have to make the most of it that's all. lynn is waiting for the rush of international globetrotters to return our trip to the city's hot spots has shown we need to be a little patient. you're watching news i'm told me a lot if i'm not sent for me but you can keep updated with all the news on our website. love. were all set to go beyond. the stories that matter to the. country. whatever it takes. to run a mouth shut it ain't good enough it. made for minds. it

may look like a scene from a bygone era these young people are part of a community in present day central america. they belong to a christian group known as mennonites ultra conservative protestants who issues the modern world. head by. i hear you schoolhouse hill sit on one side boys on the other they're reciting passages from the bible in only touch and already there were hair

this morning the youngest children and the now for better. look at the letter and pointing to. the older children are reading the new testament printed in front of a traditional german script and not to history geography or foreign languages the bible is the textbook. all. saying and baden i teach them to read saying pray recite poetry right here count thats it. the children begin their schooling at age 6 and finish from the 13th long enough to learn the basics. but this is what we learned from when i went to school when the prouder my grandfather went to school that every hour with. no university is not an ai so

college or anything. studying and practicing and i learning. and the fighters doing repeat them. after he finished school became a blacksmith like his father he has 20 children 3 of his 60 grandchildren are pupils in this class mennonites believe children are a blessing directive gaunt. blue eyed blondes abound originating from germany the netherlands and switzerland the mennonites fled europe 250 years ago and some eventually settled in central and south america. devout anabaptists thanks strictly adhere to the doctrine of minnows siemens a 16th century dutch priest lead lives full of rigor and discipline.

there are over 2000000 mennonites worldwide but only a fraction are old order mennonites virtually self-sufficient they live in settlements with their own schools churches and trade this isolation shields them from modern day temptations. now one colony of this secluded community has agreed to be filmed for this documentary. life in this religious group revolves around the bible everything is pre-determined right down to the color of their clothes just after that is can address this cancer religion if it will bring a different kind of those. that do wrong it's a very straight breaking and can have severe consequences sort of go if people don't obey the church we must shun them. yet the temptations are many a few months ago found a forbid an object

a smartphone they know their reality though i do not feel guilty i see there are so many good things. behind a serene facade some members are rebelling they're challenging the community's most fundamental doctrines. vilhelm is one of the shop and. they're mine like a cellphone it's made by see it from so concept a living up in our brand on the other hand isn't 1st to change that's why he and several other families plan. to set up a new colony in an even more remote part of the world hotter of the amazon. a garden that grounds ground 0. so who are the mennonites and why do they flame modern civilization is it even

possible to escape the contemporary world in this state n.h. . we take a closer look at one of the 21st century's most poised communities. our journey begins in central america on the western edge of the turquoise waters of the caribbean sea. situated between mexico and guatemala is the country of families the former british colony has an extremely diverse population among outside 400000 inhabitants on the city's o's creoles in mind. most of the mennonites live further inland hidden away in the countryside is little billy's an old order colony established in the 1970 s. . time

seems to have stood still cars are forbidden. for strong buggies used to get around. mennonites not used to having contact with outsiders going off hostile but somewhat perturbed by our presence. i don't know what to make of our cameras and some even hide their faces like this woman. is it possible to know who the you who you are you. allowed it because people get frightened and young lady for when they get pregnant . so are when they're yeah you know because they're half right. they're not they do not give use to it that's very.

conservative mennonites spurn wanted knology. a few are open minded mike france has agreed to talk to us. and we're here. and i am braving here the whole of my life there are 3 and so we're out. by a cold. cold country ok and i like it over again like the culture and everything and it's beautiful and enjoy and i. france is 36 years old and he lives on this farm which he built himself. when. he and his wife elizabeth have 7 children. 15 year old twins honor and catarina of the eldest. daughter is 13 and elizabeth 10.

and peter 6 and i. am sorry the youngest is 4 years old. they're a typical mennonite family must have 7 to 12 children. they live a simple way of life being a few fields a chicken coop and a couple of cows are enough to keep the family faint. to girls tend to the lot stock up. on a little as i don't hear it all on the same side put some here and some their. choice to. franz works from home. he's a mechanic in his workshop he repairs machinery for customers who are not members of the community. here and around $500.00 a month on average. his daughter catarina finished school 2 years ago since then she's been working with

her father. we have only grow. jobs like this if we had boys big boys and. i think she would have to work against boys will have to do this job this is probably a job for the boys with. the roles in the mennonite household and clearly defined. the women take care of the home. they do the cooking cleaning and laundry. they also so close for the entire family and that too is governed by strict rules. when elizabeth needs more fabric she goes shopping there's no sign or advertisement to indicate that it is a store and the choices here are limited. this

