Thailand and more...

Heaven Rejoices!

"Will you do a Bible Study with me?"

If you would have asked me 10 years ago if I thought I would be on the other side of the world spending my Thursday evenings talking to prostitutes, I would have said you're crazy…and rude!  Before I met Jesus, I would look forward to Thursdays as I would partake in endless drinking and other hopeless activities.  But thankfully, my Thursday nights have changed from living in sin to loving those trapped in it.  I look forward to Thursday nights because it means I get to hang out with prostitutes and “Mamasans” (a term used to refer to a woman who manages the prostitutes) whom I love.  Yup, you read that correctly. 

We go on the streets to love them and minister to them, and they welcome us with open arms.  We hear things like “Aren’t you scared of us because we are shameful?” What a beautiful open door to the Gospel those statements are.  No, we aren’t scared because we are filled with love--not from ourselves, but from a loving Father in heaven who loves them too.  

One Thursday, I met a girl whom we will call “Jenna.”  Jenna is warm, friendly, and tender-hearted despite the harsh reality of her lifestyle.  As we were talking with her and a few of the other ladies, she asked if we would continue to come out and minister to them.  We answered that we would, and she leaned over, looked me in the eyes and said, “Will you do a Bible study with me? I want to make time for the Lord.”  Little did she know I had it on my heart to do just that! I wholeheartedly agreed to do a Bible study with her, and she asked for a Bible. She then agreed to read a certain portion of scripture weekly and then ask us any questions she may have as we discuss it the next week.   

We then discovered that her family lived in the same neighborhood as one of the translators who was ministering with us!  Jenna invited us to come to her home and have a study with not only her, but her whole family!  As we were discussing the details, a “customer” came and selected her, and just like that, she was in the car.  My heart sank as I saw her waving to us from the car with a big smile. 

I will see Jenna again with a Bible for her in my hands.  Please pray for these ladies like sweet Jenna.  Pray that they would be transformed by God’s love and conviction.  Pray for more opportunities to sow the Word of God in their hearts and see it take root and grow.  What an amazing God we serve, who loves us all so well and who searches out our hearts, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in.  Thank you for allowing me to love those whom Jesus loves here in the Philippines!

Your Missionary,

Bethany Ricci

THAILAND

This October, I have an amazing opportunity to partner with ministries in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand and serve with them as they combat the thriving sex trade and bring hope to hopeless situations.  This has been a dream of mine for years, and I am so excited that the doors have opened to go!  The trip will cost roughly about $1000.  If you would like to contribute to my trip to Thailand or other future missions trips, please see “How Can You Partner With Me?” below.  

Chikunwhat?...and Thailand!

The Lice Girl

Jesus LOVES the little children

April: Look at what YOUR support is doing!

Greetings Friends, Family & Partners,

This month I am sharing with pictures all God is doing and how YOU are helping Him!  

Here are just a few things I would like to thank you for:

1. Your partnership is helping these young girls & others fight malnourishment and hear the Gospel!

2. Supplying the NT in her hands! She memorized 12 verses in order to receive it.

3. Providing the nutritious food for Feeding Hope in two schools which opens the door for sharing the Gospel weekly. (More schools to be added soon!)

4. Helping to feed & care for the babies at HFAC Orphanage. (Sorry I can’t show his face for legal reasons - but he’s a super cutie)

5. Providing restoration and a safe place to girls (2-13yrs) to come after being rescued from sex trafficking. (Please continue to pray that we receive girls soon at the Hope House!)

6. Contributing to HFAC’s Youth Fun Days where youth can come for worship, teaching/preaching, prayer, food and fun! (photos below)

Thank you!

Your Missionary,

Bethany Ricci

Youth Fun Days:

How Can You Partner With Me & HFAC?

Contribute Monthly or with a one-time gift:

You can do so by visiting www.fire-international.org (please indicate donation is for Bethany Ricci)   All contributions are tax-deductible. :)

Pray with Me:

• Grace to learn Cebuano language
• Hope House progress
• Total health & protection 
• God’s will to be accomplished in the Philippines through the HFAC team.
• Funds for a vehicle: Aprox. 8k still needed for a small 4x4 vehicle needed for the terrain on Samal Island. 

True Safety?

