The Miting: An Old Order Amish Novel, page 8
She didn’t see Martha or Abe, so she wandered back out to the benches that squatted under the shelter of the old building’s eaves. She peered up and down the road, and just as she was beginning to think they weren’t coming, she spotted Abe’s old blue truck pull into the far end of the parking lot. Leah’s heart pounded as she hurried to meet them.
“Hey there!” Martha greeted her. “Get in. This old truck will get you where you want to go, even if it doesn’t look pretty.”
“Okay.” Her voice wobbled, uncertainty crowding her every thought. She climbed into the truck beside Martha. “Thanks, Abe, for taking me to the Bible study. I appreciate the ride.”
He glanced her way as he pulled out of the parking lot. “No problem, Leah. I hope you have a good time.” He snickered as if he’d made a joke.
It was clear Abe thought her rebellious trip was not worth the potential punishment, but Leah shrugged him off. She remained quiet the rest of the trip into town. It was only fifteen minutes later that they pulled into the Schrocks’ driveway.
Several cars were already parked in front of the house. Her eyes widened with apprehension. Before she could change her mind, the side door of the house opened, and Naomi Schrock came out to the driveway. She waved to Leah and leaned over to smile at Martha and Abe. “Come on in, Leah. Your friends are welcome to come in, too.”
Leah eyed Abe and Martha, but their disinterested faces gave the answer without having to ask them. Disappointed, she guessed Martha had already changed her mind about asking the Schrocks for help. “Martha, please, I’d love to have you come in with me.”
Martha avoided Leah’s eyes and shook her head quickly.
Abe leaned over, clearly pleased with Martha’s response. “So what time do you want us to pick you up?”
“I’m not really sure, but how about an hour or so?”
“Okay. See you then.”
“Thanks.” Leah gave her friend’s hand a gentle squeeze, then went to greet her host, a tentative smile on her face.
“Leah, don’t worry. We’re all friendly in this group.”
“Thanks. I was hoping my friends would come in, too. Especially Martha. She needs help, but I guess she’ll think of another way.” Leah glanced down at her Amish clothing. “I feel kind of funny wearing these clothes.”
“Remember, most of us once looked just like you. No one will judge you. It’ll be all right.”
She followed Naomi into the house, where Matthew Schrock greeted her. His broad smile put her at ease, and the other former Amish in the living room also greeted her warmly. Naomi led her to the kitchen, offering coffee and brownies. Leah poured coffee, adding lots of sugar and cream into the cup. As the milky concoction steamed, the scent of the coffee beans filled the room. The cloudy brew reminded her of Maem. Better to not think of that now.
The rest of the visitors found their seats, and Leah sat between Naomi and another girl who looked to be younger. The girl introduced herself as Mary. Her enthusiasm as she gave a testimony about God’s grace to her during the week impressed Leah. Mary’s face glowed with joy as she recounted her experiences.
“I tell you, if it hadn’t been for the Lord, I just don’t know if I could have left my family the way I did. But I felt I had to go back once to try to set things right with Maem and Daet. They weren’t happy to see me at first. They told me I couldn’t read my Bible at the table in front of my brothers and sisters, but I let them know I always read Scripture first thing in the morning. It sets my day off right.”
“How did they take that news, Mary?” asked Matthew.
“They weren’t happy for about a week, but then they calmed down. Before I left, Daet actually took the German Bible out and read it to the family at night.”
“Do you think things were better when you left the second time?” asked Naomi.
“I like to say that when I left the first time, there were tears and nobody was happy, but the second time, everyone hugged and said good-bye. So I left with smiles the second time.”
“Sounds like you did the right thing when you went back to try to make things right,” said one of the young men sitting to Leah’s right.
“Yes. I definitely think so, and now I have a gut relationship with them again. The Lord can do miracles with our families if we just let Him.”
As she soaked in Mary’s experience, Leah wondered if she would ever have the chance to make her parents understand what she wanted from attending Bible study. Would she also have an enhanced relationship with her parents if she understood God’s Word better?
