Henry noticed there was no apology for killing Vernon. Sheriff Grayson had shared that Douglas had an IQ of 150, which was higher than Thomas Edison’s but slightly lower than Albert Einstein’s. Unfortunately, he also had the emotional maturity of a young teen.
My psychologist says it’s healthy to examine my feelings at that time, but it seems so distant—something that might have happened to another person. Frustration? Anger? Desperation, possibly. Or maybe all three. I am beginning to realize my actions were a result of many years of grievances built up—some imagined and others real.
Thank you for visiting my mother and for taking her supplies. She hasn’t written to me, and the two times I called she refused to accept the charges, but I don’t blame her. As my doctor here says, we are all coping the best we can, and she has lost much—her entire family, actually.
Henry had met the woman three times now. He couldn’t imagine two more opposite people than Douglas and his mother.
Dr. Barrow also suggested I put my abilities to work at something productive. Through him, I was contacted by the University of California at Berkley. They have a well-respected astrophysics department, something I’ve never had the slightest interest in, but the math problems they send me are interesting, and perhaps I can be of some use to the program. Dr. Barrow has started me on a course to earn my bachelor’s degree. The English and history are tedious, but I’m enjoying the math and science. Fortunately, I was able to test out of the first three years and am working at a level that is interesting if not particularly challenging.
Henry put his finger on the paragraph, counted, and confirmed that Douglas referred to himself no less than seven times. His entire world was himself. Perhaps it always had been.
I do hope you will continue to write me, as yours is the only news I get from the outside. I think of Monte Vista often, and the wide open spaces and mountains and flowers that bloom in the spring—things I won’t see for at least forty-five years. And then only if I manage to behave myself.
Though the letter was typed, he’d signed his name, and only the s was backward.
Douglas most probably was a genius, but he struggled as they all did.
Henry sat staring at the three pages, thinking about the letter Douglas had written to Vernon. His mind brushed back over the night on Emma’s porch, when she and Clyde and Rachel had convinced him to use his ability to help find Vernon’s killer. He had resisted that ability for many years, ever since that terrible time in Goshen.
I think of Monte Vista often, and the wide open spaces and mountains and flowers that bloom in the spring—things I won’t see for at least forty-five years.
Henry stood, retrieved paper and pencil from his desk, and then he sat at his kitchen table, facing the wall. He spent the next hour sketching the scene from his front porch in what he knew was exquisite detail.
There was a purpose in all things. Henry trusted that God continued to have a plan for him and for his strange talent and their small community, and he even believed God had a plan for Douglas Rae.
The drawing was good. He still couldn’t understand how he was able to do such a thing, but he had to admit the details were amazingly accurate. Setting the drawing aside, he drew his tablet of lined paper closer, picked up his pen, and began to write.
Discussion Questions
1. In the prologue and chapter 5, we learn Henry Lapp has a special gift. He can reproduce anything he’s seen in amazing detail, but only if he draws it. His subconscious mind remembers, but his conscious mind does not. Does this sound like a blessing or a curse to you? Why?
2. We meet Rebecca Yoder in chapter 8. She is ninety-two years old and crippled with arthritis, and yet she proclaims, “The Lord is gut. I’m alive.” Gratitude is one of the many things we can learn from our elders. What are some other things?
3. In chapter 19, Henry searches the Scripture for verses about gifts and how every gift is to be used for others, that all gifts are an extension of God’s grace. Read 1 Peter 4:10 and Romans 12:6. Name some gifts you and people in your community have. How can they be used for others?
4. When Emma sees the photo of the arsonist, she begins to plan how to protect her family. She doesn’t believe self-defense to be against the Amish practice of pacifism or nonresistance, which keeps the Amish from serving in the military or suing someone in court. Read Matthew 5:39. Do you think this verse prevents someone from defending their family?
5. Pets have a way of wiggling their way into our hearts. Lexi is supposed to be in the barn, but Henry moves her to the mudroom and then into the house. While this might not be what we’d envision from the Amish, I have met Amish families who have great affection for their pets. Why do you think it’s important that Henry has taken this little dog into his care? What does it say about where he is emotionally at this time?
6. After the explosion at the newspaper, Emma’s one thought is for her granddaughter. Do you think this is realistic? If you’re in a life-threatening situation, can you put aside concerns about your own safety because of your love for someone else? Why or why not? Can you give any examples?
7. Meg tells Henry, “Don’t wait too long. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.” Why do we sometimes wait to tell loved ones how we feel? Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. It’s an oft-quoted passage about the character and importance of love.
8. In chapter 63, we see a final scene between Henry and Alvin, who has left his Amish faith and remarried. Henry realizes “the man was doing his best to follow God, given the choices he’d made.” Can we offer the same kind of grace to people around us? What stops us from doing so?
9. After Douglas kidnaps Henry’s group, Henry understands the man in front of him must be extraordinarily smart. Henry thinks back over the geniuses he read about when searching for answers about his own unique ability. He concludes with “It was hard to be different.” It is hard to be different, especially in modern American society. What can we do to help those around us who don’t seem to fit in?
10. Henry’s strange talent is one of the reasons they were able to catch Douglas Rae, but at the end of the story we see him using this same talent to minister to Douglas. Has he had a change of heart about this unusual ability? How might that affect his life going forward?
