Inter-America’s Bible Competition Finalists to Compete in Mexico

November 17, 2017 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

Young finalists representing Inter-America’s Seventh-day Adventist church territories will take part in the final Bible competition of the year on Dec. 2. Twenty finalists are set to travel to Riviera Maya, Mexico, to test their knowledge on the books of Daniel, Hosea and Joel after months of competing against peers across campgrounds and churches in their respective countries and islands.

This year becomes the 14^th such annual territory-wide Bible initiative that has engaged thousands of young people to dive into studying specific books to strengthen their spiritual life, organizers said.

One change this year is the name change of the bible event across the IAD to Bible Connection instead of the Bible Boom one used previous years, said Pastor Al Powell, youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America. “The new name will allow for greater involvement in the reading of the Word of God while the software is adjusted throughout Inter-America,” he said.

Powell said the Bible books being studied this year are in line with the General Conference’s study of the Bible initiative by the youth ministries department this year.

Finalists will answer 50-55 questions in the final competition, which will be held at Teatro de la Ciudad in Riviera Maya, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

This year finalists include 21 of the 24 church regions in Inter-America. Powell reported that the Caribbean and Puerto Rican Unions were not able to hold their regional bible competitions due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria which hit their islands in September. In addition, the Dutch Caribbean Union will not take part in the event.

This year’s finalists include:

Atlantic Caribbean Union:  Adrian Reader

Belize Union:  Jacqueline Olivas

Central Mexican Union:  Francisco Rodríguez

Chiapas Mexican Union:  Dulce Nango

Cuban Union:  Yelianni Mayor

Dominican Union:  Yosandra Matos

East Venezuela Union:  Daniela Figueroa

El Salvador Union:  Elmer Hernández

French Antilles Guiana Union:  Laskmi Ketsia Bolivar

Guatemala Union:  Nereyda Pérez

Haitian Union:  Nelson Edner

Honduras Union:  Valeria Manueles

Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union:  Emmanuel Gazal

Jamaican Union:  Crystal Clarke

North Colombia Union:  Carlos Andrés Barreto

North Mexican Union:  Abigail Cruz Escalera

Panama Union: Michelle Nicole Latibeaudiere

South Central American Union:  Fressia Elías Ortíz

South Colombia Union:  Holman Yessith Palacio Ortega

Southeast Mexican Union:  Aaron Zapata

West Venezuela Union:  Aquiles Torres

For more information on this year’s Inter-American Bible Connection finale competition, visit us at interamerica.org