I knew of friends who had made the journey. They entered through Nassau or Jamaica, or Canada or Europe. They went as tourists but mostly they went on a mission trip of some sort. A mission trip to a Communist country did intrigue me but not enough to push through to make it happen.
As a young girl, from a blue collar family, my mother befriended a lady who worked in a factory with her. The lady had fled from Cuba as Castro entered. She was a lady of wealth, servants, they had an estate and lived a very luxurious life. Their desire for freedom had them flee to the US, to Oregon of all places. She now worked the factory line with my mother. They became friends. My mother would recount her stories as I am sure this Cuban lady needed to talk out her traumatic life changes to anyone who would listen. I thought of this lady often through the years. What price would I be willing to pay for freedom?As we sailed into Havana people were waiving and shouting greetings to us. The Cuban people were excited and delighted beyond words. This ship seemed to represent hope for them. Their excitement caused me once again to ponder what life must be like without hope.
In the days ahead I will share the tales of the trip. A trip I will take again and again. A trip I will encourage others to join me on. Changes will begin to happen in this isolated country and I hope to share with any who desire what life has been like without freedom in a place so very close to our home.
American will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. Abraham Lincoln
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