Mennonite question

[mom-from-missouri]

I have noticed something interesting the last couple months where I live. We are getting more and more Mennonite (not Amish-Mennonites do drive, have electric, phones and such) families in our community, and several families where were not Mennonite before, are now. Most of them have not gone past the 8th grade, although a few of the younger families have. The women do not work outside the home, and they have very large families. Some I know well enough to know they were not 'born into money'. But they all seem to own their own business. In our county, there is 2 furniture stores, 1 car dealer, grocery store, blacksmith, upolstery and leather repair and shop, and I am sure several more I don't know about. My question is, how do they do it? How do they go from having nothing, and a few months later, they have moved to a new farm, built a large farmhouse on it and opened a business. Do they back each other up for loans?? They guy who now owns the grocery store once applyed at a store where I worked as a teen, and he was turned down because he did not go to school past 8th grade. I remember this because his kids went to school with me. Now they even have their own school. What is their secret? I asked one, she told me it was simple hard work and giving the Lord 10% first. But, I know there is more to it than that. Anyone know?

[MrsChambers]

Re: Mennonite question

I have no clue.. I have often wondered how people who immagrate to this country with litterally NOTHING seem to "have it made" in like 5-10 years!!

I WISH I KNEW

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Mennonite question

I think it is part attitude, part hard work. And that whole trust in the lord thing really seems to work for them. Wish I could trust Him that much.

[terry1156]

Re: Mennonite question

I think a big part of it is community. If someone in the community is in trouble, the other pitch in to help. For example, the building were all probably raised by the entire community. There is a huge difference in having to pay for someone to build a house and barn for you and only having to pay for the materials. And a lot of it is hard work and frugal living.

Immigrants often rely on family that has already come to this country in the same way.

[amomof4]

Re: Mennonite question

Terry said it best.

My church has an Amish/Mennonite background, and recently (6 years ago) moved into a new area. It started with just a few families. They started their own businesses. Local people soon learn that their work is honest & of good quality. They start out renting a shack for very little until they buy or build their own home. Once they are established, new families move in. The older families higher the new men to work until they can establish their own business in a trade that was handed down to them by their father. The woman are very frugal. They grow & raise their own food. The men hunt for food. Very few families buy meat because it's raised or hunted. Woman have large gardens & can a lot of their food. They also make a lot of their clothes, but now a days, it's usually cheaper to buy them. But if you can't find modest dresses, you make them. Some Mennonite groups have to make all the female clothes because they are required to wear a certain style. We also belong to a gleanner's club, so we get some free food like apples & potatoes. Someone in church has a diary cow, so we get milk for $2.00 a gallon. Some raise chickens for meat & eggs. Childrens clothes are saved for the next child that comes, and when no longer needed, they're passed along to another family. Another thing that helps is that baby showers are given after the baby is born. That way you can give a gift to match the sex. Also, a shower is only given for the first boy and first girl. Since the baby things are saved, the mother doesn't need much for the next child. When I totalled my car in an accident, the Pastor loaned me a car until I could buy one. Things like that. Another thing that I think helps a lot is that no one carries debt other than their house. Cars are bought used & paid for with cash. Their entertainment is the church, so there isn't any expenses in movies or amusement parks. Although here, some do ski, but only use the $5.00 ticket for night skiing on the weekends. Because it's a community, we help each other. And some things are used by the whole community like the apple press to make apple cider.