Amish Dilemma: A Novel. Sioux Dallas

were awarded first place of restaurants by People’s Choice Awards.

      Local people eat there often and tourists have the address to find them and enjoy the food.

      YODER’S AMISH VILLAGE

      3434 Bahia Vista Street

      Sarasota, Florida

      34239

       Chapter One

      Charity Startz sat with bowed head with her heart beating so fast it felt as if it were trying to break out of her body. There had been three hours of sermons and songs starting at eight in the morning and going until eleven. There were no musical instruments; they would be considered worldly. A song leader would sing one line and teach it to the congregation.

      Everyone memorized the songs and Bible verses.

      Charity sat as they all did on a hard bench with no back. They were careful to keep good posture and straight backs. The women sat on one side and the men sat on the other side. Church services were held every other Sunndawk (Sunday) in the home of a member of the congregation. The benches belonged to the group and were taken by wagon to each haus (house) where the service would be held. Women furnished good tasty food to be shared after the long service. Usually people were served lunch and dinner.

      Walls could be moved in the homes to make more room, however, in a few homes the members had to sit in various rooms. The preachers would go from room to room teaching and talking loudly enough to be heard by all.

      Kinner (children) were taught to be still and quiet. Mothers brought snacks for the very young ones to keep them quiet. Sometimes small children would toddle from mother in one room to daddy in another room. Bad behavior (disturbing the service) was severely disciplined.

      ########

      Today Charity was sitting on a bench facing the center with her attendants called newehockers. This was not a Sunndawk (Sunday) service but a special Dunnahshdawk (Thursday) service in Novembar (November). Her newehockers were three girls whom she considered best friends; Nadine Lapp, Rosemary Raber and Bonnie Lehman.

      Facing Charity on another bench sat Adam Kime with his newehockers Lawrence Startz, Kyle Snader and Gerry Raber. Charity glanced at him under her lowered lashes and thought he looked as if he had bitten into a very sour lemon. She understood why he was not happy but it didn’t help her feelings at all.

      Charity’s father Jacob Startz and Adam’s father Joshua Kime had been friends since they were small children. They had promised each other their first born to be married and join the two families. Charity as the oldest daughter and Adam as the oldest son had always known they were promised. They liked each other but it was not a love match. Many Amish felt one should marry first and then learn to love each other.

      Although the majority of the parents did not select a mate for their child they did expect to be consulted. Approval must be given and both of the intended couples must be baptized and members of the church. A deacon would announce plans for the wedding in a worship service. This is called being published which is the same as being engaged. The young man does not give a ring. He gives a set of china or a lovely battery clock. Everyone in the congregation prepares for the wedding.

      The bride’s parents plant a big field of celery which is meant to be a blessing and is a spiritual wish for success. Celery is served to eat as well as placed in vases as flowers during the wedding and the dinner following.

      The weddings are held between Ocktobar (October) and Dezembar (December) after the fall harvest and are on either a Deenshdawk (Tuesday) or Dennashdawk (Thursday). Communion is taken in the spring and fall.

      The bride’s parents prepare for the wedding by making furniture, sewing clothes by hand to be given, baking favorite recipes of the bride and helping the bride to fill her hope chest that her father has made for her. In it she has hand made linens, kitchen items, scrapbooks and other favorites.

      The service is usually held in the bride’s home as a worship service. Bible passages are read by the minister to emphasize the relationship that must be between husband and wife. (1 Corinthians 7:1-3 Now it is good for a man not to marry, but since there is so much immorality, each man should have one wife and each woman her own husband. A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and the two shall become one flesh.)

      Ephesians 5:31 There is no divorce in the Amish faith (Corinthians 7: 10-11 But a wife must not separate from her husband. If she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.) They literally mean “till death do us part”.

      * * * * *

      Bishop Eash called the couple to stand before him after a two and half hour service. Rev. Chupp stepped up and read scriptures; then admonished them as to their duties to each other. They had counseling previously.

      The Bishop asked solemnly, “Can you both confess and believe that Gott (God) has ordained marriage to be a union between one man and one woman? Do you also have the confidence you are approaching marriage in accordance with the way you have been taught?”

      “Ja,” both Charity and Adam responded.

      Turning to Adam he continued, “Do you have confidence brother that Gott has provided this, our sister, as a marriage partner for you?”

      “Ja,” Adam answered nervously.

      He asked the same of Charity and she said “Ja” so low she was asked to repeat it.

      “Charity, do you vow to be loyal and care for your husband during adversity, affliction, sickness and weakness and to remain together until death?”

      With a trembling voice Charity swallowed and bravely said, “Ja.”

      She bit her lip to keep the tears from falling. She had worked hard to make her light blue dress, white apron and white prayer kapp (cap). She had pricked her fingers many times with the needle. This clothing would be kept to be worn on special occasions, Sunday service or to be buried in. She was hurt that Adam had not looked at her and it was their wedding day.

      “Adam, do you vow to be loyal and care for your wife during adversity, affliction, sickness and weakness and remain together until death?”

      Adam gulped and said, “Ja.”

      “And do you both promise together that you will live with each other with love, forbearance and patience and not part from each other until Gott separates you in death?”

      They answered “Ja” together.

      “Let us rise and pray for those about to be married.”

      The Bishop then took Charity’s right hand and placed it in Adam’s left hand. He then placed one of his hands under the joined hands and his other hand on top. He prayed a blessing and asked for the mercy of God for them.

      He then said, “Go forth in the Lord’s name. You are now man and wife.”

      There was no kiss, no special acknowledgement and no rings. Adam went to help the men set up the benches for tables to be used for the dinner and Charity went to help the women in the preparation of food and serving it.

      The newly married couple sat at a table, called an ‘eck’, in a corner with their attendants beside them. The meal itself is a feast. The women have lovingly prepared several main dishes in addition to vegetables, fruits and desserts. Six or seven wedding cakes are set aside to be eaten later in the day. Silent prayers are said before each meal and after. The Bishop cleared his throat to alert everyone that he had finished praying silently.

      The men, and important people present, are served first, then the women and children. It takes several seatings to serve two hundred or more guests.

      Often there will be more than one wedding in a day. Some people travel from one wedding to another