Miracle! Miracle! Miracle! Miracle!

There was a plane crash on May 1st in the dense Colommbian jungle. The small plane was carrying a two-man flight crew, a mother and her four children. Army search teams quickly found the wreckage and the bodies of the three adults- but there was no sign of the children. For 40 days the searchers, and their sniffer dogs looked for 13 year old Lesly, and her brothers aged 9,5 and 1. The soldiers were given the code word "miracle" to be used over the radio if they found a child alive.

Helicopters flew low over the dense tree canopy, dropping food parcels, and broadcasting a recorded message fromt he children's grandmother - urging them to stay in one place so they could be found. Led by their President, the Colombian people prayed for these precious little ones to reach safety. One group of searchers gave up - "they cannot have survived this long - there are jaguars and other wild beasts out there". But another officer said "if they were dead, we would have found bodies. It is easier to find a body in the jungle than a small child who is moving from place to place" 

They found a nappy, a hair clip, a piece of fruit with teeth marks, and small footprints - and finally on June 9th, the children were found - emaciated, and covered in insect bites - but all alive

Miracle! Miracle! Miracle! Miracle! 

was sent across the airwaves.Colombia rejoiced

The soldiers tended to their injuries and gave them food ["I'd like a sausage!" declared on of the boys] Lesly said their mother had lived 4 days after the crash, but knew she was dying, and urged the children to seek safety. Lesly took some farina [flour] from the crashed plane, and set off with her siblings

If there were ever children well-prepared to tackle such an ordeal, the Mucutuy family were them. The indigenous Huitoto people learn hunting, fishing and gathering from an early age, and their grandfather Fidencio Valencia [pictured] told reporters that the eldest children, Lesly and Soleiny, were well acquainted with the jungle.Speaking to Colombian media the children's aunt, Damarys Mucutuy, said the family would regularly play a "survival game" together growing up. "When we played, we set up like little camps," she recalled. Thirteen-year-old Lesly, she added, "knew what fruits she can't eat because there are many poisonous fruits in the forest. And she knew how to take care of a baby". 

Their survival story is truly amazing. These children had all the skills they needed, and a close connection to nature and their environment. They knew how to use the resources around them. I wonder how many British children would be as resourceful if they suddenly found themselves lost, and having to fend for themselves without adult help?

In a week when our media has been full of news about liars, cheats, phone hacking, and

violence this story is one to gladden our hearts. I think the choice of radio code word was inspired

Miracle! Miracle! Miracle! Miracle!