THE AMISH REPORT JUNE 2009
One of the best ways to get to know the Amish and learn their culture is to hire yourself out as their driver. You could take them shopping, to doctor appointments, or to weddings and funerals. I enjoy the trips that are just for visiting family. They usually run from three to seven days, and you stay right there with them in their homes. Of course, you'll have to put up with the inconveniences for the sake of ministering to them. Most hired drivers insist on staying in a motel.
In May, Mr. & Mrs. L hired me to drive the family down to VA for a visit with Mrs. L's family. Her mom's home is not very big, so I stayed with the neighbors. We made this trip last year, and I knew what to expect, yet I was pleasantly surprised to get clean sheets on the guest bed this time. They also had a tub put in with running hot water piped from the wood stove's reservoir!
If you remember my letter from last year, this VA community is known to be much more open to Bible disussion. Sunday's sermon from the bishop was great, but Wednesday's Bible study and the daily morning devotions at my host's home were lacking in even common sense. I find their ignorance staggering. Every morning, my host would read from a Mennonite devotional book, read the scripture, and pray before breakfast. And, every morning, after reading the scripture, he woul express his confusion with the passage and ask me whaat I thought it meant. After a few words from me, he would shake his head and say, "No, I think it means . . ." For example, he read from Matthew about the Abomination of Desolation of which Daniel prophesied. I briefly explained about that time during the Tribulation period. He thought a while, then shook his head saying, "No, I think it refers to televisions and computers."
Another morning, he came to the word "her" (referring to a woman in the prior verse) and thought it was referring to Christ. He said, "That's strange. I've never heard of Christ referred to as a female before." I didn't want to be the one to expose his ignorance so I waited to see what would happen. I was relieved to hear his 21-year old son point out that Christ was talking about the woman mentioned in an earlier verse.
As I related the content of morning devotions to Mr. L, he would in turn tell me about his biblical discussions with this same man. He couldn't get over how this man could pray such lovely prayers in public yet understand scripture so poorly. The man was still clinging to his works to save him from hell, and he wasn't the only one in the community to believe this way. Mr. L came to the conclusion that to move to VA would be no different than the bondage he's been living under here in Michigan.
The actual trip was very enjoyable. We listened to many sermons that I had on CD and discussed them. They just couldn't get enough of the Bible teaching. On the way home, we stopped for a few hours in Ohio to visit a former Amish couple who are missionaries to their own people. Mr L was quite nervous about stopping there lest anyone back home find out. It is against their rules to eat at the same table with an "infidel" (someone who has left the Amish). Of course he doesn't believe they are infidels, but, after a recent six-week ban, he's not taking any chances.
I spent most of that Ohio visit outside with the L's children. I knew the L's had lots of questions for this coulple, in spite of being reluctant to stop, and I wanted them to feel free to bare their hearts and be without interruption. Mr. L seemed to be flying high by the time we left. He was so encouraged by the visit. He couldn't get over that this man's life experiences were identical to his own, and he talked about it most of the way home.
The L's are definitely not content to go on living like they do, yet Mr. L feels God is leading him to stay Amish as long as possible in order to try to open the minds of the other Amish men toward God. This last week he said to me, "I;m feeling convicted about always having to bug my neighbors for the use of their telephone and asking for rides. I feel I should be responsible for having my own set of wheels." Pray that he would know the Lord's clear leading and for boldness to proclaim the truth.
Since the VA trip, I have started a chronological study through the Bible whith Mrs. L and her two oldest children (8 and 10) on Thursday afternoons - upon her request. For the first coulple of studies, the unsaved English neighbors showed up and totally took over the conversation with nonsence talk. On the third Thursday, just the two girls came over, so I asked them to sit down and join in on the study. They haven't been back sice, yet, their mom recently asked Mr. L a theological question. He said it was the first time in all the years he's known her that she has expressed interest in God. Now, he has a chance to share all he has been learning - and to an Englisher at that! He's been convinced up until now that his life-style would say it all - that he doesn't have to speak words in order to lead someone to Christ.
During last year's VA trip, I spent a lot of time teaching music rhythm to Ivan. Remember, he's the one who taught himself solfege using eight glasses filled with different levels of water - all while making goat cheese. This year, he's been working out in the shed more and now has eight different sizes of wrenches hanging from a beam to play his songs on. He and two others taught a regular music class to the young people once a week throughout the winter months. He said he couldn't get the group to understand timing. They could not even clap the beats together, let alone understand dotted quarter and eighth notes. So, he asked if I would give a music class while I was there. What an interesting experience.
We met in the beautiful log schoolhouse one evening for class, and almost 30 of the 40 youths showed up. Even some of the adults were there to observe this new teacher. Working with two new hymns, I reviewed what they had already learned using two ostinatos from each hymn - one involved the dotted quarter and the other the dotted eighth. After an hour, they successfully clapped the beat while singing the rhythm of both hymns. Ivan was ecstatic! I thought that perhaps he was counting his chickens before they hatched when, at the end of class one gal asked, "Why do some notes sound longer than other notes?" I almost gave up, but explained it one last time in as simple terms as I could. I wasn't too discouraged when I found out that she didn't do well in math either.
After class, the girls swarmed around me to ask for my address or ask questions about different hymn tunes. I used my recorder to play the tunes in class - something they had never heard before and thought was beautiful. They are not allowed to have any musical instruments - not even the usual harmonica - so this was a real treat. I told them that in Germany most children learn the recorder in school - hoping that would impress them to change the rule. They have asked me to come back sometime for a whole month to teach more music theory.
Upon reaching home, I had another three-day trip lined up for the weekend to southern MI. This trip was with Mr. & Mrs. PW - the woman with whom I had started a Bible study over a year ago but stopped because she fell asleep each time (instead of telling me she wasn't interested anymore). Amish are pretty good at conveniently falling asleep when they don't want to listen to you. The PW's have even been to church with me three times over the last three years - not because they are interested in learning the truth, but, as I found out later, because they are naturally rebellious and love to get away with breaking the rules in secret.
After spending the weekend with her parents, I understand why Mrs. PW treats me with disrespect. Her mother lumps all Englishers into the same mold and seems to despise us. She said things to me like, "I bet you sit around all day crocheting in front of the TV." And, at mealtimes, the family spoke only Amish most of the time. Oh boy, I sure felt like I was in the way. Mrs. PW's dad seemed friendlier but carefully steered all spiritual talk away. I'm sure Mrs. PW warned them about me ahead of time. She once exclaimed to Mrs. L, "That Charlotte! She's always talking about the Bible!"
When traveling with Amish, the husbands usually sit in the front seat. Since Mr. PW is somewhat mentally challenged, not much meaningful conversation happens, so I took advantage of the time to listen to sermons on CD's. Both the PW's "fell asleep" during the sermons, but Mr. PW promply woke up when the sermon ended and exclaimed, "That was a powerful sermon!" They usually are listening while pretending to sleep. :)
Please KEEP PRAYING FOR THE AMISH. Your prayers and concern are greatly appreciated and they do make a difference!
