Pregnant Mom Of 5 Becomes Widow And Community Response Is A Lesson For Us All
October 19, 2018
When Steven Yoder died in a tragic sawmill accident, he left behind his pregnant wife, Mary, and 5 children under the age of 13. But the pregnant Amish widow wasn't alone in her grief. The members of her community came together as the body of Christ and set a beautiful example for all of us.
Susan Hougelman lives in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, an area with an abundant Amish population. These traditional Christians have built a reputation for leading modest, hard-working lives free from many of today's modern technologies. And while Susan is not Amish herself, twenty years of living beside and doing business with these "simple folk" cultivated a respect and appreciation for their ways.
RELATED: Flight Attendant’s Kindness Towards A Disabled Man Is Inspiring
Because the Amish lifestyle has become a tourist attraction all on its own, Susan started Simple Life Tours. She provides private tours taking travellers to visit Amish businesses and farms in the area.
But one day, a tragedy rocked her Amish neighbors. But the incredible response she witnessed from this old-fashioned community moved her. And so, Susan took to her company's Facebook page to share the touching story with the world.
Amish Widow Reeling After Husband's Death
37-year-old Steven Yoder held a job at a nearby sawmill. The president of the company described Steven as an employee who "worked his tail off with a joyful attitude before heading home to tend to the family farm."
Sadly, though, on October 3, a terrible accident occurred. A piece of wood kicked back and hit Steven in the head. Even though he was wearing all of the proper safety gear, the injuries were too great and he died from head trauma.
News of the tragic accident traveled fast. Everyone knew Steven's pregnant wife, Mary, was now an Amish widow five children under the age of thirteen.
"How will they financially make it, since the Amish do not carry insurance?" Susan asked one of her Amish friends, Teena.
And Teena's response is an eye-opening reminder of Jesus' command to love thy neighbor:
"The church will take care of them," Teena explained, talking about the entire Amish community. "We are the church! We will all pitch in and help her until her sons are grown and can financially support her. If everybody gives a little, she will have a lot "
Obeying Christ's Command To Love Thy Neighbor
It wasn't just Teena's words that hit Susan hard. It was the community's actions.
In no time flat, men from the Amish community banded together one Saturday to plow her fields, winterize her home and barn, and stock her up with enough coal to heat her home and enough wood for her to cook with.
"It was mostly her neighborhood that helped," said Andy Byler, a man from Mary's church district. "There was a total of 57 men, and they done a lot of work in the barns and getting ready for winter."
Were Steven still alive, the task would have taken him weeks to do what the group did in one day.
RELATED: Complete Strangers At The Grocery Store Help A Screaming Woman
The women all gathered together to cook food to feed the workers. But they also spent the day cooking to stock Mary and her family up with enough meals for the winter. The Amish have a tradition of visiting those in mourning for months after the death occurs.
"That'll continue for quite a while, even up to a year," Andy said.
Support For Amish Widow Is An Inspiration For All
Witnessing such solidarity inspired Susan to share the account on social media:
"This is community. This is church," Susan wrote. "When there is a need, it is taken care of. Not by a few, but by all. Lord help us to be a better community and a better church. Let our eyes see the needs, let our ears hear the cries. Let our hands pitch in to do the dirty work. Many hands make light work."
After Susan shared the story on Facebook, the community support turned into global support. This Amish widow and her family started receiving cards, donations, and gifts from all over.
"You're never alone in your grief," Susan remarked. "It's beautiful."
And that's why the response to this tragedy is such an important reminder for all of us. This is truly what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus!
"Father of orphans and defender of widows is God in his holy habitation." Psalms 68:5
h/t: Facebook/Simple Life in New Wilmington, Pa
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: He Needed 10 Volunteers To Help Senior Citizens, 100 Showed Up
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Peace around the World This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 3
As Christ's followers, we must also be FOR those who are in need, not content to live comfortably and blind to the spiritual war going on around us.
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Peace around the World This Christmas - Your Daily Prayer - December 3
As Christ's followers, we must also be FOR those who are in need, not content to live comfortably and blind to the spiritual war going on around us.