Can I just tell you that I am SO thankful Jesus never leaves me nor forsakes me?!  Even when I'm at my worst and I don’t understand why certain things turn out the way they do He still gives me the choice to decide how I can respond.  And it isn't always easy but I am thankful I can choose Him, choose His joy, peace, comfort, restoration…Yes, I choose to trust Him, what else is there to do?  What do I have to lose in doing so? Why not risk it...and trust? (See Psalm 56:3)

Too often we look for a "safe place" to test out the waters again - a safe church, ministry, relationship, etc.  But the thing is all those things involve people, and people aren't safe, they're human; and broken humans are bound to make mistakes and sometimes disappoint.  But that doesn't mean it isn't worth it.  To truly live this life is to expose your heart and take a risk and abandon false safety.   Is it really fun standing on the shoreline when there are   oceans full of things to be discovered and explored?!  Or would you rather play it safe?  At the very least take leap of faith and get your feet wet.


Yes its dangerous, following God is dangerous, people may disagree with you, abandon you, persecute you, mock you etc...and you might get hurt in whatever the process it is you are going through, but if it is shoulder to shoulder with Jesus it's the "safest" place you can be.  Because He alone is good. 

The only true safety I want to know is that I am in God's will. That’s safety.  In the face of danger, tears, or pain what more can I do then to stand firm, embracing life’s challenges and choosing to laugh at what the future may hold; embracing each step of the journey and process, accepting that Christ may not be "physically" safe but He is good..  I don’t have all the answers.  Quite honestly I don’t need them.  What I do need is to know God and be known by Him...and Be.In.His.Will. 

I want to live a life of adventure with Him, bold, free, and brave-- confident in His love for me, scaling mountains and leaping far beyond all the distractions and circumstances that would try to come steal, kill and destroy and tell me otherwise.

And why am I saying all this? --Because at this time of year we should all be reminded that Jesus didn't play it "safe" concerning us.  He took the greatest risk of all time and dared to love us.  You see the loudest proclamation of love in all of history rung out thousands of years ago. It was a Son on a cross in excruciating pain, weeping, in utter anguish, bearing the weight of the world on His perfect sinless shoulders....and this proclamation of love didn't end there either…He not only took on this great weight but died doing it and then turned around and defeated the grave, rose again, and now promises to return to us.  

But He hasn’t left us...yes He may not be here in the flesh but He is within our depths.   His word says He is with us always (Matt. 28:20).  With each breath and every movement in our being He is there.  He is there in the valley where our faith and trust may falter, and He is there at the mountain top gazing at the beauty of the path traveled to get there.  He is with us when we are deciding what to make for dinner, what outfit to wear, what job offer to accept or what path to choose.  He’s in the details.  He’s actively present.   We only need be still, stop the hectic rush and cause our senses to be deliberate in acknowledging His graceful, grace-filled presence in our lives.   

I know many of us have experienced so many unplanned & unexplainable things, deep suffering, pain and loss.  But God promises to make good out of the storms that may bring challenges or devastation in our lives (Read Romans 8!).  

So we need not fear whether or not Jesus is committed.  He isn’t giving up, nor will He - He has made a covenant with those who believe and He is the absolute King of the follow through.  And what a beautiful demonstration of this when He hung on the cross. I can personally guarantee and more importantly the word guarantees that there is truly no greater love than this.  My best friend gave His life for me so I could truly live.  I may not always be literally safe but I am in the safety of His friendship and leading in my life. And I need not fear but only believe for I am His, and He is mine and I think we got a good thing going on. ;-)

I don't want to live like He’s still in the grave or in such a way that I disvalue the work of the cross.  My life is dangerous because I have made the safest choice, Him.  I want to make His name famous among the nations so He can return as promised.  I want to honor the King of the follow through by doing just that- following through.  I want to waste my life giving myself to him over and over again until that precious moment He calls me home; and I invite you to do the same.  He's the only one who is worthy of such dedication, time, effort and honor...and He is forever my dangerous safe place.

Happy Easter everyone and may your heart soar with the endless possibilities that are available if only you truly believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus! 

With my heart on my sleeve,

Bethany 

March 2015 Update

Jesus: Friend of Sinners

Flip Flops of Hope - Video!

I am still glowing the the goodness of the Lord and all He did for the children through Flip Flops of Hope.  Please watch this brief video -- thank you for your continued support! 

Happy 2015~January is off to a great start!