Our tour guide was ‘Lou”. She walked us through the lifestyle and the ideologies of the Amish people. What struck me most was when she was telling us about how Amish older folks are looked after by their kids, we all could see how wishful she sounded. She really was missing that her in life and I could have bet that she would have happily traded her life to be an Amish now. She made a comment that kind of stayed with me : “What we have gained on mobility from all modern technologies, we have lost on family love and values”.

Some facts about them :

1. The Amish consider style and fashion to be vain. They feel that flashy garments are meant to get one noticed, and that is not something that they desire.
2. Amish women never wear any jewelery , not even on their wedding day.
3. The Amish do not draw social security, join the Army, or allow any form of assistance from the government.
4. Amish children only go to school through the 8th grade. All the grades attend together in a one-room schoolhouse.
5. If you see an Amish man wearing a beard you can be certain he is married. A male member of the faith stays clean-shaven until he marries. And they do not have mustaches since the Amish associate mustaches with military personnel.
6. Amish women never cut their hair.
7. Generally, the Amish go without electricity, electronic entertainment (television, radio, video games, etc.), central heating or air conditioning systems and automobiles. While the Amish do not use electric power, there is nothing against using natural gas to power their water heaters, stoves, refrigerators and gas pressured lamps and lanterns.
8. They also do not own cars but still use horses and buggies, but have no objections in riding in the vehicles of others.
9. The Amish are Anabaptists. They believe that a person should make their own decision to become baptized and join the church as adults, rather than through infant baptism as is practiced in some religions.
10. If an Amish child chooses not to become baptized, they are going through a period known as Rumspringa. Rumspringa, to the Amish, is regarded as the period in an adolescences life leading up to serious courtship, which is connected to permanent commitment to the Amish life and church.
11. The Amish believe that having their picture taken is the same as bearing a graven image. Since this is forbidden in the Bible, they don’t believe in being the subject of photographs.
12. Amish children do have toys. Small girls have rag dolls, which are made from cloth and do not have a face, as graven images are against their belief.
13. Weddings take place in November and early December and usually on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
14. They do not have formal church structures. Old Order church services are held every other Sunday at home. Families take turns hosting the service.