Past Stories
- Family Receives Support From School and Community After Losing House in a Fire
- Soldier Reunites With His Military Dog Yyacob After Years Apart
- Chicago Man Discovers That The Owner Of The Bakery He Loved To Visit Was Actually His Mother
- Husband Pays For 40 Pet Adoptions At Shelter For His Wife's 40th Birthday
- Parents Find Healing After Loss of Son By Donating His Beloved Key Collection To Little Boy
- Mom Dances With Son At His Wedding After Being Placed in Hospice Care 2 Weeks Before
- Grandmother and Young Granddaughter Battling Cancer At the Exact Same Time
- Community Brings Christmas Joy to Virginia Woman With Just Weeks to Live
- Four Friends Recreate A Fun Vacation Photo From 50 Years Ago
- School in Arkansas Mourns the Loss of Their Beloved Emotional Support Dog Abby
- 93-Year-Old Has Made Sure To Attend Every High School Football Game Since 1946
- Texas Mom Doesn't Remember Delivering Triplets After Rare Complication After Birth
- United Airlines Pilot Buys Pizza For 155 Passengers After They Make An Unexpected Stop
- Teenager With Down Syndrome Enjoys Playing Kickball After Parents Organize Neighborhood Game
- Woman in Shock After Finding Winning Lottery Ticket At the Bottom of Her Purse
- Australian Couple Walks Into Their Bedroom To Find the Cutest Koala
- 5 Boys and Their Father Were Saved By Good Samaritan After Explosion
- Daughter of WWII Soldier Finally Learns What Happened To Him, 80 Years Later
- Sisters Scream With Joy Watching Their 4-Year-Old Sister Take Her First Steps
- Her Mom Put a Message in a Bottle As a Child, 26 Years Later Her Classmate Found It
- This Missouri School Was Renamed After Their Much Loved and Dedicated Custodian
- Michael Strahan's Daughter is Now Cancer Free and Has Taught Him All About Perseverance
- These Two Newlyweds Found Love in Their Late 90s, After Meeting At Their Retirement Home
- Sisters Who Were Adopted By Separate Families Nearly 40 Years Ago Reunite After DNA Tests
- Oldest Living Person in the US Passes Away at 115, After a Long and Faithful Life
- At Just 20 and 22 Years Old, These Two Sisters From Minnesota Saved Their Family Farm
- After Over 450 Days in a Shelter, Boone and Rellie Find Their Forever Home, Together
- Sweet Kitten Named Coraline Loses Both Her Eyes, but Inspires Many with Her Spirit
- Donny Osmond Sees the 'End of the Tunnel' Coming After Performing for Over 6 Decades
- An Iguana Hitches a Ride on a Garbage Truck in Tennessee, Now Trying to Find Its Owner
- 6-Year-Old Starts 'Poop Scooping' Business to Help Animals and Adopt One of His Own
- Bride's Dad Drops During Father-Daughter Dance, but Things Lined up Perfectly to Save His Life
- Young North Carolina Father Risked His Life To Save a Couple and Dog From a Sinking Truck
- UPS Driver Jumps into Action As He Spots Elderly Woman on the Ground & Says It Was All God
- Rescuer Braces for the Worst After Spotting Kitten on the Side of the Road, Then Sees a Paw Move
- AJ Griffin Gives Up High-Paying Career with NBA to Follow God
- These Former Conjoined Twins Finally Go Home After Their First Birthday
- Teenager From Iowa Uses His Flying Skills to Help Hurricane Helene Victims
- Son Saves For 9 Months and Surprises Mom By Paying Off Her Mortgage
- Woman's Home is Surrounded By 100 Raccoons, and They Aren't Leaving Anytime Soon
- Dog Saves Her Owner's Life By Sitting in the Middle of the Road
- Widower Shares the Last Thing His Wife Told Their Son Before She Passed Away From Cancer
- A Nurse Saved Her Life 35 Years Ago, Now, She is Surprising Her With a Visit
- These Twin Sisters Have An Important Message To Share On Their 102nd Birthday
- This Brave 5-Year-Old Saved Her Mother's Life By Calling 911
- 79-Year-Old Broke Her Ankle After Scattering Her Mom's Ashes, Then Strangers Save the Day
- Dad Travels Through Mud and Debris to Walk His Daughter Down the Aisle
Top Music Videos
The Statler Brothers 'Til the Storm Passes By' The Statler Brothers Live Performance
Gaither Vocal Band Gaither Vocal Band - Mary, Did You Know? [Live]
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson Captivates with Heartfelt 'My Jesus' Live Performance
CCM Magazine 3 Doors Down’s Brad Arnold Shares Message of Faith During Nashville Concert
CCM Magazine Randall Goodgame’s ‘Scripture Hymnal’ | ‘In The Beginning’
Blogs
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.