While Emma’s goal is not to have a big family, she welcomes the idea of settling down with a husband and a couple of kids. In fact, it was through a dating app that she met her current boyfriend, Clay, who is, coincidently, a mud engineer.
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Source: Facebook/Emma Gingerich
She was the one to send the first message after seeing something about mud on his profile. A few days later, they went on their first date. The two continued dating for almost two years before Clay proposed—now Emma can’t wait to be married!
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Emma, who decidedly left the Amish community behind to live in the modern world, says that she knows many others will follow her example. She told the Atlantic that due to a big division in the church, many have already decided to move away from their community.
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Source: Facebook/Emma Gingerich
They are people who have strong beliefs about what is right and wrong. Once they believe something goes against their values, they don’t need much of a push to leave their way of life behind. When members of the same community see so many others leaving, it makes them reconsider their decision to stay, too.
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Her Knowledge Of The Community Has Become Limited
Of course, Emma's knowledge of the community is not as up-to-date as it might have been if she had stayed. Since she left, she hasn't been privy to any information from the secretive community that she once intimately knew. She doesn't have any news about what is going on in her family or in the community at large.
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Source: Facebook/Emma Gingerich
While she doesn't know much about their day-to-day lives, she's sure that others want a different lifestyle as she did. This is something Emma can relate to—she got out of the community and built a life that better fits her wants and needs. Although the church might be one reason that people are considering taking that big step, Emma thinks there are many other reasons.
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While Amish communities appear to be stuck in the past, they are making small advances in some areas. This includes the use of social media. Teenagers, while on "Rumspringa," quickly become adept at using social media. According to a Buzzfeed article, social media gives Amish teens a feeling of comfort and connection in an otherwise alien world.
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Source: Pinterest
But it also allows teens to go to parties and experience an exciting world together. The article also mentions that social media allows Amish teens to establish long-distance relationships—keeping in contact with people they would otherwise never speak to again once they returned. This is likely a big influence on what they choose to do after they finish Rumspringa.
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Chris, who also decided to leave the Amish way of life for the modern world, recently shared his experiences with Buzzfeed. He said that Amish teenagers are careful what they post on social media and don’t like talking about parties publicly, as they fear they’ll get shut down by the authorities.
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Source: TLC
After all, many of the things that happen at Rumspringa parties are illegal as participants are still underage. However, some things are acceptable to post. It helps that their parents don’t use the Internet, let alone social media, so they are oblivious to what their children are saying and showing online.
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Emma left the Amish community behind long ago, but she returned to see her family on occasion. After each visit, she felt less and less of a desire to look back on her former life, apart from documenting it for her book. Now in the outside world, she does well for herself. She is proud of the new life she has built.
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Source: Facebook/Emma Gingerich
Emma Gingerich’s book Runaway Amish Girl: The Great Escape details her decision to leave the Amish community and encourages others to find their own path. ABC News reported that many young women have read the book and wish to follow Gingerich’s lead. Whenever she receives a message from one of these women, she responds with encouragement to pursuse their dreams.
