I was thrilled as Sky News reported, "And the last miner has now been raised from an underground grave" (Oct. 14, 2010). Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne promised the shaft would be filled with concrete within days.
And so the saga of the trapped miners draws to a close.
Or does it?
Just beginning?
Many experts have stated that the miners' trials are just beginning. From total obscurity, these 33 people have captured the imagination of a billion people across the world! Clearly, their story must be told.
According to YorkDispatch.com (Oct. 11, 2010), "Chile's government has promised each miner at least six months of psychological support...
"At first they'll feel besieged, poorly treated by the media and perhaps overwhelmed by even the attention of their own families, predicted Dr. Claus Behn, a University of Chile physiologist with expertise on disorders stemming from surviving extreme situations. Society will 'demand to know every minute detail, and they're going to offer enormous quantities of money and popularity.'
"The problem with being a hero is that 'if you look down from the mountaintop, all you see is the abyss. It would make anyone feel vertigo,' Behn said."
A team forged in adversity
Let us not forget the harrowing ordeal the miners have been through. While underground for 69 days, amid all the panic and uncertainty about whether they would be found, and throughout their long wait to be rescued, they remained calm and exhibited courage and gritty determination in the face of adversity! They also stuck together in an amazing fashion, forming a team that grew into personal bonding.
This togetherness became evident shortly before the rescue drills made their first breakthrough.
Telegraph.co.uk reported Oct. 10 that "the men have called in a lawyer to draw up a contract ensuring they will equally profit from the lucrative media deals they expect to secure for sharing the story of their two month survival, in the hope that they never have to work again.
"The group have already rejected requests for interviews and have instead made plans to jointly write a book about the days spent trapped below the Atacama Desert following the mine collapse on August 5."
An Oct. 9 report at the same site stated that "the rescue team vetoed any such commercial or legal activity while the men were still trapped, but the requests foreshadow the commercial scramble that will accompany their new-found celebrity status."
In today's selfish, steamroller world, such a move is startling. It demonstrates the strength of the bond that has developed between the men while underground. It's a great example of how adversity has drawn men together!
But now the situation has changed. The men have been delivered from their prison, are reunited with their families and are going their separate ways. Individually, they will be approached by the media, with different (private) offers, some of which may be very lucrative, possibly much more so than the offers obtained by their colleagues. What will be the reaction of the fortunate ones when this happens?
A promising start
While underground, it seems the miners strove to demonstrate the kind of human relationships taught by Jesus Christ. How does Jesus expect us to treat other people? Matthew 7:12 summarizes: "Do to others what you would have them do to you" (New International Version).
That Golden Rule sets a high bar and is an essential key to successful relationships.
All I can say at this stage about the Chilean miners is that they have made a very promising start. May God guide them in their dealings with the media and the pressures of stardom, and let them stay a shining example to the rest of this selfish, money-grabbing world—by remaining true to each other!
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