Marvin Schlabach

May 1, 2012

My name is Marvin Schlabach, but I like to be called MJ. I come from an Old Order Amish community in Smicksburg, Pennsylvania. I have three brothers and two sisters. My dad left the Amish in 2001 when I was eight years old, and he was gone for two months and went back. I can easily remember what a shock it was for everybody. I think that is when I first started to think about leaving the Amish. The longer I thought about it, the worse it got.

When I was 16, I wanted to leave really bad, but I didn’t leave until I was 17. When I was 17, I joined the young folks.  That is when I started to get in trouble. I had a CD player and a phone, and I also got into drinking. This kept on for 6 months, then one Sunday evening my parents found all my stuff—my MP3 player, CD player, speakers, TV, and DVD player—everything except my phone. At that time, I threatened to leave the Amish or commit suicide, so my parents took me to a mental hospital, which was okay with me because I could watch TV and everything else. I was in there for a couple of weeks then went back home, but the last thing I wanted to do was to go back home. I was still depressed, and that is when I first started to take drugs.

I was only home for two weeks before I got tired of everything and left in April 2011. I lived then with a guy that used drugs and had a criminal background. I stayed there for two months until my boss found out what kind of guy I was staying with (I worked for a lawn care company), so I moved in with my boss’ son and lived there until I went back to the Amish in September 2011 after being gone for four months.

After I went back, I started to get in trouble again from alcohol and drugs. I almost killed myself one Sunday by taking too many drugs, and I haven’t touched any since—and I don’t want to, either. That is when I started to realize that there is more to life than just having fun. I started to get depressed again. Then one day I was on the Internet with my phone, and I came across this website called Mission to Amish People. I started to read some of the testimonies. That is when I first realized that I didn’t have to be Amish to get into heaven. That is when my life started to change. At first, I kind of doubted it, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it is true. I said a little bit to my dad about reading somewhere that this Amish thing isn’t right, and he didn’t like that very much.

After being back at home for five months, I started to get tired of everything again. I kept getting into arguments with my dad. One night I got into trouble again, and I decided that I had had enough. I told my dad what I actually thought about all this Amish stuff, and he got mad. (My dad was a minister.) I told him I was tired of everything and told him that I was going to leave. He still didn’t believe me until I got my stuff, then my family tried their best to keep me there. That’s when my dad finally apologized to me for getting mad at me, but I told him I was sorry, but I couldn’t go on like this. It was very hard to go. My dad, mom, and sister were all crying, so it was heartbreaking, but I knew it couldn’t go on like this. It was either listen to the Amish church rules or leave. So that night, February 9, 2012, I left.

I went to an ex-Amish guy and stayed and worked for him for a week, then he said I had to get out. Then I went to an English guy that I knew pretty well, but I didn’t want stay there because he was a criminal and used drugs. So I started to get desperate to find a new place to stay. Then I happened to think about the website I had found a while back called Mission to Amish People. So I gave them a call, and it was just a recording, and I didn’t leave my number thinking they would have the callback number. I did that 3 times. Then the fourth time I did leave my number. So Joe from MAP called me back and arranged for somebody to come and pick me up. The next day, Wednesday, Uriah Shetler from Mansfield, Ohio, came and picked me up in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The next day after that, I started to work for Keim Construction building poles barns.

On March 6, I was on my way to work with John Miller, the driver, and Wayne Miller. We lost control and hit a tree. John got killed. Wayne was taken to Mansfield Hospital with chest injuries. I was in the back seat, and my head got caught in the trunk. It took the emergency workers using the Jaws of Life an hour and a half to get me out of the car. They took me to Mansfield Hospital then sent me by Life Flight to Akron General Hospital. My left leg was broken pretty bad, my right hip and pelvis was broken, my right arm was broken, and my neck was broken. That is when God really opened my eyes, and I saw what a poor sinner I am. Two days after the accident, I finally accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. It was only through the mercy of God that I was allowed another chance to accept Jesus as my savior. 

I was in the hospital for a week and then went to rehab.  I was discharged from rehab on March 31. It is now 6 weeks after the accident, and I’m allowed to start walking today. I’m able to use my right arm almost like normal. I still have a Halo on my neck, and I will have to keep that on for 8 weeks. They put a rod in my arm and leg. I’m staying with William Keim, my boss, for now. I’m studying for my GED, and I’m hoping to go to college afterwards. 

I just want to thank Joe Keim and Eric Able for bringing me to Christ, and also William and Jenica Keim for taking care of me, and all my friends that helped to encourage me through these hard times since my family doesn’t want anything to do with me. I also want to thank MAP Ministry for all they have done for me. They are a blessing from God. I also want to thank everyone who prayed for me and sent me cards. May GOD BLESS YOU.

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