one is too dark for me this one's pretty nice for the younger girls. the brighter colors are reserved for the younger girl stresses the darker fabrics of the married women the men are to wear straw hats and checked all stripes shared . by half a meter will do. everything is precisely specified. as you see any big difference between these 2. elisabet only speaks plattdeutsch all know german a talent used primarily by mennonites her sister in law margaret however also speaks english and she fills the scene on some of the customs there that's where we have learned like god since my parents my grandparents great grandparents were just people like that it's been like that all the time what were what you know you just

have to read is can address it's guns or religion if you do all kind of different clues you know and you know and know not to you don't know up make up not in no make up no it was a. it was. just out oh man it's just how it like that. where we don't mind it he holds. you have to. material for 2 dresses and a shirt for what amounts to an 8 year old so there's no excessive spending mennonites little of so austere it's almost monastic void of distractions no music no sports and no television. the closest they come to a moment of leisure is in church every sunday. we were asked not to film their way

. a community leader has agreed to meet and talk with us. william is something like the colonies male he too has 7 children in order to give us a better understanding of their lives he invites us to his home for dinner the only source of light is a single oil lamp the house has no electricity the furnishings a sparse there are no pictures on the walls only the bare minimum. let us pray. the girls sit on both sides of the table while william sits at the head and his son at the other end of the meal is eaten in silence it's a practice mennonite so followed for centuries. tonight's dinner consists of bins

of vegetable soup and sausages life as it was lived in the 19th century. you can't. really do. with. this very bible says that to be accepted into heaven you're not allowed to have any modern things like t.v.'s telephones computers or cars. nor talk to renounce modernity when certain people do not want to obey the church where we must shun them they can no longer take part in the community life already and i don't believe in trying to be like. to know is explicit i think you abide by the rules or you were banished from the community. a lot has changed since the mennonites came and found a colony here half

a century ago. this used to be nothing but jungle now the colony is spread out over 100 square kilometers and post nearly $3000.00 inhabitants. when they built roads they paved the way for the development. in spite of their respect for the doctrine some believers find modern conveniences hard to resist. for france it all began when he had to buy a farm for work he's taking a huge risk by showing it to us. therefore when i saw. for yourself things years ago that i feel very guilty. at the very. they know it's their reality i do not feel guilty i see there are so many good. friends discovered the internet and i love the new sick the rhythm of country and western radically changed his family's life. was me.

very very fascinated. there is a like there new life it's a new life style for us. if we really had there is any music so sure. it could levers have any. and then abruptly france which is not the spine. rather is coming. off. for now this is for my brother you have to hide my folly because that really but i don't like to see them. mad if they don't see the point it will be more happy to me that maybe in the future they will start to know more. about the reality. france has to be careful even around his brother

if anyone finds out that he has a phone. communication. he used to provide medical care for the families here. to 2 friends. kind of on surgery. to sit down here and sit down here and then have a speech and then the probe would probably. pay and then there are the men and i would have them there don't cover them up schachter all the people from the king here and yet oh yeah preacher sent there. yeah. for 20 years bill how was the colonies lady dr who though he has no formal training his mother was a nurse and he taught himself by studying medical textbooks people to find in order to save lives. and books. and i

felt like i had to have it because there were so many accidents and you then i felt like an obligation to call. a taxi or to call on the doctors or i said that was so useful for me and i had it then and the they were complaining about that and they wanted me tole told lose it and then i said no. that decision cost him dearly because he broke the rules he lost everything. then they then knew that they would excommunicate me the day before i would say i heard about at least 60 patients at least 60 that went on the whole day up told late in the night the next day i got excommunicated no one claims again. that stops from 60 to overnight to 0. since his expulsion will

has been shunned by the community these days he sells time as an hour's drive from home. he decided to found a new non-conformist congregation within the conservative community. mennonites behind the wheel of a pickup trucks a surprising size they belong to the dozens of families that now attend the new church. from all appearances these believe is still seem to abide by the traditional mennonite codes of conduct but on closer inspection there are undeniable signs of china which even from the pulpit the sermon is read from a smartphone is no bible to be seen. birthrate read all the gospel of matthew the 11 disciples went to galilee to the mountain where jesus had sent them

when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubt it. vilhelm instigated the construction of the new church. oh yeah. because music is. only what it's not allowed to drink. and all that what so strong. this development troubles more traditional mennonites they believe that souls have been lost. is one of those traditionalists he's joining several other families who decided to leave police to set up a new colony in peru one that small move to the old would. like. more tradition. and

a community so that they will be more more more i don't know exactly how to explain but that people are more conservative more people together. after i am a family will embark on a new adventure with his wife and 7 children even though he's invested a lot in his life here in little police. so this is the house what i had. to 1st find so now 'd. i want to live it so let 4 out of people can get there now if they want to change i have a better one so they can put a new one so that's how i'm thinking now and i want to sell it for everything and the land for our prime prove represents the promise of an even better life a 1st point. like there it sounds like it's. everything

at sounds better to work here. having. having more more like more people in the. world by us are to widget. car beings and all the things what we produce they will buy more so we could sell more of what we produce that will make far more happy are. those moving to true caring for the departure. that entails selling must consider positions. how much for the set of balls going to 5 dollars 2 dollars 4 dollars or later on fire oh why oh. yeah could needs to sell as much as he can.

