MY TESTIMONY
I was born legally blind. My parents moved many places during my lifetime to try and find help for me. When I was three my parents moved me to South Carolina and put me in a school for the blind. I attended there for several years. When I was six years old I became a Christian.
After having lived in South Carolina for some time, my parents moved to Linconton, North Carolina and put me in a Christian school. I attended there for one year and then my parents and I moved to Sinica, South Carolina and put me in another Christian school there.
We finally moved back to Alabama and I was put in several Christian schools there and finally my mom started home schooling me. During this time, when I was fifteen I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. I think sometime while I was sixteen I entered into something called Bible Quiz. The rest of my testimony will be about that. The following is an article about my involvement with Bible Quiz over ten years ago. This article was read by a blind man named Frank Finkinbinder. This opened the door for me to become involved with a blind ministry group called NCCB (National Church Conference of the Blind). Since that time, Bro. Frank went to a dedication of an Assembly of God library for the Blind. He mentioned in the dedication how that he read the article about me in the Pentecostal Evangel, and how he had met me as a result. Below is that article. I give all the glory to God for it.
BLIND QUIZER A REAL WINNER
By Chuck Goldberg
Due to certain circumstances, two of the names in the article have been left out
I'd rather go totally blind and know I'm on fire for God, than to get healed, have 20/20 vision and be in the world.
Born with an undeveloped optic nerve, Darrell Waters is legally blind; but his zeal for God has made him a standout on the Bible Quiz circuit. Studying by tape and magnifying machine Waters was the top quizer at last season's Atlanta Invitational, carrying his church's new team to first place in the novice division.
After just a year in Bible Quiz involvement, the 18-year-old Atmore, Alabama, resident has impressed both coaches and quizzers with his ability and dedication in the face of his handicap. "Darrell is very, very dedicated to Bible Quiz," said the First Assembly coach . "It seems like his revolves around Bible Quiz and church. His parents don't have to push him at all. He just really loves the Lord and is very eager to learn anything and everything. His dedication and commitment to the Lord are very evident. You don't have to be around him long to detect that."
Waters studies for hours each day, using either his vision scope, or cassettes his father records for him. "This is a lot of hard work," It's not something that comes easy. He really has to have a desire to do this.'
Said former coach Kay Kennedy: "Everywhere we went , people were just amazed how well he did. He memorized everything. It was unbelievable how well he knew the material."
But Waters' selfless attitude and his grace in defeat are what have a moving and powerful effect on both team mates and opponents. Facing the defending champion, First Assembly, Montgomery, Al, in last year's state finals, Water's Atmore team was on the verge of elimination. Waters, though, went all out, sacrificing his chance at a trophy for second high individual scorer--an honor he had enjoyed all year. Then before a touched crowd Waters effusively praised Krystal Lacost, who edged him for second, perennial first-place finisher Daniel Mims.
"He just kept trying to help his team," said Greg Kelly, First Assembly's quiz coach and Alabama quiz coordinator. "Because of that he didn't quite get second place. He came over after the match and congratulated Krystal and Daniel in front of the whole judging staff, going on and on about how much he respected them, appreciated their attitude, and how much he learned from them. He had the whole room in tears. He's a good quizer in his own right, but he never brags on himself at all."
Though discouraged, Waters perked up when his father told him that a quiz master had called him the biggest blessing he's had in 13 years of Bible quiz involvement. Recalled Waters: "He said, "When you put the trophies in your closet, it's the Word of God will be inside you." I could just feel the presence of God all over me. Then he said he said I had been a blessing to him. To know that you're ministering to somebody is worth more than any award you can get."
"Like a coach said, (the word in italics means it's not the original word I said and that was in the article)Bible Quiz is a ministry. There's more to it than just going in there and playing a game. It's getting the Word down into you and ministering to each other in the body of Christ. If you are there just to compete--to see who's going to win--then you're there for the wrong reason."
With his priorities straight, Waters took second place in January at the district Light Tournament in Montgomery. Daniel Mims again prevailed, but this time defeating Waters by a mere 10 points. In the meantime Waters continues to pray for restored eyesight, but he would never trade it for his relationship with God.
"The Lord's been so good to me," he said. "Jesus is really what it's all about."