Looking Back or Looking Forward Our Summer Survey Fill-in-the blank Question:

My Most Memorable Summer . . .

From Read Sherman: . . . had to be the one I spent backpacking in Zaire and elsewhere in Africa in 1987. I visited my college friend, Jessica, a Peace Corps volunteer in eastern Zaire, hiked for four days up to the foot of a glacier in the Ruwenzori Moun-tains, rode on top of a coffee truck for four days to get to Kisan-gani, and then spent nine amazing days on a river barge floating down the Zaire River to Kinshasa. I met great people, experienced vibrant cultures and learned I could trust in the kindness of strangers, even when we didn't speak the same language!

From Suzanne Woolston: . . . was one I'll never forget in the Summer of '84 when I toured China with a Christian basketball team. We were the warm-up appetizer for the 1984 Chinese Olympic team — the games, alas, were blowouts! And I almost got arrested in Tienneman Square. Why? For singing Methodist hymns! A strange new world for me; one I'll never forget.

From Jack Hodgkins: . . . was the unforgettable summer of 1993. I left New York State with my college buddy Ross and drove North to Alaska in early June. We camped every night until we returned on Labor Day without staying in one place for more than three days. We travelled north to the Arctic Ocean, west out to the Aleutian Islands and South down through the inside passages. We hiked, camped, rafted, and kayaked and met so many interesting people and saw some amazing sites.

From Catherine Dauber: ... was the summer of 1933: the beginning of a new life for me as I married the man with whom I had been dating for three years — we'd had to wait one year because of the depression of '32.

From Tommie Sue Montgomery: ... happened at age 19: my first trip to Europe as part of a student study seminar. For a girl from Key West, it opened up the world and changed my life because it led to a lifelong interest in international affairs, social justice, and to my vocation for 30 years: college teaching. It also gave me a perspective on the church universal. We attended the World Methodist Conference in Oslo where we heard Christians from around the world proclaim their faith. We spent a week in a study center sponsored by the German Evangelical Church where we met students from Europe and Africa. While sitting around talking one night, a German student rushed in and screamed "They've closed the border." It was August 1961, and the Soviets had divided Berlin. I never thought I'd live to see the Wall come down. Now I have a piece of that wall in my home.

From Evan Shu: . . .was that special Godspell summer of 1989 where I learned I could do much more than I ever thought and when I made a host of lifelong friends, including my wife to be!

From Ruth Ricker: . . . was in 1997, when I flew to Latvia and met and adopted my son, Michael Janis, my "forever Jani". Thanks be to God.

From Judy Fisher: . . . will be this one, learning my new job as office coordinator at City State Real Estate on Beacon Hill. I am already enjoying it immensely; this experience will enable me to give a little back to our wonderful community. Also am looking forward this summer to Lael & Katrina's Bible study plus weekends in the Hudson River Valley area and Canada.

From Amanda Nourse: . . . is a contrasting tie between the wonderful summer of 1976 when I was in New Hampshire with my mother & brother, swimming all day — and the painful summer of 1984 when I was assaulted by a stranger with a knife and had vivid nightmares all summer but was able to console myself by reading theology.

From Martha Byington: ... was last summer as I was going through chemotherapy to treat my ovarian cancer. At the time, I was pretty oblivious to what was going on (God doesn't give you more than you can handle!), but in retrospect, it was a life-changing period. A year later, I am cancer-free with a good prognosis. I'm left with changes in my physical being (good and bad) but mentally and spiritually more grounded. A bulwark in my coping was Jim Crawford — who visited me in the hospital and shared his spiritual strength with me. Lessons learned: find a primary care physician whom you trust and respect; ignore dopey articles beginning "How to Prevent Cancer"; and live by the Serenity Prayer and the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want..."

From Elizabeth England: ...will be when I graduate next year form Harvard (finally!), and then head off to Scotland for a month to discover my ancestral roots. I am planning on spending at least one night in a castle - a little girls dream come true.

From Jim Crawford: ... among many great summers, was the summer of 1981, which proved one of the most significant. Our family spent it in Scotland, exploring castles, climbing mountains, journeying to the Hebrides — a time when our two youngest, Rob and Ben, were "coming of age" and our older two, Betsy and Henry close to finishing their high school years. Our family ties were uniquely cemented during that sabbatical excursion — something I've never forgotten; something for which I've been eternally grateful.

From Bob Clever: . . .was probably the summer of 1963, which I spend traveling in Europe during the time of the Cold War, when tensions were high. I ended up in East Berlin, because I got off at the wrong train stop. The East Germans were obviously not happy to see me show my U S passport. They eventually got me back to West Berlin, but I was quite scared for a period of time when I had no idea of what they planned for me. They didn't speak English and I didn't speak German.

From Steve Silver: ... will be the one in which the Sox and Yanks in the AL and Cubs and Giants in the NL battle throughout the summer with the Old Towne Team and Cubbies meeting in what will be known as the Series of the Ages. Short of this delusional fantasy, any summer that involves Islesborom, trips to Fenway and some time on a boat is guaranteed to provide more than enough happy memories! +