Having worked in three places for over two months, I started thinking about traveling after saving up some money. My biggest dream was to see the US capital, Washington. Being busy with work, I missed the "Church trip" organized by the church in July. On August 20, we went to Dutch Country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a settlement of German Anabaptists whom everyone calls "Amish people." This surprised me the most. If someone had told me before that "in the 21st century, in the heart of civilization, there is a group of people who have consciously cut themselves off from all the achievements of civilization and are living a medieval lifestyle," I would never have believed it... But on August 20, 2014, I saw for myself that such a miracle exists. The first wave of people who left their countries in search of religious freedom during the Reformation in Europe and subsequent eras, when the power of Christian churches was at its peak, arrived here in 1715. In general, America itself was founded by people seeking freedom. A group of people who could not endure the strict power of the church in their country boarded a ship called the "Mayflower" in the spring of 1620 and headed west across the Atlantic Ocean. The group of people whom modern people remember with pride as the "Pilgrim fathers" laid the foundation for today's America. There is an opportunity for everyone to live here, but for me, my homeland is precious... Following the Pilgrim fathers, various groups seeking freedom began to arrive from other European countries. The Dutch, who first set foot here in 1624, bought a small island from the Indians for 24 dollars in today's money. They didn't even pay with money; they exchanged it for small items like beads and dishes. And on that spot, a city rose that is truly worthy of being called the capital of the world today. This was the island of Manhattan, the heart of New York. As for the Anabaptists, their situation is also unique. There are no descendants left from their first generation because they were all ascetics. Later, they allowed their community members to marry. Only then did they begin to multiply. To this day, they wear medieval clothing styles and avoid contact with other people. When our tour group leader, the assistant pastor of the Presbyterian Church, a Norwegian named Garrez Tonnensen, and I were admiring their settlements, we accidentally saw two "Amish" girls passing by. I took my camera to take a picture and try to talk to them, and I shouted, "Excuse me, girls?" but they kept walking without paying any attention, even though they were in a position to hear me. Pastor Garrez said, "They don't talk to anyone." Two girls aged 14-15, who in a civilized environment would be playing and competing with each other, appeared to me like two ghosts lost in the fog. Yes, it is truly an amazing situation. You probably won't believe me if I tell you now, but they have rejected all the achievements we use. They have completely rejected watches, wedding rings, ties, and modern clothing. They don't ride cars, they don't use any electrical appliances, not even electric light. They do everything by hand. They even draw water from a well. There are no people richer than them in America. How could they not be rich if they are hardworking and have no extra expenses? When they hold a wedding, they invite all the community members and set a lavish table. In this regard, they are a bit like Kazakhs. But still, my mind could not accept their lifestyle. According to people, they have their own schools where they only study the basics of arithmetic, English, German, and Old German. Even though they live in America, they speak their own German language. Their day begins with worship in their church in the Old German language in the morning. Such various religious minorities can be found in every corner of the world. For example: "Molokans" in Armenia, "Old Believers" exiled from Russia, etc. You can also add the monastery dwellers in
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