April 28
So it started out a great saturday morning with eggs, bacon and
french toast for Breakfast, the night before we had a huge slumber party in the
conference hall complete with movies and lots of food. Later on I was on the
computer, and I left it on the bed , nek minute, broken power cord....
That was definitely not a highlight of my day. When I was talking to Rachel and
Miriam in the hall they invited me to go into town with them and potentially
look into buying a new power cord. I agreed. After looking in the shed for some
rideable bikes, we decided to attempt "scootering" instead, and
decided on Moss Vale as our destination even though we weren't sure that there
was an electronic store.
We took the bike path into Mossy and rode down main
street on our scooters, riding down some hills on the way, getting curious looks from strangers and talking to old ladies on the way. Then we made our way
to the IGA for something to drink. Sitting outside IGA on the benches we talked
for quite awhile and then looked at the time... 5:20. I needed to be back at
Capernwray for set and serve by 5:45 and Dinner started at 6. I told them there
was a shorter way back along the road and they agreed we could try that. At
5:30 I realized that there was little to no chance we would make it back in
time, so I called John and let him know that I wouldn't be on time for set and
serve.
Then we continued our trek, mostly walking and carrying the scooters
since the path was dirt and not pavement. Up ahead we see three guys walking
and as we approach them I start to laugh, Rachel turns to me and I say,
"what are the chances that we meet people as we're walking on the side of
the road..." , since every time before I'd walked on the side of the road there was never anyone else. I decide that this is a ministry opportunity and say hi, and
one answers back and asks where we're going, we talk for awhile
then part ways as we go back to the bike path and ride down the hill on our
scooters. By this time I'm inwardly reprimanding myself for not saying more,
like inviting them to SN @ C, or
introducing myself. All I know is that him and his friends are going to Relay
for Life, at at this point I don't know what that is.
So as we continue on the path and see them above us on the hill, I
call out and say "Hey, there is SN @ C on at our school tomorrow night if
you want to come..." The same guy I had talked to before comes down the hill and asks me
what it is, so I explain a bit and Miriam adds a few things, before we continue
on the path. Again I think to myself, wow Brianna you don't even ask his name
or say yours, but invite him to SNAC!
As
we're scootering I look above us to see if the guys are there, but don't see them.
Then Rachel says, hey look they're in front of us. This seemed really odd to me
since we should have been faster and they were pretty far ahead. So we start
picking up our pace since Im determined this is a God opportunity and that we
need to make the most of it. As both of our groups make our way back onto the
side of the road to continue walking, I wait til they are done talking on the
phone and then introduce myself, along with my friends and find out the guy I
had been talking to was Axel and the others were Sam and Pat.
Since the Relay
for Life, still dont know what this is, is at the field before Bowral, we are
walking in the same direction. Time check: 5:50. I continued talking to Axel as
we walk while Rachel and Miriam fall behind with the other two boys. I find
out from Axel that he is 19, and totaled his car which was why they were walking,
the Relay for Life is a walk for cancer.
As we talked he told me that I should
go to the Relay for Life and that If I did he would come to SN@C, at this point
we are at the driveway to the school. Time check: 5:59. He gives me his phone
number as the girls catch up. Apparently, Miriam and Sam had a pretty lengthly
conversation about Christian beliefs and values that Rachel and Pat listened
to. We run up to dinner and agree to accept that we re late and that it is our
fault, before going into the dining room. Talking over dinner we filled ppl in
on our encounter and Randy, Regan and Morgan start teasing me about getting
Axels number. However, when I asked if anyone wanted to come with us to the
Relay for Life after dinner, Regan said he would.
So after cleaning up, Woodsy
drove us to Relay for Life. I text Axel before I leave and tell him we are
coming but get no reply. We arrive at the walk and see to our surprise a kind of fair ground
style site, complete with businesses making and selling food, and other family
run boothes. Still no text from Axel and M and R tell me they cant remember
what they looked like... We walk around and Regan buys some mini donuts that we
all share. Still no sign of Axel after a half hour of being there. Finally when
wè re standing by one of the heaters, we spot him walking with some friends, he
sees us and comes over. We meet his friend Henderick and talk to him while Axel
doesn t say much.
This is our first sort encounter with Axel that night. We see
him lots after that but he only comes and talks to us another time. This instant he walks
away and says that he ll text me later, letting me know that he got my texts
and just chose not to reply. Regan thought before we came that theyèd be drinking
but I didn t. Unfortunately Regan was right and I smelt the alcohol on Axel and
most of his friends. I found out from attempting to talk to him when he came
and sat by us at the heater, that he works as a chef at elephant boy cafè. But we all had a pretty good time, despite me walking in on a
man peeing in the outhouse. Regan: If the sign is green, it means you can go in... nek
minut ..... So
after hearing Axel promise again to return, we left and went to see the Avengers
with a bunch of other Capernwray students and it was a great movie!
