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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Chile celebrates as 33 miners are rescued

Sixty-nine days after being held prisoner in a mine
that many thought would become their tomb,
all trapped miners were finally saved from a hell that many
of us could not even imagine.
I was glued to the different stories over the last 69 days.
I prayed for the miners and their families as I could
not even imagine what this must have been like for all involved.
For the first 17 days it was not sure whether they were even alive.
17 days of pure hell for the families.
Once that camera got to where they were and saw that not
only were they alive but thriving the momentum changed
and all was done to assure that these men would all
be rescued safely and healthy.
However, for many of them, their road to recovery
will be a long one.
Post traumatic Stress Disorder is a real and serious illness.
It causes lots of mental symptoms that eventually start
showing in physical ways.
The youngest of the 33 miners is only 19 years old
and it is said that he, after being pulled out of the mine,
seemed very disconnected, non-celebratory like the rest were.
When he found himself captured in the mine he had
a two month old baby now he has a 4 month old.
He is the one they are most concerned about.
Unlike us older people who can see that life will go on,
at 19 this becomes a big part of all your thoughts.
I thought it touching that the "boss", the foreman
who kept everyone's spirits up through the ordeal,
insisted to be the last to come out of the mine.
Like a Captain going down with his ship,
his thoughts were for all others rather than himself
and his own family who were awaiting up on land.
I rejoice for all involved.
For all who spent countless hours to assure that
their freedom would not be rushed, that safety would be first.
For the miners, their road to health has just begun.
Many have been through less than this and suffer
from PTSD so they will need much help in the months and
maybe even years ahead.
God Bless Chile as all slept well for the first time in sixty nine nights.

2 comments:

  1. I know all about PTSD, and just when you think your life is back to so called NORMAL, you realize thing will never be NORMAL. It takes a good Counselor, the will to move on, and lots of support to once again have a somewhat normal life. I feel for this young boy, and hope they give him the help he will need. I too will pray for all these men that they can return to their life with some since of normalicy.

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  2. God bless them and their families!!

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