Hutterite Diaries: Wisdom from My Prairie Community

by Linda Maendel

Overview

What would it be like to share all your possessions and live in Christian community? In Hutterite Diaries, Linda Maendel offers a rare glimpse into the daily routines and communal faith of her people, the Hutterian Brethren. From stories of working together to bring in the fall potato harvest to laugh-out-loud tales of sisterly love laced with revenge, Maendel invites readers into her Bruderhof, or colony, nestled on the prairie of western Canada. Here children and adults work, play, eat, and worship together, crafting a community of goods and living out an alternative to the individualism and consumerism of mainstream society.

Few outsiders know anything about the Hutterites, a Plain Christian group related to the Amish and Mennonites. Maendel’s story invites readers into deeper understanding of this community of faith, calling us to take seriously the example of Jesus and the early church in our daily living.

Hear straight from plain Christians as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book in the series includes “A Day in the Life of the Author” and the author’s answers to FAQs.

Plainspoken series—real-life stories of Amish and Mennonites includes:

 

Book 1—Chasing the Amish Dream: My Life as a Young Amish Bachelor by Loren Beachy

Book 2—Called to Be Amish: My Journey from Head Majorette to the Old Order by Marlene Miller

Book 3—Hutterite Diaries: Wisdom from My Prairie Community by Linda Maendel

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780836199468
Publisher:	MennoMedia
Publication date:	05/18/2015
Series:	Plainspoken , #3
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Linda Maendel is a Hutterite author, blogger, and educator who lives in Elm River Colony outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba. She blogs at hutt-writevoice.blogspot.com.

Table of Contents

Plainspoken Series Introduction

Author’s Note

A Day in the Life of the Author

Autumn

Chapter 1 – Bee Hive Busyness

Potato harvest

Chapter 2 – Beauty in Ashes

Furniture factory fire at our colony

Chapter 3 – Dream Catching

How my German children’s book came to be

Chapter 4 – Life Lessons From Grandpa

A story I wrote in memory of my grandfather

Chapter 5 – Weathered-Wood Lessons

Hutterites have been recycling long before it became the new buzz word. This story is an example of how recycling is part of who we are.

Winter

Chapter 6 – Unexpected E-Blessings

How hunting for a book brought me in contact with someone from my past, bringing to mind a tragic time for my family and community

Chapter 7 – Hearts and Hands for Common Causes

Various outreach projects that Hutterites are involved with

Chapter 8 – Sisterly Love

A childhood Christmas memory that proved to be a valuable lesson

Chapter 9 – Wonders of His Love

Christmas on the colony

Chapter 10 – The Amana-Hutterite Connection

Story about a Hutterite who joined Amana in their early years in America

Spring

Chapter 11 – Lenten Reflection

Easter on the colony

Chapter 12 – Love Thy Neighbor

Flooding in Manitoba and how the Hutterites helped out

Chapter 13 – Peaches and Cream

A humorous account while celebrating Mother’s Day

Chapter 14 – God Keep Our Land

Taking part in the Heritage Day in Portage la Prairie

Chapter 15 – Two Empty Chairs

A story about a family moving away from our colony, and the impact a move like that usually has on colony members.

Summer

Chapter 16 – Hutterite Descendants – Freed Slaves from the 1605 Turkish War

Story about a guy in the UK who I came in contact with through my blog who is a Hutterite descendant; his family were freed slaves.

Chapter 17 – One and One Makes One

This chapter is about a Hutterite wedding and also explains in some detail about the way we dress.

Chapter 18 – Trotting on Trust

Hutterites enjoy various leisure activities. This chapter is about my cousin and her experiences with horses.

Chapter 19 – Love Without End

Tending our cemetery and reminiscing about dad.

Chapter 20 – Following the Footsteps of our Forefathers

Visiting Anabaptist historical sites and studying in Europe

Editorial Reviews

Hutterite Diaries is a welcome and long overdue contribution that fills a void in the daily events of a Hutterite. This book reveals a way of life that seems extraordinary to the outside world.”

Reviews - Paul M. Wipf

This book will awaken your longing for a better world. As I read it, I smiled, laughed out loud, and cried along with the author and her community. Linda Maendel takes you deep into Hutterian community life one gentle picture at a time.”

Reviews - Shirley Showalter

A wonderful collection of true stories and insights, written by a thoughtful woman who loves the life she's been given.”

Reviews - Suzanne Woods Fisher

I so much enjoyed the chance to step into the Hutterite community and feel a part of it. Linda Maendel’s delightful use of the power of story makes the Hutterite Diaries the type of book that is universal and enduring.”

Reviews - Sigmund Brouwer

Hutterite Diaries is an insightful look into Hutterite colony life from an insider who not only describes what life is like there but why things are done in particular ways. Maendel’s explanations will not only resonate with all Hutterites but also provide an important introduction to Hutterite life for non-Hutterites.”

Reviews - Rod Janzen

I applaud Linda Maendel for giving us a unique firsthand account of her life on a Hutterite colony. It's wonderful to see Hutterite writers emerge and take their place in the mainstream!”

Reviews - Mary-Ann Kirby

Linda Maendel’s clear vision and her loving heart wrapped me in a fine quilt of story as I read. Of all of the books on Hutterites that I have seen, this is the one that I cherish.”

Reviews - Joe McLellan

What an amazing book! Informative, interesting, entertaining, and very well written. Through skillfully told stories, Linda Maendel, an insider, guides the reader on a journey exploring the world of a Hutterite community. Her book provides an important addition to the literature now available about Hutterite life.”

Reviews - John J. Friesen