April 22, 2011 – Mexico City, Mexico…Libna Stevens/IAD
The Inter-American Pathfinder Camporee held its Bible bowl competition before night fell yesterday. Twenty-one pathfinders representing the 21 church regions comprising the territory took to the stage to sit behind computer terminals and answer a series of questions on the Book of 1 Samuel.
The top three winners representing the Spanish, English and French territories of the church in Inter-America included Juan de Dios Dzib grand winner from the South Mexican Union; Nicoyann Blackette of the Caribbean Union took second place, and Emmanuelle Sainte-Rose Fanchine of the French Antilles Union took the third place.
“You participated in this Bible competition not to win a prize but you have demonstrated that you live in your Bible,” said Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America as he addressed the finalists. “It is very important for you to spend the rest of your lives falling in love with the Bible.”
As Pastor Benjamin Carballo, youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America and top organizer of the camporee, announced the winner he congratulated all for studying the Bible.
“You are an example of everything a pathfinder should be-a student of the Bible,” said Benjamin Carballo, “Young people who each day learn of Jesus and live for Him.
Carballo announced that all finalists would be automatically registered to take part in Inter-America’s territory-wide camporee to be announced at the closing of the camporee.
Among the prizes, each of the top three winners received an ipod touch from the Inter-American Division, an airplane ticket to attend the International Pathfinder Camporee to be held in 2014 in the United States.
Bible bowl winner Juan de Dios Dzib, age 10, is a sixth grader from the Emmanual Club from Yucatan, South Mexico. To get to represent his union meant he had to beat hundreds at the district, conference, and union level contests.
“When they launched the Bible bowl in my church, I signed up immediately,” said de Dios who is an only child. “I want to thank God first and later my parents because they supported me in everything and they even studied with me.”
His parents aren’t surprised. “No one was able to beat him in the competitions, because he committed the entire book of 1 Samuel to memory,” added de Dios. He is says his father studied the book and made up questions to help him review.
Top leaders from each of the three winning unions promised their finalists a laptop computer.
Fabiola Quinto contributed to this article.
For more information on Inter-America’s Pathfinder Camporee and photos of the Bible Bowl, visit us at www.interamerica.org
