No Safe Place

"Man Storms Amish School... 5 Girls Dead."

This is horrific.

Many who had been reading our blogs called us and expressed their concern about our Amish friends.

Yes folks, the killing of these young Amish school children in Pennsylvania hit me and Esther like a lightning bolt.

How could a peace-keeping, peace-loving and religious group of innocent school children get killed by a deranged, guilt-ridden man who is on a mission to exact revenge(?) on what he claims he did 20 years ago and will do it again? "Unbelievable & again, horrific."

When you click our blog archive, you will read at one point our first experience with (click) the Amish. It was in a funeral in Homer, Michigan. A young church Bishop died of cancer. Many came to share the grief. Amish came from far away Canada, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio.

We really do not know much about the Amish, but for some historical perspective, Esther and I often interview our friends. We learned that the ancestors of all of today's Amish originated in Switzerland in the early 1500s. Part of the Reformation, their core beliefs included adult baptism, nonresistance to aggression, and the complete separation of church and state.

Because these beliefs ran counter to majority views, ...misconceptions about them are common. the Amish, or Anabaptists as they were then called, were driven into the mountains where they adapted to an independent, farm-based way of life. As recently as 30 years ago, three-quarters of the American Amish were either farmers or retired farmers. As the population doubles every 20 years, the scarcity and cost of farmland has driven many into other jobs, such as woodworking, manufacturing or tourism.

Twenty-one states have Amish setttlements, but Ohio have the most. In fact, of the 100,000 Amish in the world (some claim 200,000), 40,000 live in the Buckeye state.

According to Joan Hershberger, "It is a closed soceity and it operates by different rules. The Amish average six children per family and about 80 percent stay within the church. If someone leaves the church, we say they 'jumped the fence.'" Those who leave the church must make do with an eigth-grade education, which would seem to be a deterrent to striking out on one's own.

Often this year, we visit the Amish community passing by the children on their way home from school. We smile and wave at them and they would return our waves and smiles. Their schools are located close to their farms. They are educated in one-room schoolhouses, from grade one up to the 8'th grade level.

The Amish clear away from the convenience of life. They believe in simplicity and avoid modern things like automobiles, electricity, computers, fancy clothes and most other modern conveniences. They are misunderstood, but they are law abiding citizens.

We feel the peace and quiet in their community. No police cars and no policeman. There is NO crime. Now, it seems there is no more a safe place.

This is unfortunate and terrible event in the Amish community. Tears are shed, hearts are grieved but we all know, these peaceful & loving people FORGIVE.

Note: The Amish believe pictures are a sign of vanity, we respect their views.

Amish Connection (an update)

...on Anna, "I want to be with my children!"

You must see Anna's progress since we first met her. She was bed-confined for 4 months, weak & unable to move freely without pain. Her face pale ( low Hgb and Hct) and her eyes sunken. After (click) unconventional herbal & local breast cancer therapy, the tumor dropped off. Since then, she progressively improved in strength. She lost 35 pounds but at her present weight a picture of vibrant health.

We visit her once a week now.

In our first weekly visit we delivered carrot juice with dandelion roots & oat greens. We found Anna seated on a chair in their backyard with visitors from a nearby Amish community. She decided to entertain outdoors while "sunning-up." She was all smiles.

Their home is located close to tall trees, peaches, pears, apple trees and grape vines. Gentle blowing wind runs the windmill and in turn pump well water to cool off the tanks filled with milk. The milk comes from "milking" the cows twice a day.

We did not stay long but we were able to pick green beans and sugar beets. We also bought peaches, green apples and sweet corn. Esther suggested Anna to start walking down the hill with her kids and if she gets tired, she could ride back home on the "buggy."

The following week, she was helping her husband (Milo) run their store. Of course, she was happy to see us again. Her good news, "I get the mail myself. Before, I order my kids to do it for me." Their home is on a 130 acre farm land and the mailbox is about a quarter mile down the road. Esther was impressed how stronger she looked. Anna selected the best delicious pears, squash, zucchini, and corn for us.

We noticed bees swarming and flying around. We were concerned but Anna reassured us not to worry. They were harmless if we do not swat or shoo them away and if we got stung, she said, "it is cure for arthritis!"

We asked why the bees were all over the place? They smell the harvested honey and they want the honey back. If containers were left open, the bees would gather the honey and re-deposit them to the (click) hive boxes.

Anna showed us how heat separates the honey from the honey comb (beewax). Last year Milo harvested 800 gallons but "this year nearly half less because of the wet weather this summer." We bought 4 buckets (5 gallons a bucket) of raw honey to keep for ourselves and our friends (who ordered).

In our last visit, we brought rocket fuel booster (increases immune system) she requested. It is a juiced mixture of garlic, onion, honey, cayenne pepper, ginger and lemon, in a quart of hot water. She liked this concoction and felt it is helping her family, too.

"When I (Esther) was asked how much I charge for the delivery of the 'stuff'... if only she sincerely knew the joy of seeing her with a glowing smile and the blessings I received can't be replaced with money or material things in this world. It is always a wonderful feeling to see someone getting healed and feeling well."

Milo was happy to tell us that a day earlier, he noticed somebody jogging towards their house. It was Anna! She was all enthusiasm and energy. She said, she had not eaten "meat" for 4 months. An Amish vegetarian?

We learned most Amish who get sick go to Mexico for treatment, but they decided not to follow that route. We asked "why?" Her answer, "I want to be with my children!"

* Picture of Rosie & Wilma, youngest of 11 children. Anna has 2 sets of identical twins in the family.