Email 16

Welcome to my IN THEIR PATH! email

Date: May 9, 2003

Days into the walk: 3 days until the walk

Weather this week: like spring time,

Travel plans & whats in the works:
May 9, 2003
Nine is the number of Oya, the powerful Yoruba goddess of transformation.

It is a cloudy, stormy morning. And I have not gone out for my walk yet. Im not sure where I put those lovely rain pants that Eric Williams loaned me last March. They were among the many gifts (powdered Gatorade, first aid kit, walking sticks, his wife, Petras red jacket) he brought when I was expecting only the much needed walking-hiking advice from this new sweet friend. Remember Petra is the young woman who walked from Cleveland to Edinboro with me in September. Eric and Petra had done the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia. Any way, the storms are supposed to go on all day so I will need rain pants to be out walking for two hours at a time along the bike trail through Bratenahl.

IN THREE (count them 3) DAYS I leave for Canada. We will be having a gathering and send off ceremony Monday May 12th at 9:00 AM at the beautiful Cozad House 11508 Mayfield Road. Everyone is invited. (I would like to be on the road for Edinboro by 10:00 AM.)
All of my children and 6 of my 7 grandchildren will be at the final event in St Catharines. Letitia, known as Teci, has most information on IN THEIR PATH! because she has been so helpful as a long distance project manager almost from the beginning,
Wilma Morrison is the founder of the Norville Johnson Black History library and has helped arrange everything (checking the route; contacting June Harper at the British Methodist Episcopal Church (Salem Chapel) in St. Catharines; notifying the police; inviting the mayors from St. Catharines, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls etc.)

What I learned about the Underground Railroad:
The Cozad family supported the abolitionist cause and there is documentation that they were involved in hiding fugitive slaves passing through Cleveland. This home is the last standing house of the pre civil war era in the University Circle area of cleveland and I want to help in every way I can to save it from demolition and have it restored to use and retained for its historical significance and as an honor to the Underground Railroad slave families and conductor families.

The people I met:
Jifunza Page is trying to arrange a 15 passenger van to travel from Cleveland on May 31st. Jojo at the African American Museum wants to travel along and video tape the entire walk. He is trying to arrange for a friend to drive his van while he walks with me. You can reach both Jifunza and Jojo at the museum (216) 791-1700.

Marilyn Sobotincic will join us in Edinboro to walk on Monday and Tuesday May 12-13, 2003. She used to live in the area and has arranged a school visit for me in Erie.

I am very tired. I just could not say no to too many wonderful invitations to participate in powerful events. I am scared-excited, struggle-functioning through anxiety induced sleep deprivation. May I be filled with loving kindness, may I be well. May I be peaceful and at ease, may I be happy. From Jack Kornfields A PATH WITH HEART.

One thing I really want you to know about this week:
I do have a cell phone but I will put the number in an email as soon as Teci, makes the arrangement Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Come join me any where along the three week walk and or at the Jubilee in St. Catharines on May 31. Until then email:

gonnawalk439@hotmail.com log on to www.Intheirpath.org.

What young people have to say: I havent talked with any yet.
Same time different place but always IN THEIR PATH!

Love
Joan E.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a map of the route on our website - www.intheirpath.org. It takes a minute to load because it is a PDF File. You will need adobe reader to view it.