The Plain People's Podcast

Lori Ann was adopted into the Mennonite Church as a young girl and spent the majority of her young adult life locked away, institutionalized, drugged and abandoned.

Sharon speaks out on the extreme abuse suffered as an adopted child in the Mennonite church. Her family were missionaries and mother a well known author, meanwhile at home, her life was a living hell.

We pick up where we left off with Meg struggling to overcome the loss of her family member, and dig into her relationship with her father, as well as hear Meg's beautiful letter to herself.

"I've been running from pain since I was in my mother's womb". Today's episode is with Meg Delagrange, chief marketing officer of Urban Southern Bags, former Old Order Amish turned entrepreneur. You can shop at www.urbansouthern.com to see more how Meg has turned pain into beautiful products with her former Amish cousins.

On this episode Marc and Jasper sit down to talk about the ongoing uncovering of the ranches and farms for "troubled" boys with Justin Sweeney. Justin was in the Mennonite foster care system as a young man until he was sent away to a ranch in MO that is still running today. The song at the end of the episode is Justin's request and is sung by The Hoppers, called Jerusalem. We do not own the rights to this song.

We pick up where we left off with Joanna Yoder when she is caught by the ministry with a radio in her room.

Joanna Yoder from TLC's Return to Amish shares her past experiences within the TN churches, some of the most rigid and conservative of all churches in the US. Trigger warning, extensive discussion on child abuse in this episode.

The third and final installment of Audrey's story, she speaks candidly about her multiple miscarriages and her struggle to hold fast to her faith while her marriage crumbled underneath her.

The third and final installment of Audrey's story, she speaks candidly about her multiple miscarriages and her struggle to hold fast to her faith while her marriage crumbled underneath her.

Part 2 of Audrey's story picks up in the beginning of her journey into the conservative Amish church along with her abusive family. Audrey discusses her rape at 17 (*trigger warning for abuse*) and her struggle to survive within the culture.

Audrey Kauffman was raised Amish, farming with horses, without electricity or running water and struggled her entire life to find her place within the culture. This episode she and Jasper sit down and have a heart to heart about just how difficult it is to relive some of our stories and memories, and share with you our insight on pain points along the way towards freedom.

Robert was adopted into the Mennonite Church as a young boy, where he was shuffled around until finally being shipped off to a boys farm in PA called Liberty Ridge.

Ruthy grew up in a home as a child of one of the greatest evangelists for the Eastern PA Mennonite church, yet always knew she didn't fit in. Hear about how she broke away to create the life she loves.

Ruthy grew up in a home as a child of one of the greatest evangelists for the Eastern PA Mennonite church, yet always knew she didn't fit in. Hear about how she broke away to create the life she loves.

On today's episode we discuss the teachings of Bill Gothard and the Institute of Basic Life Principles, along with postpartum psychosis, mental breakdowns and how the church fails to help those who are in need of medical attention.

Our host Marc Masoner gives a brief synopsis of his background for listeners.

Becca Martin was adopted at the age of 6 years old and spent her years living in abuse until she committed herself to a Mennonite approved "counseling center" Rest Haven. After spending several months there and a short stint in the Amish run psychiatric home Green Pastures in PA, she returned to the west coast overly medicated without a proper diagnoses and was forced to cut all of her medication cold turkey by her family, creating saddening consequences.

This episode is a jaw dropping story of Laura's survival from a horrific abusive childhood. You can connect with Laura on facebook at Laura Teichroeb to hear more on her coaching.

the housewife that never came back, Ashley discusses topics of abuse cover-ups, the anxiety of sharing her story and life as a Mennonite woman.

The Mennonite Housewife that walked out. On this episode we pick up where we left off and dive head on into some dark waters to discuss sexual addictions, corrupt " leaders" and give a heartfelt message to all women still trapped in the church.

" Something inside of you breaks when you're raped". On today's episode our guest shares her struggles of being adopted and never feeling like she belongs within her church culture. After being sexually abused at a young age by her sibling, and later on raped after her 19th birthday, R was made to publicly confess "her" crimes in front of her church by making confession and has since then struggled to work through the guilt that comes from sexual assault.

Marsela's family joined the Mennonite Church in the late 90s when she was a young girl, along with several other siblings. Her story is one that involves years of childhood beatings, molestation and the church covering everything up under the teachings that Jesus teaches forgiveness. She was sent off in the middle of the night by the ministry to live with the Bishops as she was considered a rebellious young woman, and never returned to live with her parents again. She was quite the scandal for doing what almost no young Mennonite woman would ever dream of doing, and broke off her engagement 2 months prior to marrying into an esteemed family a name.

The story of an Ex-Mennonite woman that left the church to become educated and create her own life despite the odds.