From the Editor: Having Supper with the Amish Folk By Martha Hall

"Hello, Martha," he said to me as if we were old friends instead of two people meeting for the very first time. Those were the first words David I. Schwartz of Berne said to me upon our arrival to his rural home for a meal. He, his wife and his daughter welcomed Bonnie and me warmly to their home and served us a huge meal in their kitchen.

It was dark in their home. With the heat of the summer at its worst, the Schwartzes were trying to keep the heat out and so all the shades were drawn. We sat in the darkened living room and visited before supper. David asked us pointed questions about our families, our jobs.

When we sat down to supper, David asked his future son-in-law to say the blessing. His daughter said one, too. It was nothing I could understand or decipher but I kept my head bowed. There was a pause. Silence. I looked up at David, who peered at me and asked sharply, "You want to pray now?" I declined, and he said, "Oh, that’s right. You’re just a journalist."

And so with some laughter, our visit officially began. We drank Countrytime lemonade and water fresh from the well. We ate fried chicken and corn. We ate store-bought bread. It was delightful.

After supper, we had a tour of their home. They showed us the "Amish shower," which was a five-gallon bucket with a shower head installed on the bottom. Turn the bucket over and you have a shower!

David’s 19-year-old daughter took Bonnie and me on a long carriage ride. Barefoot, she helped her father and fiancé hook up the wagon. Soon we were riding out in the countryside, enjoying the breeze and the sunset. We also enjoyed asking this young woman questions about her faith, her Amish background, her life. It was very insightful.

For those of us who live out here in the fast-paced "American" lifestyle, the Amish are a mystery. I am so appreciative that the Schwartzes invited us to their home and in to their lives. It was a gift I won’t ever forget.