rock in record time.
And the whole incident underlines the need for worker justice when it comes to safety, not only in mines, but in any dangerous work site.
Finally, this whole event lifted my spirits for days. And I wonder: how long has it been since we have been able to join the whole world in sharing such GOOD news? Viva la Resurrection!
