Prairie Hills Covenant Church

Atop the peak of one of the foothills of the southern range of the Rockies, on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez, is a 20 foot concrete cross. The mile hike up the hill to this landmark was a staple for the student and adult leaders on the annual mission trips I lead to this Mexican border city. From this cross, the view of the Rio Grande Valley is incredible with both Juarez and El Paso sprawling across the historic pass. Having made the hike a number of times, one year I stayed at our rental vans along with a couple other adults. The trailhead was in a squatter neighborhood, ramshackle huts of pallets and corrugated metal perched on the hillside. While not a necessarily dangerous neighborhood, we had been advised that unattended vehicles could be the targets of petty theft. In order to discourage any theft or vandalism a few of us waited with the vehicles while the rest of the group hiked to the lookout. The three of us, all grown men, well past our athletic prime, took out a soccer ball and kicked it arou