It was night when Harriet Tubman crossed over the border from the South into the North and became a free woman. Born a slave, she escaped from that life, running through the woods at night and hiding during the day. When she finally made it, she said she felt like she was in heaven.

But many others were still in slavery, and so Harriet could not rest in her own freedom. Over the next eight years, she made at least thirteen trips back and forth to save others. She was assisted by the Underground Railway, a system of people and places that hid escaping slaves. Most of these people were Christians, and Harriet herself was a devout follower of Christ. She trusted God to keep her and her fellow travelers safe. Harriet took great strength from the Old Testament tales of deliverance. In all of her journeys, she was never caught, and neither were any of the people she was bringing to freedom. Because of this, many called her “Moses,” as she delivered her people from slavery with God’s help.

When God told Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egypt, God promised him, “I will be with you.” Harriet believed that God was with her, and He was. By her brave actions, Harriet told slave-owners to let her people go. Just like Jesus did for us, Harriet reached her world and brought people to freedom, one dark night at a time.            

This is Luis Palau.