I brought my new math workbooks and flashcards to two Amish families yesterday, Moise’s up the hill and his brother-in-law Jacob’s, on the other side of town.

I talked about the books with Moise and Jacob and their wives, Barbara and Mattie, and several of the children.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it seemed both families had seen flashcards and used them before.

This morning, I went back to check.

All four liked the new ones I brought very much, said it would be fine for me to get a few more and looked forward to incorporating them into the new classes being prepared for the new Amish School.

As is often the case, I found these families to be more advanced and aware than people generally think they are. They are not the least bit primitive or ill-informed, they just want new things to be introduced carefully and thoughtfully.

They do tend to rely on very old texts for school, they were all impressed by the color, energy, and light-handedness of the new books.

The kids especially loved the colors and the idea of learning as a game, or a puzzle.

The presentation of some of the cards and workbooks seemed new to the families and brighter, more colorful, and effective than some of the old books they had been using.

They were happy to get them and interested in seeing a few more (they don’t need many, the classes will be small.)

This is different from other kinds of helping I’ve done. It’s not charity work or helping the vulnerable.

The Amish are not needy, they are not hungry, without resources, or beleaguered. Their community is growing and thriving. It is also changing.

Their businesses are largely successful, their families are close and supportive, so are their churches and communities.

We tend to think of them as primitive or old-fashioned, like their clothes. That is a misperception. They are sophisticated and keenly aware of the outside world. They take what they like and avoid the rest.

But they are trying to balance 500 years of faith and tradition with a rapidly changing culture and technology. Flashcards and colorful, playful math workbooks fit easily into their culture.

They are eager to stimulate their children and teach them what they will need to know.

So far, so good. This is a new kind of challenge for me, but a creative one, an approach that demands that I listen and learn, and always remember to respect a different way of doing things.

I’m not interested in changing them or circumventing their values.

I’m not interested in changing what they do, or teaching them what I do.

The challenge for me is a creative one, the pleasure is making what they do stronger and relevant to our times as well as their values.

I’m not any better or smarter than they are, I just have easier access to some of the things they need. That’s where we can connect.

I asked if it was all right for me to explore some new reading and writing workbooks, texts, and flashcards, and they said yes, that would be welcome. There seemed to me to be no resistance to it.

Math is especially important to Amish children, male and female, as the children who stay at home need to know math to sell baked goods, lumber, pies, sheds, and jewelry or get work outside of the family, as more and more Amish kids are doing.

They need to know how to make receipts and pay taxes and keep accounts. Amish schools have always understood the importance of math.

They seemed to have no reservations about the new materials. The children were reading them as I left.

They do not conflict in any way with their teachings or values. This felt good, now I’m onto English and writing..

Onto some fun writing and spelling texts. Thanks for your encouragement. Someone wrote that this task is right up my alley, and I think that’s true.

There is true meaning in life, and parts of our true purpose for being on the earth – to-do good, lift people up, and be lifted up by others.