| All twenty-one
of us were bone tired. We’d been all over Peru. Why did Hunter
Farrell, our mission co-worker and friend, want us to get on a
bus at 6:30 A.M. for yet another journey?
Once our bus could proceed no further down the valley, we
forded a stream and began a hike up the sand hills to a mysterious
sight the people wanted to show us. They were standing on top
of the hills, waving Peruvian flags they had made. Our group,
ranging in age from 15 to 73, hiked up to the gap in the hill
to see the 2,400 acres of sand poised to spring to life with
irrigation through the much anticipated canal.
The villagers had waited for our group of twenty-one from Broad
St. Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio, so the site could
be properly dedicated and appropriate thanks could be given.
Since funding for the canal had been approved by the Presbyterian
Self-Development of People Committee, we found ourselves representing
21/2 million Presbyterians. No wonder Hunter had been so insistent.
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