My prayers are prompted this month by reflecting back on the visit to Marlow by Alf Cooper, potestant chaplain to the Chilean president. As such he was deeply involved in the Chilean mine rescue last summer and autuum.
Alf has been touring the UK telling the story of the miners as a display of God's power to save in desparate circumstances. He has been touring with Jose Henriques (the miner known as "the pastor" because of his pivotal role in turning despair into hope amongst the miners as he championed prayer and community-spirit amongst the 33 miners).
They both spoke of the extraordinary way in which God changed the lives of those men and gave some pointers for lessons to be learned around the world an in our churches
From what was happening above ground
1) The Chilean president called his country to pray "Unless God helps us, there is no hope"
It was his first reaction and his first public action. Prayer comes first
2) Chilean citizens didn't know what was happening down the mine, but prayed for God to act.
3) When church people started to despair, they called again on God's name and he answered his people's cries - often in tangible ways, and always with the encouragement to keep praying
Sometimes we pray in a "cloud of unknowing"
Meanwhile below ground
1) After the miners realised the hopeless situation they were in, one of the first things they did was to look to the man they knew to be a person of prayer and said "teach us to pray"
2) As they prayed, and as Jose and the wiser miners started to plot a survival plan, a community-spirit amongst all the miners (none were left out) emerged in which prayer, studying the bible, and a means of making decisions democratically emerged - they started working together and working through difficulties (even when democracy needed to be re-established after degenerating into fisticuffs)
3) As they prayed they began to see God answering prayers, not only in extraordinary and miraculous ways regarding their rescue, but in changing their hearts in their family relationships (as later transpired) and in bringing miraculous healing and provision of health and food against all odds.
There's much more to add (maybe others who were present would like to add thier memories of the story told), but those are three lessons from outside the situation and inside the situation.
Not surprisingly, both start with praying to the Living God who has power to save and bring hope out of despair.
In the light of this testimony to the power of God and the call to prayer, it's no coincidence that I'm writing as news is breaking of the Tsunami in Japan.
Our prayers turn to a cry to God's saving power amongst the devestating scenes that are being broadcast across the world.
Join me in praying
1) For communities (and countries?) to gather together and become more fully united in prayer for the needs of all who are caught in these events and their long term repercussions
2) For those with skills and tools to respond to the immediate needs and play a part in the lives and communities torn apart by this devestation of land and homes and businesses
3) For all those in the midst of these events to know the love of the Living God in tangible ways that turn despair into hope
4) For communities to be rebuilt around God's gift of prayer, God's word and a community spirit in which all are valued and included
