young mennonites

It is Sunday in Zanesville, Ohio, and I am with a community of Mennonites who have welcomed me politely, though cautiously. Do I want to become one of them, they ask? I sit among them in church. They quietly inform me that this time is only between them and God. No pictures allowed. Later, I’m invited for a Sunday meal. A gathering of generations, but again, no pictures allowed.

The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptists, often mistaken for the Amish. They practice non-violence, believe in strong community and simplicity of life. Ohio is home to one of the largest Mennonite populations in the country. My time was spent in the southeastern towns of Zanesville, Logan and Carbon Hill. I was especially drawn to the young people, in how religion permeated all aspects of their lives.

As someone who was raised in a military family in several Middle Eastern countries, I have always been interested in how religion takes hold in a person’s life. Growing up, I was exposed to many religions. For this reason, religious identity has always remained a question for me. Perhaps, however, my life experience and that of many young Mennonites are opposite, which is what attracted me. For them, the religion of their parents was a given; for me it was more confusing.

I photographed sparingly. Because I worked slowly, they gradually felt comfortable enough to let me into the rhythm of their lives – at home, church, school, work, softball games and picnics. I went on a joy ride on a tractor, sandwiched between three young women. We played catch, shared meals. I noticed a student’s yawn and witnessed another’s stress.