After the testimonies of a few of the other young people, Matthew led them in prayer, and then the Bibles were opened and the Scripture study began.
Matthew started off talking about the ABC plan of salvation. “The plan of salvation is really very simple. In the first step, the letter A stands for admit. Admitting that we are all sinners is the first key to salvation. Romans 3:23 says that ‘all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ Notice that the Scripture says all. And Romans 6:23 makes it clear that because of this sin, the wages, or the price we must pay, is death. But the verse goes on to say that the gift of God is eternal life.” He passed around a small sheet with the letters on them.
Oh, the gift. That was the verse I was trying to recall from my Gideon Bible. Leah glanced at the paper. She’d have a reference to go to now if she was careful about not leaving it for Maem or Daet to find. They wouldn’t want her reading Scripture on her own.
“In the second step, the letter B stands for believe. We must next believe that Jesus is God’s Son and accept God’s gift of forgiveness from sin. John 3:16 says ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.’
“In the third step, the letter C stands for confess. This means we must confess our new faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9–10 says ‘if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then you will be saved.’ It’s a simple plan, really, and we can pray a prayer tonight with anyone who needs this plan of salvation.”
Matthew spoke a little more about Christ, but Leah was barely listening. Instead she was wrapped in the words Matthew had read. Salvation was as simple as that? No rules to follow? No lifelong promise to obey the bishop and the church? No pressure to conform to the community and what was expected?
Leah glanced around the room, noting the relaxed faces and eager discussion. In her church, gatherings were often tense, especially for women. It wasn’t easy to speak out in a group when she knew her words would be weighed by the bishop and others. It all added up to exacting measures in order to be good enough to earn heaven. But these verses, stating so simply that Jesus Christ had already paid the price for her sins, were like honey to her, feeding her soul with sweet meaning and freedom.
The hour passed quickly before she was suddenly aware of headlights flashing against the window. A horn blared twice, bringing Leah back to the real world. She realized her ride had arrived and rushed to gather her things.
“Leah, who’s picking you up?” Matthew asked.
“Martha Mast’s boyfriend, Abe Troyer. I didn’t know how long this lasted, so I told them to come back in an hour. I’m sorry for interrupting.”
“No problem. I hope you can make it again next week.”
The group members told Leah good night and also encouraged her to come back.
As Leah hopped into the truck, Martha grinned. “So how was it? Feel pretty holy now?”
Leah laughed. “No. But it was good.”
“Did they feed you anything?”
“Brownies and coffee. Good goopy brownies with frosting.”
“Ahh … so the Englishers can bake?”
“I think Naomi made the brownies—”
“Oh yeah—I forgot, she’s Amish.”
Abe squealed tires as he maneuvered a corner. “That better not be no Amish house—with all those cars in the driveway.” He spat out a rough chuckle. “I can stir up trouble with a bishop, if it is.”
Martha punched Abe’s side. “You dummy! They aren’t Amish anymore.” She turned back to Leah. “Were they nice?”
Leah nodded. “Yes, very, and so were all the others there.”
Martha gazed out the windshield, saying nothing, but Leah saw the haunted look in her eyes. Her friend shook herself and waved a hand. “Not for me, though. I’m not getting mixed up with more religious fanatics. Dealing with Amish nuts is more than I can handle.”
Abe snorted. “You can say that again. Glad we’re getting away from them, babe.”
Martha kissed his cheek and turned challenging eyes to Leah. “Don’t go spreading that around, okay?”
“I won’t.” But as Leah met Martha’s gaze, she couldn’t keep a frown from creasing her brow. Martha broke the stare and flipped the radio on. Country music bounced from the speakers, causing Leah’s heart to thump in time with the beat. She was glad to see her lane ahead and was ready to get out of the truck cab as soon as Abe pulled to a stop under the shadow of an ash tree near the drive.
“Hey, don’t look so sour. Everything’s going to be A-okay. I’ll see you tomorrow if I can,” Martha promised.
