Pennsylvania ABE Team Places First in Poland

Story by Tamyra Horst

Four months of training. Sixteen hours of travel. First place. 

The Soldiers of Christ Adventurer Bible Experience (ABE) team, composed of Adventurers from Pennsylvania Conference’s Berwick, Bethlehem and Philadelphia Hispanic churches, recently traveled to Katowice, Poland, for the Trans-European Division's (TED) ABE, becoming the first club from the United States to participate. "For the first time in the history of the competition, a U.S. flag was displayed on stage. We were so proud," says Lucy Corbin, a parent and chaperone from the Berwick church. 

Sixty-two teams of children ages 6 to 10 from 10 countries gathered to answer questions from Isaiah 6–9. Four of the Soldiers of Christ young people participated in person. Two other team members joined virtually due to visa challenges, waking up at 2 a.m. each morning to join their teammates for the competition. 

When the results were announced, the Adventurers from Pennsylvania became the first U.S. team to earn first place! "The kids were so excited," Corbin says. "Parents watching on site and back home on the livestream were so proud!" 

These elementary school children memorized three to six chapters each from the book of Isaiah and could all explain chapters 6–19 verse by verse.

The group, composed of Adventurers from Pennsylvania Conference’s Berwick, Bethlehem and Philadelphia Hispanic churches, celebrated by participating in a scavenger hunt, searching for Bible characters related to the book of Isaiah. After a two-hour walk, the Adventurers received a special pin for the event. Some joined the United Kingdom's Filipino International church members in distributing more 2,000 pieces of literature. 

"The trip to the Adventurers Bible Experience was an amazing opportunity to show our little Adventurers what a wonderful worldwide family we belong to," Corbin concludes. "Studying the Bible was our goal, memorizing the Bible was the reward, but everything that came with it was an unexpected bonus. Thank you, Jesus, for the safe travels and for this opportunity."