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The Amish Voice 15
not venerate the Virgin Mary, as in the
Orthodox and Catholic faiths.
Orthodox believers, Greek Catholics,
Evangelists and one family of Jehovah’s
Witnesses also inhabit the village. There
are no religious conflicts between the
various groups, Shtepula says.
Unlike the U.S. Amish, who dress
plainly, the members of this Ukrainian
community prefer simple cuts but bright
colors. The women wear long skirts and
cover their hair with a headscarf. A
married woman wears two headscarves.
The men and boys wear flat caps, which
has earned them the nickname
kashketnyky –from the word kashket,
meaning a flat cap.
The children attend primary school but
never leave the village to continue studies
in a college. The members of the
community never travel – except when
taking on temporary jobs in the cities.
Their houses in Stinka are simple, with
whitewashed walls. The windows are
draped with clean, white tulle curtains.
Life for them is frugal – they don’t have
electricity and water supply, and wash
clothes in the Dnister River or in
washtubs in their yards. They cook on
wood-burning stoves, grow vegetables,
and keep cattle and poultry.
In one concession to modernity, some
have begun using mobile phones a few
years ago, but lacking electricity, they
have to charge them at neighbors’ houses.
The villagers don’t regularly visit and
tend the graves of their deceased
relatives, as in the Ukrainian tradition.
The one exception is the grave of
Derkach, the founder of the community.
Expecting his resurrection, pious
villagers have been visiting his burial
place every day for six years now.
The community’s men are the sole bread
winners by taking jobs in the cities of
Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk, but
never too far away. They are skilled in
working with stone and making fences.
Although they do not have electricity in
their homes, the men do use electrical
tools and devices when working for
others.
The earned money gets divided between
all the families, and a tithe goes to the
community budget.
“The biggest family in our village has 18
children,” Shtepula says. “They say
‘There shall be as many as God gives
us.’”
Shtepula recalled an old man from the
neighboring village of Yavoriv who had
70 grandchildren. He didn’t remember
their names but could recognize them
among other children.
Living as they do in a community apart,
far from the conflict in the Donbas, the
current crisis in the country has had little
impact on the community – they are
aware of it, but they are against using
firearms and will not serve in the
Ukrainian army for religious reasons.
Some of them were imprisoned in Soviet
times for their refusal to serve in the
army.
They also don’t vote in the presidential or
parliamentary elections. Locally, they do
vote for the village head.
Although the community is not active in
national politics, some do subscribe to the
newspaper Ukraina Moloda (Young
Ukraine) to keep up-to-date with the
news in the rest of the country.
“I can talk about any political topic with
my ‘Amish’ neighbor
Vasyl,” she says.
END
Like the Amish, cont. from back cover
END
94.
On which day of the week do
Christians worship?
Chr istians
worship on the first day of the week,
called the Lord's Day. (John 20:19-
26; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1-2)
95.
Why is it called the Lord's Day?
On that day Christ rose from the
dead. (Matthew 28:1-6; Mark 16:1-6;
Luke 24:1-6; John 20:1-9)
96.
How should the Lord's Day be
spent?
The Lor d's Day should be
spent in prayer and praise, in hearing
and reading God's Word, and in
doing good to our fellowman,
(Leviticus 23:3; Psalm 92:1-2; Isaiah
58:13; Luke 13:10-13; Acts 15:21;
16:13; 17:2)
97.
What is the fifth commandment?
The fifth commandment is "Honor
thy father and thy mother: that thy
days may be long upon the land
which the Lord thy God giveth
thee." (Exodus 20:12)
98.
What does the fifth commandment
teach us?
The fifth commandment
teaches us to love and obey our
parents. (Romans 13:1; Ephesians
6:1-3)
99.
What is the sixth commandment?
The sixth commandment is "Thou
shalt not kill." (Exodus 20:13)
100.
What
does
the
sixth
commandment teach us?
The sixth
commandment teaches us to avoid
anger and injury to others. (Genesis
9:6; Matthew 5:22; Galatians 5:15; 1
John 3:15)
More to come in
the next Issue!
150 Questions, from Prev. Page