Day Seven of the Farmworkers March for Justice

Photos by: Matthew Rosenberg

We rose early to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, prepared for us by the members of St. John’s / St. Mark’s congregation.
The Rev. Gale Wooling sent us on our way with one of the most inspirational reflections on what it means to stand in solidarity, and to truly teach one another as we stand together.

We were lucky to enjoy another gorgeous day as we walked the 22 miles along the Mohawk River from Canajoharie to Amsterdam. # file_2# Our path followed the train tracks and, throughout the day, we entertained ourselves by signaling for the trains to blow their horns as they passed by. For a rest, we stopped by the Mohawk community just outside Fonda. After lunching in the park at the Kateri Shrine, we continued on the road to Amsterdam.

It was a long, exhausting day for all of us. While we couldn’t have asked for more lovely scenery than the Mohawk Valley, the combination of distance and rolling hills took its toll on our physical state. When Al Turo and staff from Catholic Charities of Montgomery County joined us for the last several miles marching toward town, the group was infused with new energy. Nevertheless, the last couple of miles were a true test of stamina—physical, mental and emotional. At last we stumbled into the hall of Trinity Lutheran Church in Amsterdam and collapsed into heap on the floor.

We were greeted by the Rev. Daniel Swanson, pastor of the church’s Latino congregation, his family, and other community members—including two former dairy farmers. Only their friendly faces and the promise of delicious meal was capable of arousing us from our collective stupor.

As we were just sitting down to eat, you could only imagine our surprise and elation when a massage therapist walked through the door! If any of us had any doubt in our minds before that moment that miracles really do happen, we are now believers. Thank you Donna!

With our toughest stretch behind us, we are looking forward to the weekend, when we will be join by many more workers and allies in this struggle. As we approach Albany, we expect our energy to be high in anticipation of our arrival to the capitol.