Lessons in Life Grain Mi

SEAFORD -- A year ago Robert Henderson didn't know how bread was made. Now he's grinding the flour for it. He's also learning how to make bird seed, drive a truck and restore an antique mill. Henderson, 20, originally from Kansas City, Mo., is a member of the United Nation of Islam, which recently bought the Hearns and Rawlins Mill in Seaford. " 'To make the old new' is one of our mottos," said Henderson of the work the group is doing on the mill building, which was constructed in 1885. It is the only working grist mill left in Delaware.

"I had no idea about flour nor of the whole process. Learning this has broadened my vision, especially when I see things in the store,"

The United Nation of Islam is a nonprofit, nonreligious organization out of Kansas City, Kan. Not to be confused with the often militant Nation of Islam, founded by Louis Farrakhan, this group was founded by a man named Solomon to teach family and community development in a lesson format they call "civilization development."

Members of the group are taught basic social graces, respect and discipline as well as problem solving and business development skills. These lessons are taught in "reality classrooms," which provide real-life experiences.

"Our purpose is to assist young people in seeing relationships between an idea and how to manifest it," said James 2X, national secretary for the organization.

To encourage children to realize their dreams and talents, the organization purchases businesses where the members work to learn how to run them. In Kansas City, the group runs a bakery and grocery store, a service station, diner and several inns. The group also has farms throughout the country and a trucking company to move the resources around.

The organization bought the mill after they started looking for a place to grind the wheat they grow on farms on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was

hoping to find a place to make flour without preservatives to be used in the bakery. Once they saw the mill, though, they knew they had to have it.

"It was a perfect situation for us because the mill was in a downward spiral. We take what is losing its life or losing its value and we put it back to life," said 2X. "We fell in love with the mill.

" Members of the organization are in the process of learning how to run the mill and beginning restoration. They hope to put the old water wheel back in working order. During the process they give tours and eventually want to use the mill for teaching. The organization provides food, clothing, shelter and transportation for its members so they may volunteer their time to learn and eventually teach at the mill.

In the meantime, only the name has changed at the mill. All other operations, such as grinding the mill's "White Dove" flour, are the same, only easier, said Gray O'Bier, 38, who worked at the mill for the last seven years and is under contract to teach the newcomers how to run the operation.

"We only had two people before," said O'Bier. "They seem like nice people." There are five members of the organization working at the mill now. Manners is obviously one thing stressed by the United Nation of Islam as most people are addressed as "ma'am" or "sir." They quickly and cheerfully jump to every job assigned.

"It's a great opportunity," said Henderson. "It's a chance to be creative and learn different things -- things you always wanted to do."

"Our common foe is ignorance," said 2X. "Our focus is to eliminate that. We operate from the standpoint that this is something" that will benefit the community."

Members of the United Nation of Islam are seeking community support for restoration of the Hearns and Rawlins mill. The or organization would like the restoration to become community project. For more information call the mill at 629-4455 the United Nation of Islam at (800) 331-7668.