The Amish Teacher's Dilemma and Healing Their Amish Hearts by Patricia Davids (all ebook reader .txt) 📕

Eva and Maddie sat with the single women and girls while the married women sat up front. Glancing across the aisle to where the men sat, she caught Willis’s eye. He was near the back among the single men and boys along with his brothers and Danny. He smiled at her and she smiled back shyly.

As everyone waited for the Volsinger to begin leading the first hymn, Eva closed her eyes. She heard the quiet rustle of fabric on wooden benches as the worshippers tried to get comfortable. The songs of the birds in the trees outside came in through the open door. The scent of alfalfa hay mingled with the smells of the animals and fresh pine as a gentle breeze swirled around her.

The song leader started the first hymn with a deep, clear voice. No musical instruments were allowed by their Amish faith. More than fifty voices took up the solemn, slow-paced cadence of the song. The ministers and the bishop were in the farmhouse across the way, agreeing on the order of the service and the preaching that would be done.

Outsiders found it strange that Amish ministers and bishops received no formal training. Instead, they were chosen by lot, accepting that God wanted them to lead the people according to His wishes. They all preached from the heart, without a written sermon. They depended on the Lord to inspire them in their readings from the Bible.

The first song came to an end. After a few minutes of silence, the Volsinger began the second song. It was always Das Loblied, the hymn of praise. When it ended, the ministers and the bishop entered the barn. As they made their way to the minister’s bench, they shook hands with the men they passed.

For the next several hours Eva listened to the sermons delivered first by each of the ministers and then by the bishop interspersed with long hymns. She glanced over at Danny and Willis. Danny had his hymnbook open. Willis didn’t, but he was singing. She wondered how many of the songs in the large Ashbund he had committed to memory. She knew only a few by heart. Maddie was surprisingly quiet.

When the three hours of preaching and singing came to an end, Bishop Schultz announced the school barn raising, and listed what supplies were still needed and then gave a final blessing. The service was over.

The scrabble of the young boys in the back making a quick getaway made a few of the elders scowl in their direction. Harley and Otto were among the first out the door. Eva grinned. She remembered how hard it was to sit still at that age. Although the young girls left with more decorum, they were every bit as anxious to be out taking advantage of the beautiful day. Winter would be upon them all too soon. She let Maddie follow them out.

Eva happened to glance at Willis again and caught him staring at her. All the other men were gone.

Gemma stopped by with her baby in her arms. “You should stop looking at that man like you are a starving mouse and he is a piece of cheese. No point in denying it.”

Eva rose to her feet. “I’m not a starving mouse.”

“You’re doing a good impression of one.” The two of them went out together and soon joined the rest of the women who were setting up the food. The elders were served first. The younger members had to wait their turn. When Willis came inside to eat, Otto and Harley were with him. He walked past Eva without a word. At first she was hurt but she soon realized they were both under an unusual amount of scrutiny. Ignoring each other was one way of putting the rumors to rest. She was thankful for his thoughtfulness. She accepted a ride home from Jesse and Gemma, leaving her brother to return with Willis and his family. She could do her part to limit the gossip as well as he could.

Later that night she took a stroll and ended up at the swing set on the school playground. It wasn’t long before a lone figure stepped out of the shadows and her heart began to hammer in her chest.

Chapter Twelve

Willis walked slowly toward the swings. He had tried to talk himself out of coming tonight. Things were becoming too complicated for him. And it was all because of her. He had no idea what to do about it. He knew what he wanted; he wanted Eva in his life. Not just to give her a ride to church on a rainy morning or to spend a few stolen moments on the schoolyard swings at night. He wanted more, and he was heading for a heartbreak if he thought he could have it.

He saw her waiting for him, and his breath quickened as a surge of happiness slipped through his veins. Even though he knew he should turn around and go home he kept walking until he reached her. “Can I give you a push, Teacher?”

“That would be lovely.”

She was lovely both inside and out. He knew he wasn’t smart but the men in her community must’ve been blockheads not to have snapped her up.

He gave her a few gentle pushes before taking a seat on the swing beside her. She let her momentum slow gradually until she was stopped. “Was your day awkward?”

“I got some razzing from my friends. Jesse and Michael mostly. They are happily settled down and think I should be, too. How about you? Were there any more questions about who you are seeing?”

“Gemma was the only one who made a comment. Why can’t people accept that a man and a woman can be friends without any strings attached?”

“I’m sure it happens but it’s rare. Especially among us Amish. The bishop says it is the duty of men and women to marry and have children. Our people don’t look for careers. God, family and community