It is hard to believe that it has been over three years since the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners in Chile (August 5 - October 13, 2010). I, along with millions, sat glued to my TV while I witnessed history unfold—the miraculous rescue of those trapped miners in Chile! There were over 1,500 journalists at the mine to report on the rescue operation.  It was broadcast live around the world, including live images.

The world was able to watch good news for a change. It was a welcomed rest from all the bad news in a world filled with anger, difficulties, politics, and division. It was a wonderful human-interest story based on facts, not fiction, and with an unbelievable happy ending. Here are some lessons that stood out in my mind in this story.

Teamwork and tears

As I watched the first three rescues, witnessing each person embrace his family for the first time after 69 long days, tears began to roll down my face. It was encouraging to see such teamwork and the leadership of Chilean President Sebastián Piñera. He ignored naysayers, who told him that the miners were all dead. Instead, the president used all the resources he could get, including his own money, to save those 33 men. The president was also at the mine, along with his wife, for over 22 hours to greet each man when he emerged from the mine.

The rescue was an incredible undertaking. A news reporter referred to the rescue plan as thoughtfulness in every detail.  They were so careful in the planning of the rescue as to not lose one person.

I made sure I watched the last man coming up, for shift foreman Luis Urzúa was a team leader and a hero. From the moment the collapse occurred, Urzúa showed inspiring leadership throughout the ordeal. He played a major role in getting those men out alive. Unity helped the men survive for seven weeks underground, including more than two weeks when no one knew if they were alive.

Gratitude

Gratitude poured out from each man as he arrived from the dark abyss. Some offered up thanks to God, and I especially remember one who dropped to his knees to give thanks to God.

President Sebastian Pinera, in his speech after the last man emerged from the mine, several times offered thanks to God for these men’s deliverance.

For a little over 24 hours the world was captivated, while a miracle unfolded before our eyes. We were able to watch people come together and work in unity to save those men. It was encouraging to see people so grateful to God for their deliverance.

Hope for an even greater rescue

A friend summed up how this Chilean mine rescue impacted her. It reminded her of the day when God will intervene and rescue the world from Satan’s clutches, and lift them out of darkness into light. There will be joy, laughter, gratitude, and tears.

Yes, God’s intervention will be much like what one miner, Mario Sepúlveda, described, “I was with God and I was with the devil, but God won… At no point in time did I doubt that God would get me out of there.” President Pinera said, “It was a miracle, because on the first day the odds were against us. At the end of the day, the miners were in the hands of God.”

Lasting lessons

There were many lasting lessons that moved me through this miraculous event: teamwork, caring leadership, unity, gratitude, faith, hope, sacrifice, careful planning, the value of family and the value of life. While this was a major event that captivated and inspired the whole world for a short time, there is an even more miraculous rescue coming in the future. Then God will intervene, take men by the hand, rescue them from Satan and all of his influences, and bring them into a world of light and truth. God speed that day!

(For more about this ultimate rescue, see "A World Held Captive: Soon to Be Set Free".)