BIBLE BOWL
MATCHES UPDATE:
We quizzed 7 times Friday. The scores are as follows:
1) Milton A – 205 Faith – 115 (Milton A won Nationals last year.)
2) Faith – 235 Cherryville B -125
3) Faith – 160 Bartlesville - 135
4) Cypress – 185 Faith – 180 (this was a tough loss!)
5) Faith – 210 Weedville – 125
6) Faith – 210 Mt. Zion – 135
7) Faith – 195 Milton B – 140
DAY # 3
Jim T. came around at supper time to tell us our ranking and who made it to the Individual Finals. There are two groups: the top 8 teams are in Group A, and the remaining teams are in Group B. We found out that not only did our team make it to the A Group, but that we tied for 4th place overall!! That was quite a surprise to all of us. Every one in the A Group will come away with Scholarship money, no matter how you place. That will be a first for us. Also, Chris and Ben were in the Individual Finals. They played yesterday. The top ten quizzers will get scholarship money. We will find out at the Banquet who those winners may be.
We are so proud of our kids. They have really put themselves out there to make friends with the other quizzers here. They have had such good attitudes – no complaining. I wish you all could be here to experience this. You would be amazed, as we are, at how well they are doing.
So, pray for us tomorrow. We have 7 quizzes (each 12 min. halves) in a row. Our quizzes so far have been all 6 min. halves. So, it will be a long day for everyone. All of our Faith family “spectators” have been so helpful and supportive to our team and to Sarah and I. It’s been great having them all here. Several just left our room (it’s now midnight), to get some sleep. We got back to our rooms around 9:30 pm and have spent all this time just talking, telling stories, and laughing. In fact, I don’t know when I have laughed so much. I think it was just a stress reliever, especially for Sarah and I. But, its time to get some sleep, so we can be rested for our day tomorrow. I probably won’t be able to send an e-mail tomorrow night, but we will let people know through texting how things are going.
We will miss everyone on Sunday. I believe Ray and I will try to attend some big Wesleyan Church in Hamburg, NY. Most everyone else will be heading back. We should be home by Tuesday evening.
See you then,
Pam
DAY # 2
Hey all,
It has been such a good day. I know you have heard from several here, keeping you updated (even texts from me!). But, we are so proud of how well the kids are doing. They continue to get complements from other coaches and quiz masters.
We had one hour of written quizzes (10 quizzes in all). There is a possible 100 points per team on writtens, and one of scores was 90! Ben, Chris, and Abby all had perfect scores.
Last year we had won only 1 game in the preliminaries. We have already won 5, and we still have 7 quizzes tomorrow.
Everyone is very tired, mentally and physically. Lots of walking up and down stairs and hills! I know I have been up since 5:30am (Ray went for an early bike ride). Ray has been enjoying his bike rides. Lots of hills, that he is not used to. He said he encountered two things he has never encounted on a bike ride before: a deer and a skunk. The deer stared him down then took off into the woods; the skunk was suprised and Ray was suprised (he first thot it was a cat). It raised its tail, turned around, and waddled away. Ray also turned around, thankful he didn’t get ”sprayed”!!
The big excitement in this town (of 1700 people) are the trips to Dollar General (five miles away). And the guys have made lots of trips there. We didn’t go out to eat this year, because, frankly there is no place to go out to eat. Sarah and I did go to the Coaches Round Table and got some new ideas.
We are practicing II Corinth 1: 3-7 in regards to our living conditions….It is much cooler today, so that has helped!
Like I said, its been a good day, and we are praising the Lord for it. Thank you for your prayers. Pray for us tomorrow (especially around 3:30 pm as we will be quizzing Union St.)
In Him,
Pam
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DAY # 1
Everyone arrived safely, we are thankful for that. Especially the Sandburgs who ventured into Canada without passports or ID’s….we are lucky the authorities let them back into the US….what a story they have!!
Last year Sarah and I were overwhelmed right at the start….from the first Coaches meeting. This year, it was the first impression of our accommodations. It appeared to be similar to staying at Orleans Campgrounds. No air conditioning……one bathroom and set of showers to be shared by all 22 of us!! We immediately began to seek out the other dorms, but it would mean we would have to separate the girls and the guys. Since we all packed as a family, that would be hard to do. Besides, the other dorms weren’t much better, nor did they have air conditioning (there is a heat wave here). So, we decided to accept our lot and deal with it. We learned that we are the only ones on this floor, so we have access to the other showers and bathrooms. The first thing Sarah did was to put signs up to designate the Men’s and Women’s Restrooms. Mike M. went to the Dollar General down the road to buy box fans for all the rooms. We also need special “adapters” to plug in our hair dryers, etc. Needless to say, we have been spoiled these past years, staying a Southern Wesleyan and IWU!!
After Sarah and I got to the Coach’s Meeting we realized we were to bring our Captains. They draw the “number” of our team from a hat and introduce themselves and tell where they are from,etc. So, I called Denise Cahill and asked her to send Drew and Ben to this meeting. I told them I would meet them at the front of the building so they would know where to go. They never came, so I called Denise back to ask where they were, and she said they were in the elevator. I couldn’t figure out how I had missed them, but I went back to the meeting room, thinking they would be there. They were not. I then got a text from Denise saying they were in the basement of the Campus Center because a Tornado was coming. ( We were clueless in our meeting that anything was going on) I guess as Ray, Denise, and Drew were heading to the meeting they were stopped by security who told them to seek shelter, that a tonado had touched down about 20 miles north of us. When it was all clear and we were all together again at the Campus Center, I asked where the Sandburgs were staying. Bob said 20 miles north of here. I said we’d better call and make sure they were okay. They were fine and had no idea about the tornado. Lots of excitement for one day, and we haven’t even started! Our first quiz in the morning is with the Team who won Nationals last year. I guess it will be better to just get that one out of the way right off the bat.
It’s quiet now, everyone is settling in. Pray for us tomorrow. We have one hour of written quizzes, then individual quizzing, and our first team quiz is at 11:00am. We have 7 team quizzes tomorrow. I will text you the scores, Mitzi, as I get time.
Until tomorrow….
Pam