Drilling Wells Post Script

For many us who have been thinking about Ben over the past couple of years, it has been a stretch to imagine Ben’s daily life while living in the relative comfort and ease of the United States. For both George and Joe, it was worth the whole trip just to watch Ben interact with his host family, his colleagues at the Hardeman water cooperative, and ordinary citizens of Hardeman. Ben is quick with jokes in fluent Spanish that always get laughs, he is well respected by the leaders of the town, and the kids in his host family adore him.

While we were visiting, Ben was made an honorary citizen of Hardeman by the city council for his work on clean water. He is the first Peace Corps volunteer to serve and Hardeman and probably one of the only American’s that many Bolivia’s will ever meet. Needless to say, Ben represents us all extremely well. Both of us are completely impressed with the work that Ben has done and will continue to do for the people of Hardeman and Bolivia. For as much as many of us like to talk about making a difference with our lives, Ben is out there actually doing it.