Anna bounded out of bed early the next morning in anticipation of another day with Martin Nolt and eager to summarize yesterday’s interesting events in a letter to Wanita.

After a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs with cheese, toast with strawberry jam, and hot coffee, she listened to Glen read from the eighteenth psalm, “‘As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.’”

Sitting with Glen and Sadie at their table, Anna knew that her parents would be pleased by the Flauds’ dedication to reading Scripture every morning and evening. Like Dat and Mamm do during our own daily family worship, thought Anna, quickly finding some shared religious practices between the Old Order Amish and her own Beachy upbringing.

Aside from their church forbidding electricity and cars, Glen and Sadie’s faith doesn’t seem a whole lot different from mine, she thought now. Maybe it’s like Mammi always used to say, “At its heart, faith isn’t a matter of rule keeping—it’s about having a relationship with God.”

The Brown family of four included their fashionably dressed nine-year-old daughter and Mrs. Brown’s gray-haired mother, all of whom arrived at the information center thirty minutes after Anna. Anna was impressed by how Mart warmly greeted each family member. After introducing her to the New Yorkers, he explained, “Anna is training to be a tour guide and will be spending the morning with us.” He sent a smile her way.

Mart laid out the itinerary on the nearby counter for Mr. Brown and his wife. “Do you mind confirming these stops for our tour?” he asked the couple.

Anna could hear them talking and chuckling, getting along amiably. Not surprising, she thought, considering how charming Mart can be.

The Browns’ petite dark-eyed daughter, Riley, appeared to take an immediate interest in Anna, coming over with her grandma to stand beside her. “Did you know a place called Down on the Farm Creamery is on today’s schedule?” Anna asked her.

“A creamery?” Riley asked, expression puzzled.

“Where ice cream is made,” Anna said.

“My favorite food!” exclaimed Riley.

Anna laughed. “That’s two of us.”

Riley’s grandmother raised her white eyebrows and gave her granddaughter a playful poke. “We should go there first,” the woman said, trading a smile with her.

Apparently Mart overheard them, as he interjected, “Just wait till you taste their new flavors!”

Riley’s cute face broke into a grin, her big eyes dancing.

Once they were settled in the Browns’ spacious minivan, Riley’s grandmother mentioned that she had her heart set on purchasing a sunbonnet.

Mart promptly added Good’s Store in Quarryville to the tour stops, saying he was happy to make their time together everything they hoped for. “Today you’re going to see things you’ve probably never seen before,” he told them.