European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 12, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cowboy at Mesa Redondo by Robert h. Johnson associated press he preacher pacing the tent s red dirt floors the Story of the Samaritan woman at tha Weir. Why. She was shacked up with some Guy aha was t even married to. She would have made a Hollywood movie ser deluxe. And Jesus offered her living water his congregation is intent. Scattered through the crowd Are murmurs Olaman and Praise the lord this is the Mesa Redonda. N.m., Cowboy Camp meeting three Days o preaching praying and hymn singing for people who live so far out in the country it s hard for them to get to Church. Ranchers and cowboys and their families Farmers and some townsfolk have come from Eastern naw Mexico the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma even this year irom Kansas. Tha tees Are sunburned and ical Hery the smiles Are wide beneath Sun narrowed eyes the handshakes for newcomers Are Strong and warm. The praying and preaching Are heavy duty and to is the Hoor awing southwestern for kidding. The Camp ii on the Bowe Farmer ranch about 13 Miles South of Tucumcari and about 40 Miles West of the Texas Border. The preacher is she second speaker 1o use the Story of the woman at the Well. Leading a prayer meeting and speaking in a Clear Sourdry Tenor  Bowe one of the ranch owners has already told it this Way she was an outcast. She d been married five times Fivel and she was living with number six. And yet she was t married. She was a reject. Bui nobody is a reject from Jesus. Jesus said i la give you living water " water As a metaphor for salvation is never lost on stockmen especially in that arid country which has known hard times and hard cases. Mesa Redonda is a landmark of the old West a High tableland scarred by canyons where rustlers and robbers Rode and an ambush settled a feud. The Camp meeting at us base is one of nine interdenominational revivals held every summer by an association called ranch men s Camp meetings in he Southwest. The Granddaddy of All Cowboy Camp meetings still going Strong began in 1890 in Skillman s Canyon West of fort Davis Texas fitly years later. Joe u. Evans a Cowboy who loved those Texas meetings started another one at nougat Mesa near Carrizozo , from it grew the circuit that includes Mesa Redonda and Camps near Lenapah App twid Lai morn t4, of tue Meul ., Tutor Yaffim it it it Mil Tond Cowboy a Ftp met Long okla. Gruver and Canadian Texas Des Moines . Kiowa and cortex colo., and Willcox Ariz. Mesa Redonda is Calico the ramp that started on a pigging  that s because Farrell Farmer went to Octavia to see a calf roping contest. Farmer a Cowman and consulting veterinarian attended a Sunrise service in the roping Arena. A clevis preacher did sleight of hand with scissors and a pigging string the Cord cowboys use for tying a roped calf feet to show How god restores lives that Are in pieces. Farmer sought out he preacher the Rev. Bib King. Two years later in 1 978, they hed worked up the lira Mesa Redonda Cowboy Camp meeting on he ranch where Farmer is partners with . Bowe. Nearly 400 people attend night services and with some coming and going total enrolment is More than boo. About 1 so campers slay for the full meeting. Others drive Bach and North As they can while lending jobs and livestock. The Camp sits among Cedars Mesquite and Chota at the Mouth of a Canyon that slashes Down t Page 14 the stars and stripes