July, 2022
A Mid-Year Look at MAP Ministry
Quite often, I’m invited to do interviews with various magazines and news outlets. Most of the time, I have no interest and turn it down. However, in June, I had an opportunity to do a one hour interview with Joseph Graber, producer and editor of Breaking the Silence and Amish and the Reformation. The heart of our interview centered around the fact that so many who leave the Amish tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Years later, they realize that some of what we learned in our upbringing was really good and important to hold on to. I can hardly wait for the sequel to Breaking the Silence to come out and will keep you updated.
In the meantime, you can read a recent interview by Kim Henderson for World News Group https://wng.org/articles/plain-truth-1656217623.
Along the same lines, I want to prepare you for a book that is coming out in the next month or two. The book, written by Carol Kauffman (former Amish), is titled Out of Egypt. You will not want to miss this book. It is filled with double portions of trials and blessings. Carol allowed me to read the manuscript—I read all 20 chapters in one setting. My desire and goal is to help Carol sell 1,000 of her books. More in the next update.
Plowman’s Academy
During this year’s Step Out of the Boat Conference, we took up a $2,500 love offering that went to Bumba in Nigeria. Bumba used the money to print 500 courses from our Plowman’s Academy Bible study materials. Almost weekly, for the past two months, Bumba has updated me with pictures and testimonies of the hundreds of students who have enrolled in the Plowman’s Academy and are going through all 25 lessons in each course!
In the coming months, we would like to share what God is laying on our hearts to do with the Plowman’s Academy. It is big! It will require you and me to step out in greater faith. I am excited to tell you more very soon!
Wedding Bells
On June 18th, a group of about 75 former Amish gathered at a nearby property and celebrated Chriss and Saloma’s marriage vows to each other. Saloma’s dad is a brother to Esther; her mom is my oldest sister. As we were preparing for the wedding ceremony a few months earlier, Esther and I shared the gospel with the young couple; both prayed and asked Jesus to save them. That night we cried tears of joy and thanked God for His great gift of salvation.
Honoring My Friend and Co-laborer
We so value and cherish each one of our prayer warriors and donors. Tom and Wilma have been donors for many years. More than once, they have traveled the 35 minutes to the MAP office and hand-delivered their gift. This time, I went to their home because Tom is not doing so well and may soon go to be with the Lover of his soul.
Helping Rhoda
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
—Matthew 19:29
The week of June 20th, we got word that our neighbor girl wanted to leave the Amish. I knew that Rhoda had a Facebook account, so I messaged her and let her know that we are here to help if she needed anything. I also sent her links from the MAP Ministry website and explained what we do. Rhoda came over the very next evening and we had a great discussion! I asked her if she has a relationship with Jesus and she said that she accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was 5 years old through the SonLight Club!
Rhoda always knew that she did not want to remain Amish and had made plans to leave in July. As the time got closer, she decided to leave on the 28th of June. She stayed with us until July 1st and then we took her to New Beginnings Homestead. We felt that it would be better for her since her parents live only a half mile from our home. While Rhoda was with us, she wanted to tell her parents where she was going, so we took her back home and she explained everything to them. They were very civil, unlike many other sects of Amish that want nothing to do with a person who leaves. I would like to ask you to pray for Rhoda’s parents and me, as I might get a chance to minister to them as well. God Bless.
—Samuel
Gerald Hochstetler
As I sat there on the wooden bench for a couple of hours, it got a little wearisome. It was honestly a bit boring. The Amish all kneel to pray. At least, it would be a bit of a break.
After the prayer, I got up. Kerplunk. My wife and I sat down. That’s the wrong thing to do. You are supposed to stand up and remain while they say another short prayer. I messed up twice.
After several hours, I found myself glancing at the clock and peering out the window at the wheat field. It struck me, I’ve been here before. Many, many years ago, I sat on that bench. I heard the sermons, looked at the wheat fields, and dreamed of freedom. Someday. Someday, I would be free. I felt it. That old feeling I had as a youngster. I can’t describe it.