ELMER ANSWERS SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS

Almost forgot to put on a post this week.  Anna reminded me.  I thought I had done it all ready, but I hadn't.

The Mennonite and Amish are preparing for a group to go help those that had their homes destroyed by tornadoes.  I think they are going to Fairdale, Illinois, but I am not sure.  Eli's son and daughter in law that are John's best friend are going.  Kevin and Bridget are going.  I don't know who all is going. John and Sarah would be going, but because she is with child, they won't send them that far.

When someone is with child or has children, they are not usually chosen to go out of the state to disaster areas.  If there is a situation in the state of New York, they might be chosen for there, but not out of state.  The single people and those without children are chosen first.  Then those like Anna and I who are able to help and all our children are grown up are chosen second.

Which reminds me, Anna and I haven't gone to an out of state disaster since before we had children.  Before our children, we went a couple of times.  I have been, but the both of us haven't been in a long time.  Sometimes there is more of a need for men than women, but there isn't much a woman won't do.

Someone asked me to tell about living without electricity.  Could you ask me some questions?  I did a post on July 8, 2013.  Of course, I would be glad to answer your questions.

Do the Amish and Mennonites use banks?  We have checking accounts at the bank and savings accounts at the banks.

Do we have to finance loans for purchasing land at the bank?  We try not to.  It use to be that we would provide land for each son, but with the shortage of land especially when we were in Pennsylvania and the price - that is hard to do today.  Especially if you have several sons.

Sometimes a young Amish man will rent and work a farm until he has enough money to buy one.  Our sons have all been hard workers and when it came time for then to buy a farm were able to do so.  But buying the land is not the only problem.  You also have to purchase farm equipment, seed, plow horses and more.

We discourage going to the banks.  I remember when I first started out.  Anna and I had purchased the farm, obtained all the equipment, got the horses and seed, worked on the house and more.  But it was a bad weather year.  Our harvest was not as good as we thought it would be.  When it came time to buy seed the next year - we didn't have it.  I seriously thought of going to the bank.  My Father found out and loaned me the money with the words - don't go to the bank.

I felt I failed.  But as my Father told me, my first year was a bad year.  He and my Mother went through what we were going through.  I done farming correctly, but the weather didn't turn out as I wanted.

The next several years were good or great years of which we have saved money.  So the next time we had a bad year, we were backed up.  We had money in the bank.  I have tried to teach our sons what my Father taught me.  With all the expenses John and Sarah had last year with their farm and house, I told them if they needed a loan this year, I would provide it.  As yet, he has not asked for it.  I hope any of our sons know if they have a problem financially to come to us before going to any bank.

We consider borrowing money from the bank the way of the world.  It would be better to borrow from a parents, other relative or friend than the bank.

I hope I answered your question.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer