Bibiana Loza is the best at finding the most obscure scriptures. The Minor Prophets some struggle to find buried deep in the Old Testament are not a challenge for Bibiana. Finding key passages of scripture with ease and speed have marked her life for the past several years.
As the 2007 State Youth Bible Drill winner, Bibiana beat out other competitors last April in challenges that test scripture memorization and knowledge of the books of the Bible order.
Bibiana began participating in children’s Bible drills at Sand Hill Baptist Church, Varnville, after watching her sister and other older youth compete. After some practice, Bibiana became proficient in the drills and eventually won the youth competition her first year contending. She was a repeat winner again this year.
“What I like most about Bible drills is the excitement that you get when you are doing it – . I just get really excited,” said Bibiana. But for all her knowledge about location of scripture, there was something missing in Bibiana’s life.
She was the only person from her youth group to attend Summersalt, the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s youth summer camp. After spending time making some friends, listening during small and large group sessions, Bibiana began to feel God’s call on her life.
“I felt like I was on one side of a solid white line and I was inching closer and closer to the other side as the days went by,” she said.
On Thursday night of camp, Beverly, Bibiana’s youth minister’s wife, asked if she was a Christian.
“That night I accepted Jesus into my heart and mind and I felt like I finally crossed that solid white line,” Bibiana said.
It was her time at Summersalt that really made Bibiana evaluate and consider her life.
“What really clicked at Summersalt is the peace and quiet that you don’t really get in the real world. It seems as if the world is winding down and slows down a bit.”
“I feel like I understand how to really study the Bible and how to fight for it, no matter what other people from other religions believe,” she said.
Today, Bibiana’s life is full of a peace she has never experienced.
“Before I was a Christian, I felt like I had a very heavy burden from something and it just kept on bottling up. I know now that I can talk to God about my problems and temptations in life, and that he can help me.”
And now with scripture taking on new life for Bibiana, participation in Bible drills will never be the same.