Faith around a miracle in the north of Chile By Javier García. Communications officer Chilean Bible Society 18th October 2010

5th august - miners trapped A cave-in leaves 33 miners trapped nearly half a mile underground in a small copper and-gold mine near the Chilean city of Copiapo, 500 miles north of Santiago.

22th August - Good News Aug 22 – Rescue workers hear tapping on the drill at a depth of 2,260 feet. When the drill is pulled out, there is a note attached. It reads "Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33" – "We are fine in the shelter, the 33 of us." The miners have access to about 1km of tunnel and have split into three groups to eat and sleep

Day of rescue, 12th October Austrian mine workers install the final platform where the crane is being installed, hours before the rescue operation to lift the trapped workers out of the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on 12th October 2010 Photo: *** HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE ***

T-Shirt & Faith Campus Crusade for Christ Chile, gave this T-shirt Photo: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE T-shirt: Gracias Señor Thank you Lord!

Laurence Golborne President Sebastian Piñera and Mining Minister Laurence Golborne shake hands after Roberto Rios, a technical expert arrives at the bottom of the hole where the 33 trapped miners wait for their exit at the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 12, Photo HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE

Sebastian Pinera "What started as a tragedy is ending as a real blessing“ "It was a miracle, because on the first day the odds were against us," Pinera said. "At the end of the day, the miners were in the hands of God." Chilean president Sebastian Pinera waits with the family of Victor Zamora, 33, the fourteenth trapped miner to be rescued from the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, 2010.

Juan Carlos Aguilar Juan Carlos Aguilar is the twenty-ninth miner to leave the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE T-Shirt In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. (Psalm 95.4)

Carlos Barrios Miner o rescat ado in his first letter to his cousin, acknowledged that he never considered himself religious. "He told me, 'Cousin, now I believe in God, I believe completely,'" his cousin Alonso Contreras recounted. Carlos Barrios, 24, is the thirteenth trapped miner to be rescued from the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo: INFANTE/ GOVERNMENT OF CHILE. Logo on the T-shirt's left sleeve for the Jesus Film Project.

Alex Vega Thirty-one year old Alex Vega holds a Bible while being carried into the triage medical site. Vega became the tenth rescued miner at the site of the San Jose mine in Copiapo, Chile on October 13, A mine collapse left the workers trapped underground for 69 days. Photo: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE

Chaplain Alfredo Cooper “When they first vanished, we didn’t know whether they were alive or dead. So outside of the mine the role of faith and prayer was central. The President called for an emergency prayer meeting. We prayed in the presidential palace” Photo: Reverend Alfredo Cooper, the Protestant chaplain to the President of Chile and Ximena Matas, Atacama's region Governor

Francisco Viguera, Chilean Bible Society Photo: Francisco Viguera, General Secretary of Chilean Bible Society, presents New Testaments to miners' families

Florencio Avalos Florencio Avalos, 31, becomes the first miner to exit the Phoenix rescue capsule after an accident trapped 33 miners for 69 days in the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile the night of October 12, Photo: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE *** NO SALES. EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

Luis Urzua. Last miner rescued Chilean president Sebastian Piñera hugs Luis Urzua, the last miner out of the rescue hole at the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo : HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE

José Henríquez, the preacher Photo description: Jose Henriquez 54, embraces Andres Sougarret, head of the rescue operation, and becomes the twenty-fourth worker to be saved from the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo: GOVERNMENT OF CHILE “The moment of prayer, of his readings of the Bible, was the most special moment for the miners because it was the only moment that they all came together, at twelve in the day and at six in the evening they came together in this moment of unity We were singing to the Lord, we were doing what pleases the Lord. So everyone accepted Him, many of them reconciled themselves with the Lord, some of them made promises to Him

Mario Sepúlveda Photo Description Mario Sepulveda, 39, is the second miner to leave the San Jose mine with the Phoenix rescue capsule the night of October 13, An accident trapped 33 miners for over nine weeks in the mine located near Copiapo, Chile. PHOTO: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE “I was with God I was with the Devil. God and the devil were fighting over me, and God won. I always knew they would get me out. I always had faith in the professionals here in Chile and in the Great Creator”. "I always knew God would get us out of there." We 33 miners are walking hand in hand with God," miner Mario Sepulveda reported on August 31,

Esteban Rojas Esteban Rojas, 44, kneels to pray after stepping out from the rescue capsulse and becomes the eighteenth trapped miner to be rescued from the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo: HUGO INFANTE /GOVERNMENT OF CHILE

Omar Reygadas Omar Reygadas, 56, kneels down with a Bible in hand while becoming the seventeenth trapped miner to be rescued from the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile on October 13, Photo: HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE "I don't belong to the church," he says. "My church is at the corner of my bedroom, or on my patio. But now I feel much closer to God."

Jimmy Sanchez In a letter he sent to the surface earlier this week, he said he wished to correct reports that there were 33 miners trapped below. "There are actually 34 of us," he said, "because God has never left us down here." Photo Jimmy Sanchez, 19, is the fifth miner to leave the San Jose mine with the "Fenix" rescue capsule the night of October 12, An accident trapped 33 miners for over 69 days in the mine located near Copiapo, Chile. Photo HUGO INFANTE/GOVERNMENT OF CHILE