IMM at work in Chile

The founder and first benefactor of the International Miners' Mission, Richard Glynn Vivian desired that miners be evangelised world wide. In particular, countries where Glynn Vivian had business connections were targeted (viz. Japan, France, Chile). As the Glynn Vivian company imported copper from Chile for smelting in the plant he part-owned in Swansea, South Wales, Glynn Vivian wanted the miners in that country to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As a result, in 1917, Mr and Mrs H.H. Pulling were appointed missionaries and went out to Chile to work amongst the miners. In 1927 the Pullings had to retire due to ill health, but in 1929 work was begun in what has now become the largest underground copper mine in the world, the El Teniente mine at Rancagua.
It is here that Chilean evangelist Victor Varas has been faithfully witnessing for over thirty years. He supports outreach to miners and their families in two large miner housing estates in Rancagua, one called La Braden (named after the famous North American mining engineer, William Braden, who was active in the Chilean mining industry in the period 1890-1910) and the other El Teniente.
Victor faithfully carries out a door-to-door ministry in the mining estates and regularly holds open air meetings at the entrance to the main hospital on Sundays. In addition he works with churches in Rancagua, helping with teaching of children and teenagers - most of whom come from the local miners homes.