July 6, 2009
We got trained at the drop in center called the Mary Randall Center yesterday morning. It is a new program that helps the homeless or any poor person get a shower MWF and or do a load of wash. Everyone who comes to our houses must go through an intake form of very personal information. We saw a married couple go through the process. There are sometimes 12 to 20 new people on a day, hoping at least to get a shower. The couple yesterday got a shower and had time to go to the Catholic charities and get a $20 voucher to go to the DMV to get a copy of his MD license. Then he will go to Social Security to get a new SS card and with those he can apply for work. many people come in without their personal papers. A local church has given them a tent. So they will move out of their van into the woods. Churches bring supper to the park 7 nights a week for the people who live in the woods. On the weekends they feed lunch and sometimes breakfast. We supply cold cereal at our drop in center and coffee. and at the men's shelter we have churches who come in and serve lunch to anyone who shows up.

We went to the farm to eat lunch which was a full dinner, turkey, green beans, salad with lots of extras to add, sweet pot., baked corn, sandwiches (make your own ham or turkey), drinks of water, ice tea with and without sugar. Cans of soda are $.50. We met with Lyla the personnel director and assistant to the Director and the Director, Randy. Randy never wears long pants or shoes. He wears cargo shorts and sandals. We filled out confidentiality forms, more forms, and discussed work schedules across the next several weeks. We will be working Monday thru Friday with weekends off to the middle of Aug. Then we will go to Tuesday thru Sat. with Sun and Mon. off. They spoke about making the Drop in center Monday thru Friday with Sandy and I directing the program on Tuesday and Thursday in the future.

We left right after our meeting to open a bank account at the PNC Bank. And after supper we went to the Christiana Mall in Delaware(no sales tax) to buy me a pair of sneakers as mine split open when I knelt down to plant my tomato plants. We got a pair of New Balance gray suede sneakers at JC Penny's, They didn't have 11 1/2- 4E's so I got a 12- 4E that feels good on my right foot but loose on my left foot.

We turned in early and I read the first 10 year history of Meeting Ground to her until she fell asleep. Back to our old patterns. We've been so exhausted during and since the move that we have fallen asleep as soon as we went to bed.

July 7, 2009
Today we go to the Farm to learn more about its unique ministries and hopefully work with the children's summer program. One family has 7 children and the mother is expecting twins. The kids are well behaved, intelligent and happy. They have bikes and ride all over the yard and driveway(dirt). There were probably 15 children eating at our table yesterday. I looked around and realized we were sitting at the kid's table and they said it was OK.

Wow what a place. They have 53 people living in accommodations for 35. 24 are children. One family has 6 children and another has 7 children. There are also 2 work groups here who are repairing buildings with about 12 in each group. They are to come later this week to work on my garden clearing more sod with shovels, spades and garden rakes. I hope to plant zuchini squash, green and yellowsnap beans and peas and snap peas. if i get a crop I'll freeze some and give some to my neighbors.

We were shown the buildings at the farm loaded with furniture, toys, cloths, shoes and bedding. Some of the goods are sold to the poor at very low price and some is given to those going into housing of a permanent nature.

Write again soon. We are so tired we go to bed early every night.
Ken and Sandy