Chapter Twelve
After the service, Elias took Hannah up to meet the bishop.
She had expressed a desire to do so before they started walking to the barn for the service, and he was more than happy to oblige.
Besides, the bishop would be able to tell her more precisely what she would have to do if she was interested in sticking around longer than a couple of weeks.
He wasn’t sure if that was her aim in all of this, but he was sure she wanted to see something come of it.
“Ah, Elias, it’s so gut to see you,” the bishop said as they approached. “Oh, and who’s this? I was aware we had some visitors in the community, but I thought they had all been run off by a few who don’t think we need the help.”
“I’m Hannah Kauffman,” Hannah said as she introduced herself to the bishop. “John Kauffman’s my cousin.”
“Well, he must be to have that last name. Forgive me for not immediately being able to place it, but where are you from? That’s quite a lovely accent you have,” the bishop said.
“London, England,” Hannah replied. “I’m here in the States studying veterinary medicine, and I decided to use my summer break to see if I could find my Amish cousin.
My father wasn’t quite sure where to point me, as there was just not a good enough fix on the location from the GPS to get here from that alone. ”
The bishop laughed.
“Well, it’s always gut to have more familye around,” he said. “I hope Elias and John are taking care of you. I’d hate to see you turned away by bad behavior or conduct. Is there anything I can do for you?”
Hannah stalled and turned to Elias. He felt his cheeks heating up as he cleared his throat. She only nodded for him to go on, and then his face got quite cold. He hadn’t realized she wanted him to be the one to talk about what she was looking for in the community.
“Hannah’s been staying with John, and it seems she’s quite interested in learning how she might stay in the community,” Elias started.
“I, for one, think her veterinary knowledge would be quite useful around here. We may not need to rely on having to go get a vet who will make haus calls any longer.”
This made the bishop shake his head as he chuckled softly.
“As wunderbar as that would be, it needs to be her decision, Elias,” he said.
“I’m just flustered about everything. It’s a lot to take in,” Hannah added.
“I’m not sure if that’s what I want yet or not, but I know I want to know what would be involved in making that choice for myself.
What I’d have to do once I get a visa and all of that.
If I were going to live here permanently, I’d need more than a student visa. ”
Elias wasn’t sure what a visa had to do with all of this, but he trusted that if Hannah said it was important, it was important enough to take note of. The bishop nodded slowly and then turned to look at Hannah.
“Well, you’ll have to get your visa issues sorted before you are baptized, at least, but you can start taking the rest of the steps to know for yourself as you are working on the visa,” he shared.
“You’ll have to live here for at least a full year.
You can’t break it up to go to school. Otherwise, you’re not entirely committed, and this is a large decision. It deserves all of your attention.”
“Oh…” Hannah’s face fell.
Elias raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure whether she had planned to finish school or how far along she was, but he had a feeling it wasn’t welcome news.
The bishop went on to detail other things for Hannah, but Elias wasn’t paying attention now.
He was only paying attention to Hannah’s face, and it only fell further with each new thing she learned about the process.
He had to admit, it could certainly sound like a lot. It wasn’t that much when taken day by day. But to hear it all upfront did make it sound like an impossible task.
When the bishop noticed Hannah’s expression, his face softened.
“It usually takes more than a year before someone decides because they want to ease into it,” he explained.
“I don’t expect you to decide to stay for a year right off the bat.
You’re still young, Hannah. Take time to explore the world, and if you decide you still wish to kumm back, then kumm back and talk to us about the idea of staying for a year.
You’re already doing more than most would with staying the summer with John. ”
Hannah nodded.
“Now, be off with you. Both of you. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday,” the bishop said. “I have other people to talk to.”
With that, Elias walked Hannah back toward where they had been sitting. He matched Hannah’s pace for much of it, but hurried only when someone needed to get past the two of them.
“Are you all right, Hannah?”
“That was a lot more information than I was expecting to get today,” she admitted. “I’m a little overwhelmed, but I’ll be all right.” She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. “So, what’s a rumspringa? And why does that sound so important to you all here?”
“Well, it’s kind of what you’re doing, but in reverse.
We go into the cities to see if we like the Englischer way of life,” Elias explained.
“It’s a lot more complicated, but that’s the general idea of it.
If we like that way of life, we may choose to move out of the community. Most return, though.”