As I post this, half the miners in the Chilean mine disaster have been brought to the surface in the little blue capsule. Most of us watching this drama unfold are in awe of the rescue process. We are particularly inspired by the stories and spirit of the miners, each emerging from the ordeal and responding to freedom in their own unique way.
How did they do it? How did they create an environment that sustained them through two months enclosed in a dark space a half mile underground? They were there so long that their ordeal set a new record. As the stories begin to unfold we see that they were able to create a community that was both positive and sustaining. They took care of each other and in doing this they nurtured the whole group through the fear and hopelessness that could have engulfed them. They kept hope alive by consciously evoking it. That it was a communal effort can be seen as the miners competed to be the last to leave the hole, not the first. The safety of the others in the group became more important than their own.
The courage of the miners is mirrored by the attitude of the rescuers. It is heartwarming to watch their meticulous efforts and to see them waiting to greet each and every miner as they come up. The work will not be finished until the last person comes home. It is inspiring to observe the national pride in doing the right thing. Perhaps the tiny white butterfly so far underground that two miners stopped to watch, and by that pause escaped death in the collapse, has turned out to be a symbol of hope for us all–for we most certainly are being taught a lesson about the power of community in the face of adversity.
