2nd Quarter 2017
Rica’s early childhood was one that many would consider perfect. She was treated as a princess, and her relatives praised her for everything she did. “I was exposed to material things,” she says, “and I was content to play video games and go to malls.”
Although Rica was allowed to be caught up in worldly activities, her mother read the Bible to her every day. But Rica felt that being faithful to God was just a waste of time. “As a kid, I didn’t think these things were necessary,” she says. “I felt that as a Catholic, I automatically belonged to God’s kingdom, so what did it matter if I was naughty.”
When Rica reached fourth grade, however, her world turned upside down. “My family started to fall apart when my mother’s side of the family and my father’s side weren’t getting along. My grandma became bedridden, and my mother felt desperate about it. My nanny, who was with me ever since I was born, left, and I was forbidden to talk to her again. Mean girls at school bullied me and judged me for my physical appearance.”
Because of the pressures in the family, Rica’s mother and her new nanny often directed their anger toward her, and Rica sank into depression. She even became suicidal. As she moved into her teen years, the upheaval in Rica’s life caused her to turn further from God. “Whenever I was invited to churches, I’d sleep the entire time. I was becoming less active in my Christian Living class. My extroverted personality became introverted, filled with agony and anger. I became rebellious.”
She was also introduced to swearing and pornography. “I became addicted, and my mind was filled with lust,” she says. “Every day I cut my skin and cried in front of the mirror, asking God why He had forsaken me. I told God to take my life away and banish me from existence.”
A New OutlookEverything changed, however, when Rica’s father introduced her to Amazing Facts. “I was deeply moved by what Pastor Doug was saying,” she remembers. “I watched sermons, and I watched the
Cosmic Conflict video. The closing prayer taught me how to repent. I saw that even though I was sinful, God still loves me.”
Rica says that Amazing Facts was an important part of her conversion experience. For example, before hearing Pastor Doug explain how to confess, she had avoided confession for fear that God would reject her. She also credits Amazing Facts for the sermons she watched that told the truth about her old church.
One of her favorite Amazing Facts resources was Joe Crews’
The Last Night on Earth, which taught her the importance of total obedience to God. “I quit the three things that were making me a hypocrite: pornography, violent video games, and Christian rock music. Why gamble your life away and waste opportunities to serve God? Why wait until the seven last plagues strike to repent?”
Rica shares that she is a whole new person. She has formed a Bible study group in her school using the
Amazing Facts Study Guides. “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Rica says that she has learned a lot from her experiences, and she thanks God for saving her even in her struggles. “I’m not sure who said this,” she says, “but it describes what I’ve been through: ‘God sometimes takes us to troubled waters not to drown us but to cleanse us.’ Without the help of Jesus through Amazing Facts, I might still be drowning in the dark abyss, cold and alone. I thank God for that precious day when my pain and brokenness were replaced by love from God.”
And thank you, friend, for helping provide the life-changing resources that have brought hope to Rica and bring hope to so many others around the world!
In every part of the world, your faithful partnership is sowing seeds of truth for a massive harvest of precious souls through Amazing Facts television and radio broadcasts, Study Guides, AFCOE programs, books, DVDs, and many other ministry facets—so the love of Jesus can touch more yearning hearts like Rica’s. Thank you!
AFCOE Brings Christ's Method of Evangelism to Churches
AFCOE is off to a robust start this year, having conducted AFCOE to Go and church training seminars in Oakland; Seattle; Keene, Texas; Glenwood Springs, Colorado; and in the Oklahoma Conference—with nearly a thousand students trained to share the last-day message in their communities. In Seattle, a local deaf-interpreter signed the presentations to a group of 15 deaf students. This is the first time we have been able to minister to the deaf community with AFCOE training!
Our AFCOE and publishing teams have produced a new outreach themed lesson book called Amazing Disciples, which is designed to help churches seeking to improve their reach for God’s kingdom in their local communities. Thank you for helping Amazing Facts serve our world churches with vital training materials!
Saving Souls in the South Pacific
Pastor Doug and the Amazing Facts team traveled to Papua New Guinea and Australia to share messages of revival and salvation in Jesus Christ. Two thousand Christians from all denominations attended the What’s Right? Global Change & the Individual series in Australia, which encouraged them to continue to value the Bible in this highly secular nation—and one church group is now even desiring to become a Sabbath-keeping congregation. And in Papua New Guinea, more than 5,000 were baptized—with thousands more interests—after Pastor Doug’s prophecy series. Your gifts are making it possible to reach places the last-day gospel has never been before!
Broadcasting Increases
Television Outreach Multiplies
As a result of extensive broadcast expansion on networks such as USA and Inspiration earlier this year, Amazing Facts has received nearly 16,400 requests from seekers wanting more Bible information after watching our programs. Moreover, we are now reaching more than four million viewers every month across our network family—which is possible only because of your amazing support.
Broadcast Streaming Advances
Since adding our flagship programming to the LightSource.com Christian streaming website, traffic has dramatically increased. For example, while there was a maximum of 8,500 views per month in 2016, our March traffic exceeded 20,000 views, with the biggest area of growth from the addition of podcasting.
Praise Report!
More than a quarter million copies of Hero of Hacksaw Ridge have been distributed, sharing the truth about God’s last-day church with many who have never heard about it before. 
Your support enabled Amazing Facts to run an extensive social media campaign advertising the book, receiving requests from more than 50,000 people!
Through your tremendous support, we have completed the update and redesign of our popular Amazing Facts Bible Study Guides. Every page has been refreshed with new graphics and updated text.
What Your Gifts Are Doing Now!
- A new sharing magazine called The Afterlife Mystery is now in production and will be available to share with millions by early fall. Look for your free copy in the mail!
- The upcoming documentary feature 40 Prophecies that Prove the Bible Is True is now in full production at our studios! Please pray for this series.
- With your support, we are producing new illustrated sermons this year covering controversial Bible topics—such as what happens when we die. This unique storytelling format will be used to reach a wider audience with Bible truth.
Your Partnership Changes Lives!
The ripple effect begins with you and radiates expanding rings of truth around the globe through our television programs, Bible School, AFCOE, and many more facets of ministry—so that more people like Rica can anchor themselves in the love and salvation of Christ and then share it with others. Thank you!
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