with would be a trash can or a casserole dish everything must go. i'm selling whatever i can't take with me. ok i'm selling the house all the furniture all the things we used every day we're taking his or buggy the rest will be sold if. it's already here but not. every dollar counts the money will go toward constructing the new colony. the auction lost the whole day. for one thing after a loss to take to farming equipment. 11 families sharing space in cost of a shipping container. let's take this over there. yeah there is a lot we have to approach everything together and to get it together and tell it

fits. only then most precious possessions will might to trip to peru that includes tractors and machinery needed to clear roads. a country have a few things they're not big farmers and and the country so that's why we think about we kind of care it cheaper we have it here and we care it already aired cheaper than we buy it from brazil or anywhere 1st of police city then by boat yes by boat right. the container will arrive 2 months after they do there isn't much room left but has a surprise in store for his wife he's going to take their marriage bed the only reminder of their past life. is the bed so that we have it ready at once but your wife want to see yeah and i want that to keep death she want to keep

the beds so she will be happy there. not lose everything should lose that they got none but not everything. you need. it's the evening before their departure. family is feeling a princess especially is watching elena. birth america it will be difficult there we had everything here we have to start all over again. at the moment their biggest fear is the flight no one has been on an airplane before. are you afraid of flying. not yet but i don't know how i'll feel when i have to board. and you have and how do you feel about going through that i'm really excited really is. it yes i can't wait.

and we'll see who gets on the plane 1st. and i don't want to be 1st. that's the way i'm going to. go the time has come for the family to guy. had some big moment. the biggest one when i have ever had in my life i. kleiman boy's. parents want to see them off it's not easy for his mother this is the 1st time one of her children has left the colony. yeah you know don't worry everything's going to be fine it's all under control and i'm still anxious i understand.

goodbye and safe journey and as. i said will you visit us maybe in april. resume ok. 3 hours later they arrive at the airport in police city they're the 1st of the group to get there. this is where the adventure truly begins. is the 1st time what i am taking the plane for that's why i'm telling my children not enriching 43 years i want to go with the plane so now my children all day i'll be all they can go but with together long driveway yeah i get them there are when i will go and i will go so it's going to be great. the rest of the group of also arrived 7

families $53.00 people in total. they've all bought one way tickets no one plans to return and. it's time to say goodbye. parents came to the airport to make the most of the last few moments with the family. there were no hugs will kisses a simple handshake suffice everyone appears calm and composed. but on brehm's mother can't quite. she doesn't know if she'll ever see her son or grandchildren again. take new huge leap into the unknown. the challenges begin with the escalator.

on. their knee. very. are you scared. me neither this is fine. it's a bit shaky. our prime seems excited but his wife ellen not is a little anxious what's that clouds clouds yes clouds. were flying over clouds i was wondering why there was so much smoke.

a journey will take 24 hours after a stopover in panama they arrived in lima the capital of peru. while waiting for their final flight to paul culpa if you can keep their eyes open no one has slept much since they left billy's. made. lazy. lazy should go for. a long drive. when. the sprawling group of mennonites does not go unnoticed. being forced employee who checks in their luggage is curious. she knows where

they're headed and i ask them about hers but why are you going to pull culpa we want to work there it's work ok and if we bought land there and thought it was and we're going to work at it it'll say. what will you grow because it will grow corn beans saw a melon you cumbers peppers and tomatoes on and we'll keep chickens she where will your children go to school it's pretty are you sure you get any feedback and we'll build a school there isn't one there yet but we'll build one that there are plenty that you simply haven't had she been surprised. that i didn't think it was possible to live out there but i'm happy for you that if there was a better nothing. would surprise they don't know you were days yet and when he left

the lot of people they are surprised they didn't know that about us and you were asking for where are you coming where you want to go so what happens to what's going on. because they don't know you not they don't know as did look people son but they sometimes if they think about travelling but but not so and i grow so many and i grope on so many baggage. the mennonites take the 3rd and final flight this one's to come to town northeast of late. it's close to the amazon rainforest they have traveled nearly 3500 kilometers . upon arrival a few mostly taxis awaiting the mennonites or something of an attraction here too. there's a row over here. with

