Video: Chilean miner meets The Christian Institute Pt 2

The evangelical Chilean miner who was trapped deep underground with 32 other men last year has spoken about many of the men professing faith in Christ.

Watch part two of the interview with Jose Henriquez

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Jose Henriquez and Revd Alf Cooper, the Protestant chaplain to Chile’s president, gave an exclusive interview to The Christian Institute last month, the first part of which was aired last week.

Now, in the second instalment of his amazing story, Mr Henriquez explains what faith in Jesus Christ really means to the miners.

Submit

It is “not just that they believe in a god”, he said, “but that they accept Him and submit their lives to Him, as He wants, live according to His laws and not just our laws.”

He went on to say that the fruit from the Bible studies he had with the miners will take time to grow, just like a plant, but it will be seen.

“It’s a wonderful thing that these people accepted Jesus Christ,” he smiled.

Reunited

Mike Judge of The Christian Institute asked him what it was like when he was reunited with his wife.

Mr Henriquez said that she told him how she loved him and how she’d missed him so much, “but I just gave glory to God!”

“We glorified God together.”

Grateful

Mr Henriquez was asked if he had ever doubted God in this terrible situation.

He replied that he had had many accidents in the past and was so grateful to God for saving him, even when he had faced death.

“The Bible says if we die, we die for Him and if we live, we live for Him”, the miner said.

Trapped

Mr Henriquez was visiting Durham Cathedral in the North of England as part of a UK tour organised by the Church Mission Society.

The tour is called “The 34th Man” and features Jose Henriquez describing what happened to the 33 trapped miners.

Mike Judge asked Mr Henriquez who “the 34th man” in the tour brochure was.

The 34th man

“He’s the One we’re talking about, a friend who is always beside us,” he replied. “We can’t see Him, but you can feel His presence in your heart.

“That is our God: the Lord Jesus Christ.”

During the 69 day ordeal Mr Henriquez asked for 33 Bibles to be sent down to the miners in a small capsule.

Believe

Speaking after he was rescued Mr Henriquez said: “I believe that the key to all this was in the Word of God, in having believed God”.

He added: “That’s why I say to the whole world that the Lord wants them to believe in Him, to believe in His Word”.

Whilst he was trapped in the mine, Mr Henriquez led Bible studies twice a day and he has been marked out for bringing “calm, God and unity to the most difficult moments”.

Special

He was praised by one of the team above the mine for the times of prayer and Bible readings which were, “the most special moment for the miners”.

In this second video, Mr Henriquez explained that the 33 Bibles that were sent down were so helpful, because what he was preaching to the men was “backed by God’s written Word.”

In the first video, Mr Henriquez revealed that over 20 of the miners had made commitments to God while trapped underground.

Watch out for the conclusion of this remarkable story later this week.