Trapped Chilean Miners Survive on Faith

The families of 33 trapped Chilean miners are asking God to deliver their men safely and soon.

Earlier this week, the families received the miraculous news that the men were still alive after being trapped for 17 days. However, the miners may not see the light of day again until sometime in December.

Throughout the South American country, people are praising God and thanking Him for sparing the lives of the 33 miners. The men were feared dead since the mine they were working in had collapsed.

After 17 days of uncertainty, handwritten notes were recovered from the miners confirming they were still alive after being buried 2,000 feet underground.



"Happy, happy, happy, we all thought," said Sulemi Barrios Rojas, sister of a trapped miner. "We all have the hope that they were all alive. So the news was very beautiful, especially that it was on a Sunday, a day of God."

The miners survived by rationing emergency supplies -- two spoons of tuna, a sip of milk and a biscuit every 48 hours. They will soon receive relief supplies and notes from loved ones via capsules.

"We managed to secure what we are calling the 'umbilical cord,' so now we can start with the supply of food and communication with the trapped miners," said Andrews Sougarret, mine manager.

Concern about the miners safety will continue though in what could be a months-long task of rescuing the men. Plans call for boring a 26-inch wide hole into the fragile earth, and raising them out one-by-one.

In the meantime, the men have indicated they will put their trust in the Lord.

"Patience and faith," trapped miner Mario Gomez wrote to his wife. "God is great and the help of my God is going to make it possible to leave this mine alive. "

Gomez's wife has kept vigil at the mine since it collapsed and has vowed to stay there until her husband comes out alive. She also promised herself that after that her husband will never go into a mine again.