Hello from Central Indiana

Hello,

My name is Ken Bigos and I am a Seminary Summer Intern and I am working in Logansport, Indiana where the United Food and Commerical Workers International created the Central Indiana Worker Center to assist people in the region in their worker issues. My main responsibility has been doing outreach to the local churches in Logansport and surrounding small cities such as Peru, Kokomo, Lafayette and others. Meat packing is one of the major industries in the region with companies such as Tyson, Indiana Packers and subsidiary companies of Smithfield located within the Central Indiana area.

The worker center has only been opened for a couple of months and it has been great to see what needs to be done to start-up a worker center or a non-profit organization, such as writing the by-laws, promoting the organization and having all the materials needed to do the work efficiently.

I have met with the Presbyterian and Methodist ministers and the Hispanic leadership of the Catholic church. I am learning the self-interest and values of the ministers and the congregation. Along with the spiritual interests of maintaining their relationship with God there is also political and economic interests and/or conflicts that need to be considered that shapes the views of the ministers and the congregation.

The people here are very nice and I am enjoying the experience of small town life. I am watching some nice sunsets and a lot of cornfields. I am excited to see the Fourth of July in small town Indiana, children are already setting off firecrackers!

Have a great day! Peace!