(part 1of 2) In the Spring of 2002 Ray felt a strong call to begin planning a summer trip.  His plan would have normally included a whole lot of surf breaks and a travel route within a short distance of the Atlantic Ocean!  But this wasn't to be that kind of trip. We started researching inner City Rescue Missions along the Eastern Seaboard and selected perhaps a dozen to go visit.  We made the kind of detailed plans one makes when going on the road in a van: bed, portable toilet, water and food storage, a list of road stops that offered shower and laundry facilities, road maps and directions, a couple dozen cd's to listen to and so on. We chose to go during July (right after our Vacation Bible School was over) and happened to pre-pick a time when it was going to be HOT.  Some of you know how hot it gets in the summer in the city!  We subcontracted maintenance of our dog, cat and hermit crab and set off down the highway.  We had only planned the first stop.  The rest of the itinerary time table was flexible. We re-learned that if you hit the brakes, everything inside the van not secured continues in forward motion.  So, for example, the portable toilet did not leak when upside down (Big Cheer!) but all of the 5 gallon water container did.  We spent a sunny hot afternoon drying out the bedding and van carpet . . .  Do you know how good a pint of coffee Hagen-Daze ice cream (2 spoons) is on a hundred degree day on the New Jersey Turnpike while you await evaporation to do its slow work? To continue reading this story, click here Back