Our Mennonite friends drive. Some of them drive the Amish to jobs and to get groceries. Some make an income out of it while others do it out of courtesy. Very interesting. I went along on a few trips where a Mennonite friend was picking up Amish friends for a function.
It's great to get away from the cares of the world and just relax.
Interestingly, when we are sitting in the house and a buggy goes by we get up to look out the window. When a car goes by they look. All what you are used to. The tourists think the Mennonites and Amish are on display but it's kind of neat to sit back with them and see how for them it's the tourists that are on display. You see these women wearing dresses and you can just tell they probably never wear one at home trying to fit in to a degree with those in the Amish community. Guys that are probably henpecked being "the man" while they are there. people can be interesting to watch in such a setting.
One thing that took some getting used to is the segregation of the sexes. We attended some Amish and Mennonite dinners where the only time the sexes are together is at the dinner table. Before the meal the women are together getting things ready. After the meal the women gather to clean up and go to a separate sitting room. Sometimes they sit together for the sake of us outsiders so we aren't too uncomfortable. I guess it would be a male chauvenist pig's heaven.
Still in all, we love them in spite of our differences of lifestyles and spiritual views. Sort of when in Rome, do as the Romans.
