How it All Began

The following comes from the 40^th Anniversary Photo Directory, S.I.L. in Peru, 1986, pages 12 and 13.

The first contact was made in 1943 when Dr. Kenneth Pike came to Peru to do a Quechua survey from the American Bible Society. The Minister of Education (Ing. Enrique Laroza) asked, "Why don't you do here what you are doing in Mexico?" Pike's answer was, "We've never been asked." Uncle Cam followed up in 1945, and signed the first contract with the Ministry of Education June 26, 1945. He also did a survey of the jungle languages on the Ucayali, flown around by a Peruvian Air Force plane.

The First Team Members who arrived between April 16-24, 1946

• Mattie Dirks
• Sylvester Dirks
• Mary Fast
• Pete Fast
• Gloria Gray (Wroughton)
• Beth Hinson
• Ray Liedtke
• Esther Matteson
• Irene McGinnis
• Florence Nickel
• Titus Nickel
• Lulu Reber
• Ellen Ross
• Bob Schneider
• Lois Schneider
• Olive Shell
• Elaine Townsend
• William Cameron Townsend

13 of the 18 people in the first group from left, top to bottom

Ray Liedtke, Pete Fast, Irene McGinnis, Esther Matteson, Ellen Ross, Lulu Reber, Florence and Titus Nickel, Beth Hinson, guest, Elaine and W.C. Townsend, Gloria Gray (Wroughton), and Olive Shell.