Leah nodded. “Thanks for taking me tonight. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. Good night!”
Abe pulled out, and as he sped away, the roar of the truck echoed through the silent countryside. She took a deep breath of the crisp night air and started home. Hoping that the evening wouldn’t be spoiled somehow, she couldn’t wait to get to her room and pull out the little New Testament so she could reread what Matthew had presented tonight.
The lights were off in the downstairs rooms, so her parents were probably in bed. She breathed a sigh of relief. As she climbed the stairs and passed her parents’ bedroom door, Maem called, “Is that you, Leah?”
She paused outside the door. “Yes, Maem.”
“Good. Have a nice time?”
“Ja. It was fun.” She wasn’t lying at all about that.
“Have a good rest. See you in the morning.”
“G’night, Maem.”
“Good night.”
She went to her room, got into her soft flannel gown, and lay down. She dug her head deep into her feather pillow, finding the perfect spot as she closed her eyes.
The room was quiet and still, and as the pale light from a buttery moon streamed in over the foot of her bed, she thought of how she had gone against Maem and Daet. The stress of sneaking out and lying to her folks had worn her out. What a day. I’ll have to come up with an honest way to do all this.
She yawned. Just before drifting off to sleep, she remembered the reading materials Naomi had handed her as she went out the door. Getting up, she crossed to the corner where her apron hung and rummaged through the pockets until she felt the papers.
Better hide these. She crept to her dresser, pulled back a stack of underclothes, and laid the study pages neatly under the pile. Maem rarely washed Leah’s laundry anymore, so it was unlikely she would find the study materials in the dresser.
In spite of her fatigue, Leah lay awake a bit longer, thinking over the evening.
How could she be happy to do something that the bishop, Ordnung, church, and her parents considered sinful? Was Satan taking over her mind, as many of the preachers often warned when other members had strayed from the Amish church? Surely it was so, if she had to lie her way to get there …
Yet all those people at Bible study seemed so joyful. What was missing from her life that they had?
At breakfast the next morning, Leah’s sister and parents were extra-absorbed in their scrambled eggs when she came to the table. No one lifted their eyes to greet her. Something was wrong. She tried to catch Ada’s eyes, but she uncharacteristically kept her gaze averted.
“Good morning, Maem and Daet.”
Maem looked up, and the pain Leah saw on her face made her stomach drop. Something was definitely going on, but Maem said nothing beyond “Gut morgen.”
Leah ate her breakfast in silence, and for once, Ada was anxious to be off to school. She hurried through her breakfast and left. By the time Ada was gone and Benny had wiped the last of the jelly toast from his chin, grabbed his books, and dashed out the door, Leah was a nervous wreck. Neither of her parents said anything to her, and she wondered if someone had told them about her visit to the Bible study.
Once the three were alone in the kitchen, Leah stood to wash the dishes but Daet motioned for her to sit back down. Her parents’ expressions were grim and serious.
Daet fiddled with his beard and sighed. He shook his head. “Leah, I’m not going to beat around the bush. The bishop came by this morning and told me someone saw you getting into Abe Troyer’s truck last night. He said Martha was in there, too. I’ll not waste time asking you if this is true. What I am going to ask you is why and where did you go?” Daet’s eyes never wavered from his daughter’s face, and his expression warned her not to even try denying it. She dropped her eyes, acknowledging the truth.
“I’m sorry, Daet, Maem. I went to the Schrocks’ Bible study, and well, Martha said she would give me a ride with Abe, so—”
“So you rode in the truck to an Englisher Bible study, and you lied and told your Maem you were going to Sara’s place. Is that right?” Daet’s voice was steely.
“Ja, and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, Daet—and you, Maem—but I did try to ask. I wanted to do it with your permission.”
“You wanted to go to an Englisher’s place—especially that man’s house—and you thought Maem and I should allow it? And since we didn’t, you lied and went anyway?” Daet reiterated, his anger growing.
