Two days after the fourth, Charity was still upset that the town people were so cruel to them for no reason except the Amish were different. Her parents had taught her to be kind and forgiving to everyone even those outside their faith.
Charity was weeding her vegetable and herb gardens while Adam was, as usual, working in the field. She was astonished to see a bright red, expensive car driven up their driveway and parking near her. She stood still and watched a woman step out.
The woman was dressed in a light blue silk sleeveless shirt with darker blue shorts. She wore big gold hoop earrings and several dangling bracelets.
There was even a gold bracelet around her left ankle. She walked in high-heeled sandals to Charity with a big smile on her face as if she thought Charity should be impressed with her.
Charity waited for the woman to speak.
“Good afternoon. I hope you’re Mrs. Kime. Sheriff Fleming told me your name and where to find you.”
Charity nodded but still said nothing. She rubbed one bare foot against the other and took a slow step toward the woman.
The woman stepped closer with her hand held out. “My name is Lisa Kennedy. That naughty boy, Darren Kennedy is my son. I must apologize for his behavior in the park. He was certainly not raised to act in that manner. His father, Dr. Willfred Kennedy, is a dentist in town and he is very ashamed at the behavior of our son. Sheriff told the parents of all the boys about the misfortune and I wanted to ask your forgiveness.”
Charity took a deep breath not knowing what to say. She had never in her life been face to face with an outsider like this.
“Ma’am----”
“No. Call me Lisa.”
Charity smiled. “My name is Charity.”
“Charity! What a beautiful name. Do you live up to the name? Oh, how rude of me. I meant nothing by it; I was just trying to be friendly, and, to tell the truth, I’m a little nervous about coming here, but my husband insisted, and you know how husbands can be.” She gave a nervous giggle.
Charity smiled weakly and said, “Mrs. Kennedy, it is our religion and how we’re raised to not show anger, not quarrel with anyone and not be ugly to anyone for any reason. We are to be passive, forgiving, and kind. I was upset because, even if your son had hit one of our men, they would not have been allowed to hit back.”
“That is wonderful. Do you really live by that?”
“Oh, ja. If we did not the church would punish us for it.”
“I take it yah means yes. How would the church punish you and why would they make it their business?”
“The community, all the families, make up the church. We have a set of rules and regulations that we must follow. If we do not, it brings shame to everyone. We would be punished by being meidung, that means shunned.”
“What does it mean to be shunned?”
“You are ignored by everyone. Family cannot eat with you or have anything to do with you. If you’re married the husband, or wife, cannot have any contact with you until the shunning is over. It’s almost as if you died or moved away.”
“That’s awful. I am a member of the big church you saw on the corner. We would be careful not to do anything that we would be ashamed of. If we did do something wrong, the church members might talk to us and pray with us, but they would never act as if we did not exist.”
There was a short silence as the woman thought and Charity tried to assimilate the rules of the woman’s church. While there was silence, Adam ran to them. He placed an arm around Charity and looked at the woman.
“Hi. I assume you’re Mr. Kime. I’m Lisa Kennedy. I was just telling your wife that Darren Kennedy, my son, was one of the bad boys who gave you and your friends a hard time at the park. My husband and I are so sorry about it and hope you’ll be understanding.”
Adam was pleasant but not friendly. “We do not hold grudges and we cannot fight or return bad behavior if it comes to us.”
“Your wife, Charity,” she said with a big grin to them, “just explained all of that to me. Well, I know you’re busy. I must be going. Oh, could I visit your church some time?”
“We do not have a special building. We meet in each other’s homes. You would be welcomed, but I don’t believe you would be comfortable. Our services are three to four hours long with a meal following.”
“Wow! That long.” She laughed. “I get restless when ours lasts an hour.”
She told them goodbye and left. Charity had felt uncomfortable being in the company of a grown woman showing her legs, arms and neck in that manner. And those shoes!
Adam looked at Charity with raised eyebrows. She told him of the entire conversation.
“I’m sorry you had to face that. The poor woman has no shame to come out in public and in front of men dressed like that. We will pray for her and her family.”
Adam trudged back to the field while Charity continued her work.
The next Saturday Adam came running into the house breathless and looking distressed. “Cordero Slabough just came to tell me bad, very bad news.” He stopped to get his breath. “Kyle, Gerry, Buckley and Lawrence took some produce into town to sell at the market. Those Englisch boys saw them and started in on them again. They kept pushing Kyle until he fell backward. He got up angry. When the Sheriff got there the Kennedy boy had to be taken to the hospital and the other boys were cut and bruised. Kyle had taken a bad beating, as had the Amish boys, trying to stop the fight, got hurt as well. They are all now under arrest, Amish and town boys.”
“Lawrence, my bruder?!”
“Ja.”
“Oh, daed will skin him. Mercy they will all be meidung.”
“Maybe, maybe not. When the Bishop hears about it, he’ll make the decision. I’m sure he’ll understand the situation,” Adam comforted.
“I need to pray a lot about this,” Charity moaned.
“We’ll both pray, and I know the families and the church will be praying.”
“Adam, please go with me to my parents and find out what is happening to my bruder.”
“Give me a few minutes to put my tools away and see to the animals, and I’ll be happy to go with you. Why don’t you take some of the baking you’ve been doing to share while I get the buggy ready.”
Adam ran out to tend to his business while Charity wrapped two loaves of Friendship bread and some special cookies she had baked.
At the Startz home Charity was astonished to see her daed out working in the fields and her mamm hanging a wash. She jumped down from the buggy in such a hurry that it worried Adam.
“Charity, don’t do anything that will hurt the boppli.”
She ran to hug her mother and ask why she was doing her usual work. By the time they got settled in the house, Jacob came in. Her grandparents came out of the dawdi haus (grandparents house) to join them. Charity was so worried she was gulping to keep from crying.
Grossdawdi Mishler (Grandfather) suggested they pray before they talked.
He held the Biewel (Bible) while he prayed.
Charity could hardly wait for the prayer to be over. “But why were Kyle and Lawrence arrested for just defending themselves?”
Jacob looked sternly at her and quoted: Jesus said, you have heard an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth, but I tell you do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38-39) He then quoted: For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins,