UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: PLEA FOR HELP FROM CALLER

Boy & dog:Underground Railroad Monument

A lady with a vibrant voice called: 

"I am interested in the Underground Railroad February 20th trip. Can I give you my name to hold a spot for me. My social security check comes in about 2 weeks. So accept my reservation.  I need to be on this trip."

Me: "We don't have a lot of folks signed up for it at this point. I am not sure it will run." 

Lady: "Please, please, please run this trip. Can't you even with a few people? If I don't go out of the house on some kind of excursion with a group, my son will put me in an assisted living home. Please make this trip happen. Please. I don't want to leave my house. I can still take care of myself." 

We think we are done with slavery or with bondage, but clearly we are not. Somewhere along the line we give up our power to others and we don't even know how that happens.  

Clearly, I could hear the desperation in the woman's voice. She was scared of the consequences of dealing with the child she had reared all his life. If she doesn't go on this trip, will he really put her in a place for which she is not yet ready? Am I the determining factor?  And now his decisions hang over her head like so many "American" slave holders in the 1700s. 

There is a distinct parallel between her plea and Quilts, Quakers and Questors, a name I gave to one of my three Underground Railroad tours. 

Oh, how I would love to inject this woman with the fightin' spirit of Sojourner Truth who was in the era of the 'Underground Railroad' but not of it.  We will visit Sojourner's home and grave. This very strong, larger than life woman who walked from north to the deep south and back over 30 times with her charges to bring them to the North where they could be free from whips, overwork, disease, filth and in some cases, torture. 

Born into slavery, Isabella Baumfree escaped and changed her name to Sojourner Truth.  The word sojourn means to stay somewhere temporarily, which is what slaves did as they were sold off several times in their lives. And truth was what she sought. 

No one messed with Sojourner Truth, who was such an eloquent speaker and captivated her audience with her Dutch accent. Slaves were often bilingual. 

So the lady who called will get her wish.  Whether there are 5 or 55, I will feature this tour. I will do what I can to help this caller remain free.  I will do what is right, not what is easy.