Wednesday, June 13, 2012

New Testament in Deitsh




On March 31, we took a drive to Kenton, Ohio, home of a Swartzentruber Amish settlement. Someone at the Pfeiffer Station General Store advised us to swing by The Country Variety Store & Bakery on US 68 north of Bellefontaine. I had been to The Country Variety Store when we lived in Bellefontaine several years ago. I needed a special kind of chocolate to make candy for Valentine's Day school treats, but that's another post.

Anyway, the store was tended by Amish ladies, I suspect perhaps New Order Amish from nearby Belle Center. I didn't take their photos, but I did take a photo of a very interesting book. I was so excited that my hand wiggled and the photo is blurry, but it's the New Testament in Pennsylvania Deitsh! In fact, here's exactly what the cover says: Es Nei Teshtament Pennsylvania Deitsh Un English Mitt Di Psaltah un Shpricha.  The only other photo I could find online is here, but it's tiny.

The more I learned about the Amish, the more concerned I was about having a Bible available to them in their own language. English is a third language for many, and the Bible used in many worship services is in High German. What they speak at home, as I understand it, is Deitsh, and even that is spelled many different ways, since this is mostly a spoken, not written, language.

At any rate, I was excited and encouraged! Thanks, Lord!

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"A forest would be quiet if no birds sang except the best." Amish Proverb