This time last year, along with countless other people, I was praying for the 33 Chilean miners trapped after a mining accident.  Amazingly all of them were rescued alive and reasonably well.

Only a month later 29 miners died in a disaster in New Zealand, and this week 4 died in Wales.

33 lived, 33 died - I didn't know that until I Googled the information.

It's one of those moments when I don't really know what to say, but somehow feel I ought to acknowledge.

Lots of questions that will never find adequate answers - the 'why'? questions especially.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn.

These words seem to recur in my thinking and writing a lot

Nearly a year on, I wonder how life really is for the Chileans who rejoiced so fulsomely last autumn? Or how those affetced by the New Zealand disaster are rebuilding their lives?  And even now, those in Wales, shocked, numb, bewildered, angry, heartbroken...

To remember, to attempt to come alongside, to commend each and every man, and each and every person who loved him, to God's merciful love... that seems about all that can be done.

Thankfully, depsite events of the last year, mine disasters are rare nowadays, but we must not get complacent or forget that behind every statistic is person.