Thanks for posting this Gecko.  I had been following what was happening.  So definitely offering prayers and lots of positive thoughts for those being rescued and also for those on the surface who are waiting to see their loved ones again.

TL

Blessed be the us actually getting to see how reality works day by day, how the works of humanity, sheer ingenuity, creativity and hard work are enabling these workers to be rescued.

Blessed be the workers for hanging together for so long.

Blessed be 'the media' for actually reporting this lovely story.

Blessed be the corporation that is involved.

Blessed be the warm and fuzzy waves of rationality.

Too late.  Three different area churches have claimed responsibility for the prayers which saved the miners:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/11/chilean-miners-rival-churche...

Clearly, God is listening to only one of those religious leaders, and not any of you.

Chansen, now you are being an idiot.  This thread is not meant to be a claim of anything....

simply looking at the bigger picture and hoping for the well-being of these men.  I could just as easily have said "thoughts".

Would that make you any less cynical and nasty?

Prayers and best wishes for the miners.

They've had to confront so much for a long time.

chansen, isn't it time you stopped kicking that tin can?

You're an athiest - we get it!

I pray for thouse miners and there families , my heart goes out to all invloved,

gecko46

God bless you  for posting. I thought about doing it but thought it was too late.

Prayers......!!!!!...oh man, you better believe it!  I'm praying all night as I watch it. I'm hoping the collective prayers around the world are going to help bring these men back to us. Its been a miracle from the beginning. Tears...its just so incredible.

I just posted this on BethanyK's thread on social.

I'm just watching this news now. First miner is out. I'm thinking about all of the miners and their families and hope all continues to go smoothly and safely.

Hurray! May they all come up safe and sound!

My prayers have already been added to the millions around the world.

10 Miners successfully and safely lifted to the surface as I write...the 11th is on his way.

Those fellows must feel incredible, so emotional and joyful being reunited with familes.

gecko46

Isn't it a miracle !

Thank You God! 

 Praise You Jesus

Dedicated to the Miners

Come Follow Me

For the Miners.....

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Watching this has been so amazing and inspiring! Some are saying their faith helped them cope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33aGaYAZvL4&feature=related

14 now and no hitches. They are nearing halfway and it's looking good so far.

Chansen, I don't think God saved them per se (I'm agnostic, after all) and I don't think most people here do. However, if believing in God and knowing that other believers were praying for them helped strengthen them and their rescuers then I don't see a problem with that. As long as we remember that, in the end, it was humans acting out of care and concern that won the day and that they get all the credit they are due. It always irks when someone thanks God for something like this and treats the human effort and energy as an afterthought.

Mendalla

I'm so happy! 15 rescued!

Video of the Rescue

Names of the Miners:

1. Florencio Avalos Silva, 31, video operator for the underground miner communications. Expected to be the first up.

2. Mario Sepulveda Espinace, 39, the 'journalist' commentator who moderated the video broadcasts. Possibly second one up.

3. Juan Illanes Palma, 52, served in Chilean army, possibly the third up.

4. Carlos Mamani Solis, 23, of Bolivia, the only non-Chilean trapped, possibly number four up.

5. Renan Avalos Silva, 29, brother of Florencio Avalos.

6. Mario Gomez Heredia, 63, the oldest of the group who sent the first report to the surface that they were alive.

7. Jimmy Sanchez Lagues, 19, the youngest.

8. Ariel Ticona Yanez, 29, became a father during the ordeal. His daughter was named Esperanza, for Hope.

9. Edison Pena Villarroel, 34, ran 10 kilometres every day in the underground mine shafts.

10. Víctor Zamora Bugueno, 33, wrote poetry underground.

11. Raul Bustos Ibanez, 40, survived the Chilean earthquake earlier this year, which destroyed his job as a mechanic. Found new job at mine, where he thought he would find more peace.

12. Claudio Yanez Lagos, 34, promised he will marry his partner of 25 years and mother of his children when he emerges. The pair have grandchildren.

13. Víctor Segovia Rojas, 48, kept a journal in the underground.

14. Jorge Galleguillos Orellana, 56, suffers high blood pressure and is one of the complicated medical cases.

15. Jose Henriquez Gonzalez, 54. The number 33 is his fate: married for 33 years, working at the mine for 33 years, and one of the 33 trapped men.

