The Legend

The Coming

Alberta Yoder , in her eighties , rocked in her favorite rocker brought from home . Never had she thought just over a week ago they'd be living at this place. Touched by such a devastating effect as a Twister had transformed .
     " There it be , wait , an there as well," Isaac King pointed out a big man of thirty married Mennonite. For something had succumbed us all at this place in time as God will be done on earth as it is in heaven, this too shall come to surpass.
      Leaving a sign of  the cross etched out is a burnt surface, as plain as could be as you and I standing . Etched out beautifully, from a Bible page , same , same.
    Almanzo King , his brother hesitated before moving forward into the field itself. " Let's move closer Isaac," he said to him and other men there gathered today. With a full sun beating down on everyone , the only thing heard is creeping steps moving into observe this menagerie so new and rewarding to them.
    " Stop , everyone, hold up no sense in stepping on Gods artwork so to speak," Isaac said. " What to do next video on a cell phone, also let's have him a small Amish-man climb up and examine on the corn crib there. Harmon we'd appreciate if you'd do so . " I will be glad to help let me climb up to set."
     Once Harmon small Amish-man, climbed up got comfortable then started videoing  the proximate of the burnt cross made from burnt corn stalks. " This be the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, scrolls of burnt stalks caramelized,  hardened into a wood. You must see to believe what I'm talking about."
     The group of Amish-man, stood looking up at him , in wonderment of it all. To start to adjust to something you'd not imagine in your wildest dreams to occur , let alone really happen.
       The morning went by quickly collecting data on the surroundings of this aftermath of strewn buildings, dead animals, and now in need of setting up observatories in line with to observe the obvious. What happened, collectively, taking videos and snapshots using the cell phones equipped to do all that.
     Stopping for lunch, they got back into jeeps to go over tough terrain, and we using a equipped jeep to do so. Hungry , and unsure of anything yet, prayer be the answer right at this time to recuperate after a horrific Twister. All of them wearing straw hats , jean shirts and pants, wearing knee boots of tough rubber used for livestock work.
     Hershel Yoder , driving us all along till we got home to Minister Emmanuel Ebersole
   Farmstead we'd all be living there for along time . Our future in the hands of the lord is to pray together, it becomes stronger in groups our lord hears us louder they say. Anyway for now plans to rebuild the Amish Village, us as Amish builders by trade came to the conclusion. The task of rebuilding will take us out over a year.
Not far off the Ebersole could be seen , as all around them , flattened barns, Farm Houses roof torn off leaving the house standing , we will cover each in a tar until roof completed . This way rain will not damage the insides of the house.
Chickens squawked inside the yard of the Farm misread. The house looked ok, except the backside wall gone. We had set to work boarding it up keeping it from being water logged. That is done , Construction, being instructed next , yet first , stopping up the holes until it is gotten too.
Hershel Yoder, pulled in driving up the dirt lane, he parked , all jumped out walking inside The  Shuene , where they lived at this time. Stepping inside smelled yumbly gut food. Hershel's wife greeted him," Chicken noodle soup homemade, Peanut sandwiches, a pickled beet stuck on top, Homemade Vegetable beef soup, thick veggies, and Cooke pot roast shredded using big pieces of potatoes. Cooked bacon and egg casserole, a Mennonite favorite.
Chicken pot pies individual ones, and mashed sweet potatoes, double chocolate cake, Rhubarb lemon bread slices, slabs of Apple pie.
With every meal, glass tabletop barrels a spicket to draw off lemonade, iced tea, and milk. Served lunchroom style, serve yourself.
The Men served themselves first, the kinner ate already and the women of course. Life becoming bearable again, standing firm to our beliefs being Mennonite Amish. By our Lord's prayer to watch over us, it would surely defeat Satan and his pompous, deviant works.
The videos captured on The cell phone are downloaded to be viewed over the big screen on the wall to watch films on. Not an expensive extravagance, a much-needed one, for times like these.
     By this time the lunch cleared away old dishes, washed, dried, and put away in the cupboard. Then sat down in theater seats adjacent to the dining area. While they sat quietly children on laps sleeping thumbs in their mouths. Adults watched intently very observant.
Soon, tears seeing the cross, hankies out wiping eyes. Lots of feelings come forward, in a gesture of this familiar Cross. Which has bore up to meet the day like this.
Minister Emmanuel Ebersole, spoke ," This has truly hit home, all of us touched by it in some personal way. I personally believe, we shall never pass this way again. The Cross be a sign from our holy redeemer, sent to us letting us know , it's Holy Ground at this time."
Then afterwards, time for the men to go down to the barns left untouched by damage . And tended to the Beasts animals come home , as everyone predicted they would do. The farmers set the food out , and they came home from afar even some unknown brands burned on them. Later we would get them back to rightful owner.
