Thursday May 27, 2010

Thursday morning my team and I set out for CDI College of Business, Technology, and Healthcare in Surrey. The trip only took about 30 minutes and we were soon at the bus stop directly across the street from the one building school. We walked in the building and saw the entire college in approximately 3 minutes and saw maybe 3 students walking around.
I tried to talk with the receptionist who then sent me to another lady who informed me that we needed to make an appointment if we wanted to obtain any information. I relayed this message to Seth and we left the college.
We sat outside for a few minutes trying to decide what to do. We were either going to go back to PLBC to receive a new assignment or going out into the community to set up Soularium. Seeing as it was already 10:30, we figured it was almost too late to begin again. So we decided to make the best of our situation.
While sitting, two men from a different country (go figure) walked by asking for directions. We didn’t know where the street was located off the top of our heads (duh, we don’t live here! haha), but I pulled out my map and was eventually able to point them in the right direction. We figured we were in the right place at the right time, even if it was only to help give street directions instead of life direction.
A few short minutes later, we headed down towards Tim Horton’s in hopes of setting up Soularium. After realizing it wouldn’t work in there, we caught a bus down to City Central Mall and set up in the food court. Jonny and Adam went to the closest coffee shop, called Blendz, and set up a sign like before saying they would buy coffee if a person would share their story.
Sarah M and Sarah H manned the survey table for most of the time while Callie and I sat on a random bench reading and trying to talk with the people who sat down next to us for a rest. We had several people stop by and take the survey and chatted with a few people on the benches. Sarah H was able to give a Bible to a man that had gotten out of prison that very day! It was wonderful!
While sitting on the bench and facing a luggage store, I noticed a man wearing a red Canada hat enter that was acting strangely. I continued to watch him as he strolled around the store, proceeded to pick up a wallet from the selection placed on one table, and shove it in his back pocket. Before I could really even process what had happened, he lifted his head and looked directly into my face. I froze and freaked out for a few seconds.
I looked down at my book and continued to “read” as if I had seen nothing. I watched him as he suspiciously walked around the store a bit more acting like he was browsing through the phone cases. Eventually he left and headed toward a different store, Zellars.
I immediately went over to Callie and told her what I saw. She told me to find and tell the mall security. So I set off to find them. However, I could not and soon went back to the food court.
Just a few minutes after arriving back at the food court, a loud beeping sounded over the speaker followed by a voice saying “May I have your attention please. There is an armed situation in the mall. Please stand by for further instructions.” This continued on for several minutes and all I could think about was the suspicious man in the red Canada hat that had stolen a wallet and the fact that I never found a security guard.
A few minutes later, we saw two mall security men running toward Zellars. Finally a voice came over the speakers saying the issued had been resolved. I still wonder if it had anything to do with that man.
Our group reconvened at 3:45 PM and headed toward the SkyTrain station to begin our journey back to PLBC. That night we had our debriefing at 8 PM and worship at 9 PM. Seth spoke about waiting on God, something I know I struggle with more than I wish I did.
He hit home by stating that, “Waiting is not the same thing as doing nothing.” Just because we are in a time of waiting does not mean we should be in a time of inactivity! I believe this message hit home with many of us in the room that night. I know it did for me.