A big shout out to our newest, very generous donors, Phil and Vera.

I got to chat with them this last week, and this was one of the ideas we came up with.

Thanks again, Phil and Vera and family.

Imagine you're walking down a busy street in London, England over 200 years ago.

The street is full of people hurrying to work, and you hear the loud clopping sounds of horses

pulling carts and carriages.

People are shouting and laughing as they sell fresh bread and pretty flowers from wooden

carts.

The air smells like coal smoke from the chimneys, and the tall buildings around you are made

of rough, grey stone.

There are children playing in the street

and everyone seems busy with their day. Suddenly, you notice a man with kind eyes and a tall black

hat standing on a box talking to a big crowd of people. You decide to sneak a little closer

to see what's happening. The man's voice is strong and clear as he says.

Slavery is wrong. People should be free. No one should be treated badly or owned by someone else.

Some people in the crowd clap and cheer for him, but others frown or shake their heads because they

disagree. You don't know it yet, but you are meeting William Wilberforce,

a brave man who changed history by standing up for what is right and fighting to help people become free.

William Wilberforce was born in 1759 in a town called Hull in the north of England.

He was a small boy, gentle and cheerful.

When William was only nine, his father died.

William moved to live with his aunt and uncle in London.

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