16. Samuel Avalos Acuna, 43, had been a street seller of wares and had hoped for a better life in the mine.

17. Claudio Acuna Cortes, 34, football fan who plans to greet his wife wearing his team's shirt.

18. Franklin Lobos Ramirez, 53, avid football player who received greetings from Spain's David Villa.

19. Osman Araya Araya, 30, experienced a nervous collapse underground.

20. Yonni Barrios Rojas, 50, played nurse to his comrades in the mine.

21. Alex Vega Salazar, 31 , his father is an emergency doctor and changed his name in order to help in the rescue. Family members were not supposed to be part of the rescue team.

 

22. Richard Villarroel Godoy, 27 23. Daniel Herrera Campos, 27 24. José Ojeda Vidal, 46 25. Luis Urzúa Iribarren, 54 26. Carlos Barrios Contreras, 27 27. Omar Reygada Rojas, 56 28. Juan Carlos Aguilar Gaete, 49 29. Carlos Bugueño Alfaro, 27 30. Pedro Cortés Contreras, 25 31. Pablo Rojas Villacorta, 45 32. Darío Segovia Rojo, 48 33. Esteban Rojas Carrizo, 44

 

chansen, there are contemplative prayer and reflective prayer along with educational, rationalist and experiential prayer.... They are not all petitionary. Then again, one cannot expect you to know this. So, I will not let it ruin the celebration, contemplation, reflections....

May I think back on this danger and reality when the topic of deep mining arises. When I think of isolating another, may I think of the miner's pain and how I came to personally sense it. Do not allow me to make the person "the other" and let me feel the kinship I felt now. When my government contemplates sending soldiers away from family and friends, may my mind turn to how I felt about these people away from their families. When things appear dark and that it has sank as deep as it seems possible below all light, may I see the light down the shaft and know there is or may be hope. May I hold fast to the image that the face and hands of hope are most often attached to human arms and that I too can be another's hope. Amen. 

Amen!

To keep our spirits up and give us more hope as we wait!

Significance of the number 33  which is affliated with the rescue. It keeps showing up. I'm not big on numerology, I read it sometimes. One time when my husband was in hospital we had the same number showing up over and over. I forget what it was now.

Numerology Number 33 - The Master Healer: The Symbolism and ... 15 Oct 2009 Number thirty-three, the master healer, is considered to be the number of the avatar by many numerologists. Loving energies dominate

look up 33 mysteries and you may find some answers and what others are saying "33 is related to holiness, perfection, and completion, I know it is associated with God. it is a message from the Angels" Good luck! I have been seeing it for 14 years!
 

The number symbolizes truth (33)

This number has the meaning that good will always triumph over evil.

Lag Ba'omer is a minor Jewish holiday which falls on the 33rd day of the Omer

Jesus's age when he was crucified in 33 A.D., according to many, though not verified historically.

In the religion of Islam the Muslims believe that the dwellers of Heaven will be existing eternally in a state of being age 33.[citation needed]

NUMBER 33

Christ-like, healer, compassionate, protected, blessing,
teacher of teachers, martyr, inspiration, honest, monk,
Angels of healing and guidance

bump

only 3 more to surface now ...

Hurray! All 33 are on top of the world!  There are still rescue workers coming up.

Its party time!

Paloma Blanca

Amazing!  And it all happened faster than the rescuers had anticipated.  So glad that the miners all made it safely.

TL

Five of the rescue workers are up now, only one left!  The rescue workers were very brave to go down that shaft, and the last one, who is down there by himself right now, the bravest of them all. 

It was heartwarming to watch the miners emerge.  Happy endings are the best. 

The last rescue worker is up and they have capped the hole.  Thank God.

Thank God indeed Mely - a sigh of relief around the world I think.

I was so nervous through the whole thing on CNN that I need to unwind and sing!

Anyone else.....LOL.....

On Saturday, April 24th, over 30 members of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus and principal cast members from the upcoming production of La Traviata converged on the Reading Terminal Market Italian Festival.  Wearing street clothes and blending in with the crowd, the artists swung into action when the first orchestral strains of the famed "Brindisi" were piped through the market, giving a rousing, surprise performance for hundreds of delighted onlookers who were there to enjoy the Italian delicacies and the everyday treats that the Reading Terminal Market has to offer.  The four-minute piece drew an overwhelming crowd, and won a thunderous ovation that included both laughter and tears from the audience.

Flash opera!  Thanks for the link, Stardust!

Stardust that was great. Enjoyed the singing with my morning coffee.

Cool, huh?