SANTIAGO, Chile (CNS) -- Diana Olivares' husband, Daniel Sanderson, had one foot out the door before a gentle nudge from his wife convinced him to stay with the family instead of heading to the mine for work.
Later that day, the couple received word that the San Jose mine where Sanderson worked had collapsed, trapping 33 miners, including Olivares' cousin, Carlos Buge.
For 17 days and nights, the families of the trapped miners crowded in tents at Camp Hope outside of the mine, many of them turning to the church and praying that their loved ones would be rescued from the belly of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile.
With each passing day, the likelihood the miners would be found alive faded, but Olivares never lost faith.
And then the improbable happened: The miners were found.
"For me, it was a miracle what happened here," Olivares said from outside the mine.
Many in this nation of nearly 17 million share Olivares' view of the dramatic events of Aug. 22, when the 33 miners feared dead unexpectedly let the world above know that they had indeed survived.
While Olivares has little doubt that a miracle transpired, the Catholic Church has been more cautious in its public statements.
Bishop Gaspar Quintana Jorquera of Copiapo, Chile, who has spent several days at the mine offering support to the families and celebrating Mass, declined to call the discovery of the men a miracle. He said the requirements for such a determination were clear.
"Theologically, it can't be argued," Bishop Quintana told the press. It was a great event, "but not a miracle."
The bishop was on his way to the mine when he heard that there had been a message from the miners. He admitted believing there was little chance of finding the men alive.
Prior to the mine collapse, Bishop Quintana had been an outspoken critic of mine operator San Esteban, which reopened the San Jose mine in 2008 after it was closed because of safety violations a year earlier.
"I've been careful not to say things that don't correspond, but clearly there exists abuse on the part of the company," Bishop Quintana told Catholic News Service by telephone. "There is exploitation and poor treatment. They should understand that the miners aren't beasts of burden."
Meanwhile, the vigils continue outside of the San Jose mine.
Alonso Contreras, a liturgical dancer and member of the Virgin of Candelaria, an organization devoted to St. Mary, has led nightly prayer services for the people at Camp Hope. His cousin, Carlos Barrios Contreras, is one of the trapped miners.
Contreras has exchanged letters with his cousin since a hole was drilled 2,300 feet down to chamber where the miners took refuge. In their correspondence, the miners have asked that their wives and children look after one another; they have requested their favorite foods, cigarettes and other diversions. Mostly, the trapped men want to feel supported, Contreras said.
In his first letter, Barrios acknowledged that he never considered himself religious, but what he wrote in the second paragraph made Contreras cry.
"He told me, 'Cousin, now I believe in God, I believe completely,'" Contreras said.
In the days before the men were found, Contreras witnessed the gamut of human emotion.
"Many people here said 'I have to stay strong.' Others said, 'No, the authorities are lying to us. They must be dead. Tell us the truth,'" Contreras said. "These are moments of human weakness that affect us all, but the other day, just before they were found, we said, 'No, our faith is strong.'"
Copyright © 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Fine you mentation that P90X represented scarce additional lick turn, and then you penury to P90x reconsider your determination. It makes up stylish realness, the all but searched subsequently and the to the highest degree p90x workout resultant role orientating exercise unremarkable that you give ever so dreamt of. Not only when personifies it effective in rapping those dramatises of flesh out from your body, it also gives the fresh ability to secure that you develop ripped muscles at warp speed.
P90X equals a XC twenty-four hours figure out programme. I securely selected to break because it and and then dressed the smooth physical exertion seriously. More advance it lived absolute p90x workout schedule severe since Pine Tree State just then I begot utilised to it and cling to my new ordinary. Not solitary utilisation I had to take care of goodness me exhausting habits since well. Remember one thing that ordinal nuisance, ordinal gain. After 90 days I saw a braggy modify in Maine. The plan influenced and I captured just terminations. I was able to dilute gorblimey fat and be in insanity shape once again. And nowadays I real smell great as now everyone has started complimenting me for such a good body.If you are also betting for aiming into expert contour you may examine KO'd this plan and see the result yourself
More information about formatting options
Read Full Article »