CAPTIONS: Daniel’s buggy parked outside his woodshop; my lunch plate at Gloria’s, and a hat marks the home hanging on the wall…..
Last week I spent a pleasant afternoon with Gloria and Daniel Yoder. At 24 and 26 they carry themselves with a steady maturity — a fact that makes me feel a bit old to admit it — but their composure is genuine. Daniel runs a busy woodworking business while Gloria cares for their 2½-year-old daughter, Julia. As Gloria mentioned in her first column, another child is due in November, so the family is entering an exciting season.
I shared photos of our 10-month-old daughter, Aster, and talked about what a blessing she has been for Rachel and me. I teased Daniel that I wouldn’t have made a good parent at their age; I suspect I’d have been lost. Still, we agreed that parenthood accelerates maturity — perhaps if I’d become a father at 24 my life would have followed a different path. Gloria and Daniel are affectionate and easy with one another: small touches, finishing each other’s sentences, and plenty of laughter. They’re the kind of young couple any parent would be happy to see their child become. I look forward to getting to know them better through future columns.
We enjoyed a light, delicious lunch and then Daniel gave me a tour of his woodshop. The meal started with a flavorful bean dip, homemade salsa, and fresh yogurt. The dip was served with wedges of fried tortillas; Gloria likes frying tortilla pieces to make a crunchy bite perfect for dipping. There were also chocolate-peanut clusters made by Gloria’s mother, Dorcas, who lives close by and is a regular, helpful presence in their lives.
The Yoders live in the southern Illinois Amish settlement at Flat Rock, a New Order horse-and-buggy community. Most residents travel by horse and buggy or bicycle, and cell phones are not permitted — a rule that has caused debate in other communities. What impressed me during my first visit years ago, and again now, is how tightly knit the settlement feels. The roughly 20 families operate like one extended family, joining together for tasks like watermelon harvesting and corn husking. Each year the church youth prepare meals in nearby Robinson to raise funds for their Amish school. Children attend a small one-room schoolhouse in the community; last year Gloria’s 16-year-old sister served as a teacher’s assistant.
The settlement supports an Amish-run bulk food store and numerous homes sell produce and canned goods. The area is rural, often feeling tucked away from the world — exactly how the Flat Rock Amish prefer it.
More photos, stories, and recipes to come in the days ahead.