Josh's Birthday

Growing up in a Swartzentruber Order Amish home, with 12 siblings, Jonas' family never acknowledged nor celebrated his birthday. Those days were just another work day.

When Jonas left his Amish life, he didn't have his birth certificate. It wasn't that he couldn't find it; nothing existed! Home births are typical in his settlement, and his parents, expecting him to live and die Amish, never put anything on record for the outside world.

New Order Christian Fellowship Amish

"Our church is having a dinner and concert. You wanna come?" invited Noah.

"What's if for?" I asked.

"A fundraiser for a mission trip."

"We'll be there."

Noah grew up Swartzentruber Order in a small Ohio town. At age 18 he left against the wishes of his parents. His father was angry and didn't want Noah to return.

Road Trip to North Carolina

Last month we drove North Carolina. The draw? Well, it is a beautiful, southern, charming state. We often drive through parts of North Carolina on our way to vacation on the Outer Banks. But this trip had a particular attraction - our "son" Mosie. He'd moved down there 10 months ago.

Thought you'd like to see some road trip pix. We arrived on a Friday evening to comfortably warm weather. Mosie met us a couple hours later at our motel; he'd been working 2-hrs away on a construction job. Ahh, such a pleasure to see this muscular, hardworking young man who had the lion heart to slip out of his Amish settlement and join a world he'd been warned to avoid - I'm still amazed at his fortitude.

"Free" Book for Helping

"Brenda, how can I help ex-Amish adjust?"

I'm asked about the needs of ex-Amish or ways to help them adjust to life on the outside. Some people think ex-Amish are like anyone else yet nothing is farther from the truth. Most people have few clues to the myriad and primal needs of these precious young adults.

In my experience, there are one of three reasons an Amish person leaves; to escape the rigid, oppressive rules; to explore religious freedom and a faith-based life; or simply to shed the Amish life and belong to the non-Amish life. I could go into detail and share stories about each of these three reasons but, that's another post. To keep it focused, I'll answer the question of helping.

Since I live with, love, and assist Swartzentruber and strict Old Order, my answers apply to these groups.

1) Recognize they grew up speaking Deutsch, therefore they're ESL or EOSL - an educator's term for