An Eventful Saturday

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!