The Surprising Mexican Mennonite Community Just 2 Hours from Michigan

Even though I was born in Michigan, I've had the fortune (or misfortune) to move around a lot.

Several years ago, I spent the better part of a decade living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. That's where I got to know and made friends with quite a few Mennonites.

I didn't know much about the Mennonite culture until then — honestly, I had thought they were all Amish. I learned some of the differences between "New Order" and "Old Order" Mennonites (for instance, one group uses electricity — I'll let you guess which.)

READ MORE: Michigan Woman Steals Amish Family's Horse and Buggy

What I was never told — and what I didn't learn until very recently — is that there are Mexican Mennonites. In fact, there's a sizable colony of Mexican Mennonites who live less than two hours from Michigan!

About 85 miles east of Port Huron, Michigan, not far from the northern shore of Lake Erie, is the farming community of Aylmer, Ontario. The Aylmer area is home to hundreds of Mexican Mennonites, many of whom emigrated to Canada in recent years.

Who Are the Mexican Mennonites?

About 100 years ago, thousands of Mennonites moved from Canada to Mexico "in order to live in traditional colonies where they could control their own civil affairs, including education of their children," according to Canadian Mennonite.

READ MORE: 13 Rules Michigan Amish Must Obey

Several generations of these families were born and raised in Mexico. But now, they're moving back to Canada in large numbers due to land scarcity, drug issues and other reasons. They're bringing some of those learned Mexican traditions with them though.

Mennomex is one example. Located just north of Aylmer, it bills itself as "the authentic Mexican grocer."

What You’ll Find at Mennomex

At first glance, it looks like a typical Mexican market/café. There are shelves of chips and salsas for sale, coolers of Jarritos Mexican pop and glass bottles full of Coca-Cola made with real cane sugar. You can get a breakfast burrito made to order with chorizo, chipotle mayo and pickled jalapeño.

But the people behind the counter are Mennonites.

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Mennomex also serves burgers and fries. If your sweet tooth is calling, you can get a cherry cheesecake or banana pudding crepe.

While you may hear some Spanish being spoken among the Mexican Mennonites, it's more likely you'll catch a German dialect.

It's fascinating what surprises can be in store if you travel just a few hours from home!