Every year, since 2012, South England Conference Pathfinder Bible Experience Teams travel thousands of miles to join their North American counterparts to compete in their PBE Event. Unfortunately, in 2020, because of the Covid pandemic, the teams could not travel.
This year however, on the 17th of April 2021, thirteen teams did travel across the miles to the Eastern Time Zone of the USA. They travelled via computers, phones, screens, to join another 122 Pathfinder teams across North America and Canada, along with their fellow BUC counterparts in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Northern England and Wales. Over 1000 volunteers who took on judging, technical, monitoring, grading, scribing, announcing roles, made the great event happen. It was amazing to experience, once again, God’s hand in this because by His grace, we believe the computers and devices stayed intact, the internet remained stable, the WiFi’s held up, the software showed its strength, the algorithms performed, and the children and volunteers were blessed.
It was a long day, because from 1:00 pm Sabbath afternoon, since the time they checked in, they waited in angst at what the NAD was going to serve them in terms of questions. Eight hours, 90 questions, and a worship session later the children showed some fatigue and weariness, and we wondered whether they were going to do well.
On Sunday, when the results were announced, SEC and the other BUC teams shone. The results showed that the long day did not turn affect their brains, because from the 13 SEC teams, 10 received first place and 3 second place. The teams hailed from Bristol, Newbold, Slough Ghana, Reading Ghana, London South East Community, London Ghana, Dagenham, and Stanborough Park Pathfinder Clubs.
Our congratulations go out to the children who participated, the monitors who assisted, the parents who continue to inspire their children, the pathfinder coaches, mentors and directors who work tirelessly to assist the children, and the Pathfinder area coordinators who work very hard to make Pathfinders in SEC a glorious force to be reckoned with. Our congratulations also go out to all the other British Union teams form NEC, Irish Mission and Welsh Mission for their outstanding results.
If you want to watch the event, please go to YouTube and search the ‘NAD Pathfinder’ channel.
On 24April 2021 we look forward to continue this journey, when 14 of our teams will join teams from Poland, Latvia, Holland and Cyprus to participate on the Trans European Division Level.