Glossary
Aenti aunt
Daddi grandfather
Dat father
Danki thank you
Doschder daughter
Englischer non-Amish person
Gotte God
Gotte’s wille God’s will
Grandkinner grandchildren
Gut good
Kapp prayer covering
Loblied hymn of praise
Mamm/Mammi mom/grandmother
Nein no
Onkel uncle
Ordnung the unwritten set of rules and regulations that guide everyday Amish life
Wunderbaar wonderful
Ya yes
Youngie/Youngies young adult/adults
Recipes
Green Bean Casserole
½ cup margarine
3 cups milk
½ cup flour
1½ cups grated Velveeta cheese
6 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
1 quart green beans
3 cups diced ham
Melt margarine. Then stir in flour and add milk. Stir over low heat until thickened. Add cheese and allow to melt.
Mix potatoes, green beans, ham, and cheese sauce in casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Das Dutchman Essenhaus Raspberry Cream Pie
Two baked pie shells
1 cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
1 T. cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water
¼ tsp. lemon juice
1 box (3½ ounces) raspberry gelatin powder
3 cups fresh raspberries
3 cups milk
½ cup cornstarch
1⅓ cups granulated sugar
⅛ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1 cup milk
Raspberry Pudding
Heat 1 cup of water and sugar. Mix the cornstarch, salt, ¼ cup water, and lemon juice. Add to water and sugar mixture. Boil until mixture is clear. Add gelatin and stir to dissolve. Add raspberries and cool.
Vanilla Filling
Place 3 cups of milk in pan. Heat to scalding. Mix together cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 cup of milk. Slowly blend into hot milk, stirring constantly until thick. Cool. Pour 2 cups of vanilla filling into each pie shell.
Place 2 cups of raspberry pudding on top of vanilla filling. Top with whipped cream.
Apple Cinnamon French Toast
¾ cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cans (21 ounces) apple pie filling
20 slices white bread
6 eggs
1½ cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup maple syrup
Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Spread the brown sugar mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Then spread the apple pie filling evenly over the sugar mixture. Layer the bread slices on top of the filling, pressing down as you go. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Slowly pour this mixture over the bread, making sure it is completely absorbed. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350°. Place the covered pan into the oven and bake for 60 to 75 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and turn on the broiler. Remove the foil and drizzle maple syrup on the egg topping; broil for 2 minutes or until the syrup begins to caramelize. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Invert the pan onto a serving tray or baking sheet so the apple filling is on top. Serve hot.
Amish Cheesy Casserole
1 package (12 ounces) wide egg noodles
1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed tomato soup
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅛ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. salt
5 slices American cheese
5 slices cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Mix in the cream of chicken soup until noodles are coated.
Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet and then brown it over medium-high heat. After draining the grease, stir in the tomato soup, brown sugar, pepper, and salt. Spread half of the beef mixture in the bottom of a greased 2½-quart casserole dish. Arrange the American cheese over the beef. Top with half of the noodles, then repeat layers, ending with the cheddar cheese on top.
Bake for 35 minutes or until cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly.
Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ stick butter
4 ounces cream cheese
½ box of confectioners’ sugar
½ cup chopped nuts
milk for thinning frosting
In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Beat in oil and eggs. Stir in carrots and cinnamon. Bake in 13 × 9-inch pan at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream together butter, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and chopped nuts. Add enough milk to spread easily.
Amish Coffee Cake
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
¾ cup shortening
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup hot coffee
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix together the brown sugar, flour, and shortening just until mixed; there will be lumps. Take out 1 cup of sugar and flour mixture and set aside to be used later for a crumb topping.
Dissolve the baking soda in the hot coffee and add to the remaining sugar and flour mixture. Stir in cinnamon. Add the egg and vanilla and mix quickly. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into a rectangular baking dish and sprinkle on crumb topping. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; turn to 325° if the top starts to get too brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar or leave plain.
Peanut Butter Spread
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla or maple flavoring (I used maple the last time I made this, but I use both regularly.)
2 cups peanut butter, plus 2 heaping tablespoons
7 ounces marshmallow crème
2 T. light corn syrup
In a saucepan combine brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
Add flavoring and stir in the peanut butter, marshmallow crème, and the corn syrup.
Mix well and let cool.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The first Amish families who settled in Colorado did so in the early 1900s. As of 2010, the state was home to four Amish communities, with a combined population of under 100 families. In the San Luis Valley, farming has proven to be a challenge for the Amish, as the area receives only an average of seven inches of rain annually. The growing season is approximately 90 days. Many families in the area have opened small businesses to provide an additional source of income.
Amish men do serve as volunteer firemen. In Lancaster County alone, more than 300 Plain firefighters serve on local crews. Roughly 80 percent of the Gordonville, Pennsylvania, volunteers are Amish and Mennonite.
Bryce Reed, a volunteer firefighter in West, Texas, was convicted of conspiracy to make a destructive device and attempting to obstruct justice. On December 4, 2013, he was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. He was never charged for causing the blast that killed 15 people.
Acquired and/or accidental savant syndrome both describe a condition where dormant savant skills emerge after a brain injury or disease. Although it is quite rare, researchers in 2010 identified 32 individuals who displayed unusual skills in one or more of five major areas: art, musical abilities, calendar calculation, arithmetic, and spatial skills. Males with savant syndrome outnumber females by roughly six to one.
About the Author
VANNETTA CHAPMAN writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of several novels, including the Plain and Simple Miracles series and Pebble Creek Amish series. Vannetta is a Carol Award winner, and she has also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for 15 years and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.
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What the Bishop Saw Page 32