“It isn’t that I wanted to disobey, but I do want to learn more about the Bible, and it is the only Bible study I can go to. None of the Amish have one.”
Daet stood, pushing back his chair with force. “And may I remind you, young lady, that our church Ordnung does not encourage group Bible studies. You know that, Leah. We prefer to teach our own families in our own homes. And nowhere is there something that allows for you to be in a group of Englishers studying the Bible. It is forbidden for you to have that kind of connection. Forbidden! And to go to the Schrocks, of all people—the very people the bishop warned us about. You heard him yourself. That Matthew Schrock helps the youth leave their families and disobey their parents. He is a very bad influence, no matter how nice he seems.” Daet was pacing back and forth, his face puffed with anger.
“Daet, he and Naomi are good people, and all they’ve ever tried to do is to help me. I promise that’s all.”
He rushed to her, raising the flat of his hand as though to strike her. Leah flinched just as Daet caught himself and stopped. He swallowed a couple of times, obviously trying to control his rage at her disobedience and her defense of the Schrocks.
“I can guarantee that if you’re with them for long, you’ll want to leave, too. No!” He shook his head vigorously. “I have to be strong with you and forbid you to go to any more of these … these … Bible study things. No more, Leah. Furthermore, Bishop Miller will be watching you to make sure the Schrocks and Martha don’t influence you again.”
He towered over her. His wrath, spurred by disappointment, scared her in its intensity. “This is your last chance to do the right thing, Leah. The last warning.”
She lowered her chin, trying not to notice the slow burn that was growing inside her. Equal parts fear and resentment scalded her throat, forcing words to her lips she tried hard not to speak. She knew the Ordnung was wrong this time—the bishop was wrong. Even her parents were wrong. It was wrong to keep her from a Bible study. It was.
She clamped her mouth shut until Daet finally calmed down.
He walked to the back door, pausing before he went out. “Okay. I’ve said enough. I’ll need your help in the shop today, so go and get your chores finished. This is the last time we’ll discuss any of this.”
His tone was dismissive, as though he spoke to a child and not a young lady. She clenched her fists at her sides, pressing them against her skirt, knowing this wasn’t the time to fight back.
She glanced at Maem as she left the kitchen, but her mother kept her head down, refusing to look at her.
Leah hurried to her bedroom and set about her mundane tasks. She wanted to do as she was told with no back talk or sass, but the burgeoning feeling grew: she had to find freedom. Freedom to learn about what the Bible really said.
Leah sensed she would soon be forced to make a decision about her faith, something she’d never imagined she’d have to do. And considering leaving Maem, Daet, Benny, Daniel, and Ada was hard to imagine; her heart ached at the thought. Surely, she wouldn’t have to go away like the others who were at the Schrocks’ Bible study. Her parents were more reasonable than that. More concerned about the truth. She prayed the choice would never come.
When she came downstairs, Leah overheard her parents talking in the kitchen. She knew she shouldn’t, but she slipped quietly to the door so she could hear what they were saying, certain the discussion centered on her.
“I’m nearly finished with the Schrock bedroom suite; I’ll tell him today that I can’t do any more work for him.” Daet’s deep voice sounded frustrated.
“I hate to see you take such a strong stand against an Englisher, especially Matthew Schrock, but I know it should be done,” Maem answered. “I’m disappointed Leah snuck off to the Bible study. What do you suppose has gotten into her, John?”
“She’s going through the years of rebellion, Rachel. With Daniel being so eager to join the church, I didn’t think we’d have trouble with our daughters; it’s usually the sons who are the ones trying and testing and sowing wild oats. I just didn’t expect this from Leah. And Martha sure doesn’t help.”
“I’m still hoping she’ll be fine, John. We’ll have to pray for her all the harder yet.”
Leah heard her father sigh as he pushed the kitchen chair out from the table. “I’d best get back to work. Schrock is coming at 10:30 to pick up the first part of his furniture order. Tell Leah to come on out as soon as she can.”
