Pastor Marcelo Leiva and his wife, Noemí.
Chile (MNN) ― 33 Chilean miners have emerged from spending over two months half a mile underground. Many of them left the mine wearing t-shirts bearing the logo of the Jesus Film Project and words giving glory to God.
According to CBN News, the shirts bore the phrases: "To Him be the glory and honor," "Thank you God!" and "Gracias Señor!" as well as Psalm 95:4, "In His hands are the depths of the earth."
Dr. Roger Parrott of Belhaven University reported that Campus Crusade for Christ provided the shirts, as well as mp3 players containing the JESUS film and ample portions of the Bible.
Before the rescue was completed, 19-year-old miner Jimmy Sanchez sent a letter to the surface proclaiming that God was involved in what happened in the depths of the San Juan mine. "There are actually 34 of us, because God has never left us down here," wrote Sanchez.
According to the International Mission Board, three of the miners were evangelical Christians before the mine collapsed. During their time underground, two more miners made professions of faith. One of the original believers is a miner named José Henríquez, who led the miners in prayer every evening. The t-shirts the miners wore were provided at his request. He also made a request for an evangelical pastor to come and minister to the miners and their families in Camp Esperanza (Camp Hope).
Marcelo Leiva, pastor of Vallenar Baptist Church in Vallenar, Chile, responded to the call. Henríquez's family connected him to the other families at Camp Esperanza, and Leiva had the opportunity to observe firsthand the strength God gives to His people in catastrophic situations.
"This has been a testimony to what the Lord can do in a person's life," Leiva said. "Those who are the children of the Lord have been those that have shown, even in the midst of the storm, a testimony of peace, tranquility and trust in the Lord."
Pray for God's guidance and protection for the miners as they return to normal life and work through what has happened. Pray that God will work through their circumstances to produce salvation and spiritual growth in them and their families.
