Craftsmen of Honor - Chi-Chi-Chi-le-le-le

This month's Craftsmen of Honor goes to the 33 Chilean miners and their rescuers. The miners were underground for 69 days and at least at first were living off meager rations, in cramped quarters. At first the miners had to be wondering if they would ever be found. Once they were found they had to ponder their fate even as they rose up in the rescue capsule. Those miners working as a team for those 69 days, not knowing your own fate, is truly honorable.

The rescuers also deserve this award. There were hundreds (thousands?) involved all over the world to free the miners. This was truly remarkable how many people with many different skills and cultures did everything they could to free these men.

A special honor of note: Manuel Gonzalez was the first rescuer to be lowered into the mine via the rescue capsule and he was the last man pulled from the mine. It takes incredible courage and honor to be lowered via an untested capsule, 1/2 mile down a newly drilled hole, not knowing if you you will survive or the rescue, all to save your fellow man.

Watching the men as they arrived at the surface was an awesome sight to see. One in particular choked me up a bit. The second man removed from the mine, Mario Sepúlveda got to the surface and went into a bag he brought up with him from the mine and started pulling out rocks and giving them to his rescuers and the Chilean President. All I thought was this man has given them all he could give, all he had was rocks and he gave them to the rescuers. A very touching site.

The last thing that I noticed as I watched the rescue efforts through out the day was the patriotism of the miners, their families and the rescuers. I don't think I could have seen any better examples of honoring God, family, then country. I know much will be written about this event (as should be) but let me start by saying...

Chi-Chi-Chi-le-le-le