Amish in the City

It was sometime in 2004 when things started happening around our place in an exciting way. A couple of TV producers came with a TV camera and interviewed some prospects for the upcoming series, "Amish in the City." Some of our ex-Amish friends came to our house and were interviewed for a planned series surrounding Amish people. There were rumors about it for awhile to the effect that the Amish objected to such an exploitation. Local senators found out about but were unable to halt the project. The Amish understandably do not want their lives paraded in front of the world. They leave everyone alone; they want to also be left alone.

Ruth was one of the five participants in the project and some TV footage was shot which resulted in part of our house and barn being on national television during the introduction to each episode. The rest of it was in Hollywood, CA and wherever the entourage traveled.

You could call it a social experiment, putting a small group of seemingly uncultured, naive young people with a group of street-wise city young people. When I heard about it I thought it was a good idea. People could be greatly surprised.

The drama began when the city kids saw the approach of these young people dressed in Amish clothes. It wasn't fun for everyone; there were quite a few insulting remarks aimed at the Amish young people. But over the course of time, it was evident that they upstaged these street-wise young people because Amish culture is replete with a great work ethic, a solid traditional culture, even if they don't learn about all that is to know about the world.

Ruth, Jonas, Mose, Miriam and Randy did their part in just being themselves. Although so much was new to them, they were able to bring about a great series which helped to put the Amish cuture in a refreshing light. That was evident when pitted against the narrow view of the city kids regarding honesty, fair play, and social understanding, for want of a better description.

I don't know if there will be another series. Ruth went back to the Amish, and maybe others did. I met Ruth in August. She is married and the mother of one child. Whatever memories she has of her experience, they will have to be put it largely aside for her dedication to her present lifestyle in raising a family and blending into the Amish culture. More power to her.

An ABC TV crew was here at a birthday party on Saturday, June 30, 2007 and interviewed some young people for an upcoming documentary, maybe next year. Stay tuned.