the largest court in the region is the gateway to the amazon the city has around $200000.00 inhabitants. vendors from the surrounding villages come here to sell their goods. opera is delighted and yet looks up such a bright but looks happy beautiful young. thing. here. there's a look. and then looks nice and looks so i

looked like dad you know lots of moments yeah and that all of. it's been here i've. looked at a lot some low men so right here i think here we can work like we how we like to because i see the people is moving and lots and lots of people thought could be a big big different than in the least because bill is so poor and so little that people on everything tight just the fast boats leave from their. brand has no time to lose he looked believes good to be a minimum so he needs to buy a few supplies people heading into the rainforest but 1st he has to change money. can't say come and count the dollars this is our primes in time savings 30 years of work now he's investing it in his future but we

sell our shit somehow. whatever what they sell and the auction sale and they get the money and then they change. or buy things more i admired man or open milan. opera house a total of $18000.00 us dollars not much to start a new life that's why the group feistiness info to save money 1st thing on the list mattresses. me. all together because of all 10 and i have a different price that's why we are all together going and buying things. not while this one is hard it would be like sleeping on the ground like that.

the day is drawing to an end in part but work has just begun tomorrow he will take an exploratory expedition to the new colony. i said apples apples vitamins come and get your app. has reserved a seat on the 1st go to t. have a blank on the last milledge before the company johann another member of the group is accompanying him. the trip to take 2 days on. a tributary of the amazon. to go. but. i wonder what kind of. guy wandering every day. if they call. it every day.

but is it true that. a few hours later there are no more buildings inside nothing but long stretches of forest but that doesn't trouble abra on the contrary. that's what i like. about tall but. i like what i like that's what it is right now it's got looks like it's quite strong on our public roads it's gaffer our. banks are under fire. up to 48 hours on the post on from his nearly reached his personal paradise. but we're almost there yes not far and out. how much longer. about half an hour.

but there's more to come on bremen your hand take another much smaller boat it's the only way to reach the new high and deep in the heart of the amazon. hardly anyone truth has. says the river at this point. and once they touch land it's still not over they've got another 90 minutes along a muddy bumpy road. you hear that. at one point johann an opera have to get out and push still and nothing can dampen

operands enthusiasm of. the road is very difficult. but they have they could change if they change the baseline of the work that's been done. yet you have to do everything else everything you have to start a new that's from studying found 0. to 2 hours the 1st house comes into view it was built by the 6 men and i promise you 73 years ago. we reached. we finally found your hello welcome.

that's enough luckily we could take the road otherwise we'd have had to walk and. that's nothing compared to how it was when we came with all our luggage. around 15 minutes living here all in their own in the middle of the jungle without electricity overrunning water. and not to be john and his family will have to live in tents before they are able to build a house of their. own all or one will it be finished. he says one way he have work maybe 2 or 3 days more and then he ready.

just 2 weeks to build a house mennonites a seasoned carpenters and they know how to make the most of what they've got. the people and the least lot of time that they say oh how could that happen that we don't go to school and they do love definite change than they do and how could it be but they say we say we work on the farm. on a farm we don't go to school we go to school on the farm. a little deeper in the forest opera musi his own plot of land for the 1st time he's waiting to hear this moment you. know. what it is this is there might be someone here yes or no this is how we. i'll be 1st open this is the bush right now we will go inside and there i could

show you how it will make my house it's the land i've always dreamed of. our parents 1st instinct is to reach down and grab a handful. to plant carrots. all the edge of tablets for death will be a very good. one side and will be going on and on our side your world the us out there and they vegetables will be here front and on the our front yard so when people come on the street there it is up to the yard and fred the way to tell is our carry hat they the day after. this is when he wants to create a new mennonite community based on old order traditions like yours we will be more

isolated than born helpful more and everything it will be more together people living. in a year's time and families will be a time here around $300.00 people in. the amazon. it may be the last refuge for the many times. digital surveillance. journalists and critics are under threat. as tight censorship. this is china during the coronavirus condemning. people hope to return to normal business

again but is that even possible. close up. in 30 minutes on d w. with different languages we fight for different things that's fine let me all stick up for freedom freedom of speech and freedom of press. giving freedom of choice global news that matters w made for minds. of our middle come to. the 2nd season of only. it's back environment still about society it's still about us but all the planets on the brink spoke to some of the leading experts in the film. to. look up just to get

a little troubling sense of. good. place. to place. this is d.w. dues coming to you live from berlin battling a new alberich of the coronavirus in germany regional leaders consider reimposing a walk down after a surging cases of a meat packing factory in the west of the country also coming up a record breaking heat wave in the arctic circle a town in siberia sees the highest temperature ever recorded there wildfires are

scorching the region. and the bonus league is new t.v. deal points to a dip in the market chris fortron was the 1st big sport.