Emmanuel went along all in work clothes for the Amish. Leaving out the back door . The woman set the young Kinner to play , as they set up a quilt to sew and quilt. Such fun , a place to use Wooden cupboards , play dishes, tables and chairs child size. Amish dolls made like a rag doll, tiny baby beds and little chairs or rocking chairs . They played nice together, and even laying on rugs to nap quietly.
Then a baby quiet room off to the side windows round to peek in on the resting asleep in a wooden baby bed. A refrigerator inside run off a generator. Inside milk and baby food stored.
Life going forward only in memories we shall pass this way again from Mennonite people acting fast . Moving on with their lives, changing forward right away.
Tonight singing , instrumental playing and speakers a nice incentive to live and move on .
Which together we will pull it all off. Through the lord father Gods plans for us all. We shall get there once again back to our farmsteads living as nothing changed.
    Becoming renewed again , fully regenerated , to go forward in God . For the time being, Sarah suggested, Minister Emmanuel's Fra ( wife), " We shall imagine ourselves on a vacation together. I can't imagine, yet we should make this a gut memory never to be forgotten. Never dwell on the past The Twister, yet spend time amongst family and our friends."
     " We shall all see ourselves grow up living together.  How exciting, to be together and observe the coming together building a farm back up again. A stronger bunch of Mennonite Amish, coming along. To guide us along the way God and each other," Beatrice Yoder said Benjamin Yoders Fra.
      Faithful Dream, a Clothing line, became an option to keep all adult Mennonite women, company. Each made up a design to make the pattern for, following choosing a bolt of material to make it with.
    Anna Bontrager owned the fabric store in Amish Village. Her Man ( Husband), Brought all the bolts of materials. From her store on the Farmstead property they own. Which has to be rebuilt. It was bulldozed down.
     " This has been my best initiative to bring out the best in me since my little Fabric Store blew down. I have a Faithful Dream clothing line to fuss over," Anna said.
Soon I made a line of Baby Clothes for toddlers and kids, and after that preteens and teens. Much to be surprise to all of them, it started to be a good thing to happen to me. And then all of us, the repurposed outgrown clothes we all share of the family.
Take the repurposed item and tear it apart and make it into a new shirt, dress, or mitten from a sweater. The clothes items turned out beautifully. Mittens so neat it awwed us. Happy
Times are to come from this, a welcome wagon of money too.
The building finally going smoothly enough to be covered till next springtime. Then start rebuilding the Town. All animals moved here to The Shuene, ( Barn), where things are immaculately clean, tagged cows' ears, branding, and books on each animal.
They made a snow fence from wood, easy to tare down in spring. In the meantime fall settled in, time to Harvest what they could, which became more than ever expected of crops. Because of the Twister, it still came out fine.
All the Harvest in one Barn a big red Brick Barn. Matched pumpkins, gourds, watermelon, potatoes, acorn squash, butternut, spaghetti squash and cucumbers, carrots, peas, beans, beets, cabbages, lettuce, green peppers, yellow peppers, red.
We ordered all new canning jars and scanners others were destroyed during the storm. Shipment Fedexed today delivered to our door. The Amish women brought the boxes all inside. They broke open each box taking the jars plus lids out, then the canners taken out washing them in soapy water. Drying on a drying rack.
The next step cleaning all the veggies to can them. Along with that next step cut up and put into canning jars. Jellied veggies, and canned pumpkin for baking. Life is good and best when God is on board amongst special friends and family.
We got out old family recipe cards, cookbooks, all us girls brought out from Cedar Chests kept in our room. Lots of laughing filled the air which by the way hadn't been heard for a long time since the twister.
A private room for our man to relax after a hard day off the kitchen. They would go to relax after chores right before supper hour tonight. They heard the women laughing and their hearts melted for it had been a hard while since it had been heard.
Fanny took some cheese and crackers trays in set them on a side table and walked out. She is a seamstress making wedding dresses not yet married. She is a dochder to Samuel and Betty Ebersole. Fanny, Kitty, Jessy, and Katty are all girls. They are as proud as peacocks of them. Certainly, our Lord shall watch over them all their days. With love, prayers are heard daily by Maam and Dade.
They too lived on board and had their own apartment due to their ages, four of them are in their early twenties. Adoring individuals, pretty
Mennonites.
Tonight Spaghetti squash, with sliced mushrooms, tomato sauce, and shaker of dried cheese, and shredded cheese all mixed throughout. Green beans, and cubed cheese to eat as a finger food in dish cups, fruit cocktail homemade today. And pumpkin pie and custard pie, an apple crumb pie.
They all sat down to country tables, tablecloths, a pumpkin centerpiece enough tables to fit each family. This tonight all felt mellow and comforting, heads bowed in prayer, and to everyone's delight.
After supper time, instead of going back to our apartment, they went to groups, men went off to relaxing in a private room. Women cross stitched, knitted and loomed, also quilting. Children are put in bed, with a nanny a young teen paying her to entertain and do her home school studies.
The young man sat in a group visiting making reading for a game they'd play. Laughing and playing checkers after, or Scrabble.