Girls Group

Definitely one of THE best girls groups yet! We started out eating grapes and banana bread (made by Emma and Nicole). Then played Frida's favorite game Knives, but used a container of dry mustard instead. It was kind of like Twister. Then we had Indian Leg Wrestles, which Emma started and by the end of the evening, everyone had attempted.

Randy is sitting right beside me right now and is all concerned that I don't "like" him anymore because I'm concentrating on writing.....

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!

Fun Friday

This morning we had Prac Week meeting and got our prayer partners as well as discussed ideas on how we'll put on a church service for different churches we've been invited to in Melbourne.
So the guys are all heading out to go camping this weekend and the girls are having a slumber party in the conference hall, with movies, food, and some other sweet activities. It's going to be a fun night. Tomorrow night a bunch of us are thinking about heading in to the movies in Bowral:). I want to see The Avengers and The Lucky One is also playing.

Capernwray Term 2

So back to school, it was great meeting up with everyone again in Sydney and realizing how much I missed seeing them all.
Back to Capernwray with a new seating plan, new lecturers and so far, so good. I did some baking the other day and it's nice having some freshly baked cookies around to share and eat haha.
Well other than that not too much happening. We've had some meetings with our Prac Week team that goes out in May to Melbourne and helps at the ministries in the community. I'm really looking forward to it!

Good-bye

Friday April 13

So our flight wasn't until the evening, so in the morning we spent our time in the House with the brothers. In knowing that we were leaving, in each of our houses' they blessed us by praying for us and offering words of encouragement which left us feeling even more blessed than we already did. To top it off they gave us a card that everyone signed, and chocolate. We may have blessed them, but the blessing we received in return seemed far greater. Then Wai Cheung and his family took us to the floating restaurant for lunch, he is in charge of New Man House and acts sort of like a principal. This time we got food we actually enjoyed instead of weird, unsettling stuff. It was really sweet. Afterwards we went and had some pictures developed to give out to the brothers, this was our last blessing towards them and I know they were touched. The whole trip was well worth it and I would encourage anyone who has an opportunity such as this to go with a willing heart, ready to give, and prepared to bless and be blessed in return. God showed me so much in Hong Kong and has been really teaching me more on my return to Capernwray, I know there is even more in store for my future and I'm excited to see where God leads me.

Nearing the end of our stay...

Thursday April 12

Our last full day in the house and also Western Food Night. The morning was Market shopping with Woodseys friend Joe Joe who drove us around to pick up all the supplies we needed for Western Food Night. The Markets are quite interesting with the variety of stalls for vegetables, meat, and supplies. We went to a butcher, a spice shop, a vegetable stall, and some others all in the same area! You can really find everything there, although I realized that I would rather go to a supermarket, where the smell of dried fish doesn't follow you around. Then we passed a fruit stall and Woodsey insisted that we try a fruit called Durian which he said was something the Chinese LOVE!!! Seth went first and all the while Regan was getting a bit stressed out that he was expected to eat this mushy, yellow piece of fruit. Joe Joe showed us how it was done and finally Regan tried a piece. We all sampled it, but Joe Joe was the only one who really appreciated the taste.

The Durian kept "repeating on us" which is the nice way of saying we kept burping it up... It was another warm day and besides visiting the market for ingredients, we also went to the supermarket for 2L of pop and 15 tubs of ice cream. Once we got back to New Man House, it was time to start prepping for the meal. Honestly overall our team worked so well together and with the help of some Chinese men, we got the garlic chopped, the carrots shredded and the onions diced without too many teary eyes. We cooked for 140 people approx and had leftovers once they were served from our assembly line. One person to put the noodles on, another for the sauce and another to put two pieces of garlic bread, and finally the servers to take out the food. The only things that weren't ideal, was number one that we didn't have tin foil to wrap the garlic bread in, so the bottoms burnt and they didn't toast, and number two the ice cream was a little melted. All in all not big disasters! Everyone really appreciated the meal and it was great that all the brothers could come together and eat together.

English Class

April 11
We taught English class for three classes to the teenagers and it went alright. We talked about the Olympics and did some charades to get across each sport played, then we ended with a game of Bingo. The most difficult part was having all of us there to teach when there was about the same number of teachers as students. Overall it was a great experience, working together as a team to get across our own language in an effective way.
Then in the afternoon, Some brothers and helpers from Block 4 went to Ceshire Homes in the afternoon and Woodsey figured it would be a good experience for me to have, so I had the opportunity to go along. We walked there since it was just downhill from New Man House. The people there were older and most of them were in wheelchairs.We had to wear yellow vests and a security pass, and brought people from their rooms to our sing-a-long. I think they really appreciated us being there, since they probably don't receive too many visitors.The only problem was the heat and the fact that I don't understand Chinese...  add that I'm not caught up on my sleep and you've got eyelid fluttering Brianna through the entire afternoon. It was SO hard to stay awake and afterwards the guys told me that they were sure I fell asleep during prayer. We took the people back to their rooms after and were rewarded for our efforts with a cookie/chocolate gift bag and a can of pop. Then we got ready to walk back up the hill but were met by the van at the gate and got a ride back which was really nice!