Down Amish Country Roads, Northern Indiana

Do you ever wonder what happened to the days when Sunday dinner was eagerly anticipated all week? It was a time when sitting on the front porch swing watching the sunset was more common than sitting in front of the television. Those days had a slower, relaxed pace and neighbors who could be called neighborly. That time and that place can still be found.

Northern Indiana is home to the third largest Amish settlement in the United States. A few days spent in this area can restore a fatigued city-dweller and at the same time, offer a glimpse into the unusual lifestyle and history of the Amish and Mennonite people.

The small communities of Middlebury, Nappanee, Wakarusa and Shipshewana all lie in Amish country. Tourism has grown up around the Amish people. Although the Amish do not participate in tourism directly, it's still possible to experience the simple pleasures of this rural setting. Restaurants, shops and other attractions are primarily operated by those outside the faith, who attempt to represent all that is positive about the unique lifestyle of the Amish. One does not necessarily have to be in the lap of an Amish person to appreciate the surroundings and their special way of life.

Mennonites and Amish are two religious groups which grew out of the Anabaptist movement dating from 1525. Mennonites generally lead average lifestyles, have normal jobs and wear regular clothing, while the Amish have resisted and continue to resist advances of the 20th century. Often misunderstood, the Amish are still occasionally harassed and have been treated like side-show freaks. Impatient drivers, in particular, get frustrated with horse-drawn buggies and accidents do occur.

Try as they might, many outsiders cannot fathom why the Amish want to continue in their old, familiar ways, but the fact is they do, though they never attempt to foist it upon others. Peaceful co-existence is a tenet of their faith.