A Welcome at Our Door

The Amish are known for their hospitality, especially with outsiders.  But if an outsider tries to infiltrate the community, the hospitality becomes chilly, even frigid.

Cindy Riehl is the last child of Vernon to be living at home.  Her mother had passed away when she was fairly young and she's been out of sorts ever since. But when her cow, Cucumber, gets out of her pen and goes to the neighbor's farm, Cindy meets Drew, the handyman living in the Dawdi House. 

The one issue between Cindy and her daad is that she has not been baptised or joined the church yet.  When Drew comes along, he becomes another wedge to push them apart.  The unintended fall-out is that Cindy becomes estranged to her whole family.

Drew and Cindy spend much time in prayer, trying to figure out what direction God is leading them.  The denouement is wrapped up in the answer to the prayers. 

I know that there are Amish who stick to the rules like epoxy, and there are Amish who bend the rules to fit their own ideas.  Vernon Riehl had a bit of that characteristic.  And Vernon ruled his family with an iron fist--even those who were already married.

Amy Clipston is a talented author of Amish fiction and A Welcome at Our Door is one of her better works.  She has shown that Amish are faulty people who can have wrong ideas and wrong actions just as much as Englisch people can.

This is a five star book, two thumbs up, and a Cucumber Cow to shake things up a bit.

My thanks to Zondervan Fiction for allowing me to read and review this book.