Actually, this is almost comic, because when they set their minds to it, Mennonites can be as stubborn as “New England mules”. They are very disciplined in their faith, and have faced down some real brutes in the past, often because of their refusal to take up arms in war.
And it is somewhat revitalizing to be unfairly oppressed a bit because of your faith. It reminds a person that there is a reason for their beliefs, that there is evil out there, and that it must be opposed by character and family.
Because there are a bunch of Mennonite communities around the world, they are probably reconnecting with each other to find a good, more permanent place for this woman and her daughter to flee.