I saw Sondra today at the YSC. She says she wants to go back home, and will listen to her parents. Yet, she didn't really come out with what's bugging her. She said that her parents put her in for being a runaway but that she didn't. She said her mom told her she called the cops on her, so she went to her aunt's. I guess her parents made her come back; then she had a fight with Butch, her uncle, and the cops took her. I shared Ephesians 6:1 4 about children obeying their parents because God put them in authority, and the promise of a long life full of blessing. She read it, and she got it; she also said that she didn't feel that her parents lived up to Ephesians 6:4. It's funny, I thought she was really boy crazy.

But she said, "I don't care about the boys; I just want to go home."

She doesn't want to get married and have children either (I was trying to show her the importance of looking ahead and letting that influence your behavior). She told me to tell her parents to come see her. I can't imagine having a child in jail and not going to see them! Unless you’re hoping they’ll really think about things maybe?

While the guys were over here last night, someone broke into Greg's room and took a radio. Greg thinks it was Frosty. I think he's hurt that Frostie would do that. Since they were eating supper here, Greg, Ronnie, and Ronald picked me up from the YSC. Ronnie was in the front seat, and he barely moved over to give me a little space. I sat down and then he settled down next to me and kind of sealed me into the little space with his left leg. He was sprawled back on the seat, tired and irritable. When Ronnie's tired, it's written all over him. He won't smile to save his life, and he's grumpy and mumbly.

I turned to him and teased, "If you smiled, I bet your face would crack!"

Without moving a muscle anywhere, he said, "m hmm.

Greg looked over at him, smiled, looked at me and shook his head. "Still in love with my little cousin.”

"I'm not in love with him," I protested mildly. "I love him.”

"Oh, yes you are!" Greg scoffed. "But he's not going to marry you! He's not bringing that into the family, oh, no!"

"There's a difference between loving someone and being in love with them," I managed to get in the last word.

Supper was good! I made Kool aid, five cup salad, corn on the cob (which they didn't touch), candied yams, green beans, corn muffins, fried chicken, and cherry pie a la mode. Jim had gone home over the weekend for his high school graduation and arrived back in time for supper.

Ronald St. Claire is keeping a pet black snake downstairs at 20th street! He got it at camp of course. He's funny! He said, “I wish Barb had a roof like this (we have a roof terrace at Broad Street). Then I could keep my pet snake on it."

He's going to find out about a job tomorrow. Greg hopes to start to work Thursday (he's going to lifeguard at a recreation center, like he did last year), and Ronnie says he's starting to work Friday at 13th and Poplar at an auto shop. He's going to school Thursday, just to pick up his report card. I do hope he passes if it's best for him. His last report card was a let down to him.

I sent a whole bunch of snack food home with the guys, since theirs was taken.

When Donald came in tonight, he was cheerful! He said, "I had a good time today and I didn't even get drunk or smoke!” He spent the day doing street work with the staff guys. Donald says he wants to have a Bible study with Larry every night. I think Donald really needs a man to live close to around women his need for mothering keeps him from acting in an adult, mature way. He's supposed to get Greg's record player back to him.

We showed a film on Toronto Street tonight. Our Teen Haven is on the corner of Broad and Toronto. Diane, a teenage girl really likes picking with me; she called me over to sit by her on the bench. Then Peggy, who's graduating from Jr High tomorrow, came up and said, "You took my seat but that's allright. I'll sit on your lap!" Which she did for about twenty minutes. She's a cute, petite little girl. She was still all dressed up from being at graduate rehearsal, and had stars in her eyes about the pageantry of the whole thing, and the songs the class was going to sing.

June 1973

A Prayer for Ronnie and for Donald, Frostie,and Ronald in Barb's Absence

Lord, that he may be more aware of Your Presence with him every minute; that he may desire and strive to keep a clear conscience towards You and towards others when he's with his friends on the street, or sitting in the classroom -in every interaction. That he may really know Your love and return it; that You would be life's most precious treasure to him, that he can't live without.

In Jesus' Name, let it be.

Jeanne