By BRADLEY BROOKS
Associated Press Writer
COPIAPO, Chile – Carola Narvaez breathed in the Atacama Desert’s cold dawn air and slowly began to exhale the story of how her family survived a devastating earthquake and worked to rebuild their lives – only for her husband to end up trapped deep inside a Chilean mine.
A tale of two disasters, Narvaez’s account embodies the challenges still faced by the poor in Chile despite two decades as Latin America’s economic darling. It is a story of incredible misfortune, unwavering faith and a love she said has only been strengthened by adversity.
Narvaez’s husband, Raul Bustos, is a heavy-machinery mechanic whose skills have always been in demand. For years he has made a living repairing the equipment that rips copper, the lifeblood of Chile’s economy, out of the earth, or helping build massive ships in ports along the nation’s 4,000-mile (6,400-kilometer) coastline.