Palomas de la Esperanza

Doves of Hope

On the world stage, rescue workers in Chile communicate with the 33 trapped miners via a narrow passageway carved through nearly half a mile of rock and soil. Relief supplies are sent down in narrow, 5-foot-long parcels nicknamed "doves," which also carry handwritten letters between miners & loved ones, who they may not see for months.

Audio Embed: Weekend Edition Saturday 8/28/10, Reporter: Annie Murphy.

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On Wednesday I'd gotten an email from her expectant Mom... Sweating out the final days in good spirits and hoping to be patient during her first delivery sometime over the weekend... The baby girl came Thursday afternoon, but the delivery didn't go well.

Three generations of family were ready for the everyday miracle of new life... But nobody was ready for the scariest letters among hospital acronyms: NICU (Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit).

When I first held her Dad in my arms, I told him his Grandfather would have loved to meet him... It's still something I hope to say to our new baby girl... Script slightly modified to reflect the absence of her Grandmother, my late sister.

But before I can, we'll need something a little higher on the scale than an everyday miracle... And from those who can't be there in person, there are metaphorical hands on shoulders & doves of hope carrying thoughts & prayers toward a home, a hospital & the heavens.