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The Hutterites are a plain Christian group related to the Amish and Mennonites. Ever since I first heard of the Hutterites a couple of years ago, I have been interested in reading more about them. So when I heard about the Hutterite Diaries, I knew I had to read this book.
Linda Maendel is a Hutterite author, blogger, and educator who lives in Elm River Colony outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba. You can find Linda online at: website, Twitter
Hutterite Diaries: Wisdom From My Prairie Community
What would it be like to share all your possessions and live in Christian community?
In the 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.
In the Hutterite Diaries, Linda Maendel shares a day in her life. Her job in the colony is an educational assistant, so the reader gets a glimpse of what a Hutterite school is like. You will also see how they use a public address system, that is attached to every house and building in the colony, to call everyone together for meals, church, and other colony activities. She also covers Hutterite history, and how it is intertwined with the history of other Anabaptists.
I found it interesting how money is handled on a Hutterite colonly. No one has individual bank accounts. When they need money for personal items, other shopping, and travel, they visit the financial manager to get money. The author doesn’t say if money is divided evenly. It is implied, to me anyway, that the colony has plenty of money, and each person gets the money that they need for their shopping and activities. All income made from colony efforts are put together for the colonies use, but she doesn’t say what happens to personal income, her income from this book, for example.
Hutterite children have babysitters from a young age, that may or may not be a family member. She does not say in this book what age this starts. At 2 1/2 years the children start attending a nursery run by the mothers of the community. Here the children learn how to be a part of a group, away from their families, by playing and sharing toys, swings, etc. They all eat, nap, pray, and play together. At age 5, Hutterite children start eating in the children’s dining room, supervised by a teacher.
This part does make me a little sad. We love to eat together as a family. I would miss those special times sitting around the table together. I’m not saying the Hutterites don’t have special times with their children, I’m sure they do. I’m saying that I would miss the mealtimes together.
At age 15, Hutterite children are considered adults. They eat in the adult dining room, join the workforce, and do whatever is needed for the community.
In one chapter, a typical Hutterite wedding is described. There are no wedding pictures, but there is a picture of a wedding cake. Which looks like a typical wedding cake the mainstream public is used to.
Linda Maendel gives us a good glimpse into a Hutterite colony. I still have some questions, though, and would like to know more about the Hutterite lifestyle. I think Linda Maendel needs to write a part 2!
Purchase your own copy of the Hutterite Diaries
To see what others have to say about the Hutterite Diaries, visit the Litfuse Hutterite Diaries page
*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): I received a product sample for review purposes. I received no other compensation. I was not required to write a positive review. My opinions are my own.”
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