L2ashbash
read my profile
sign my guestbook

Visit L2ashbash's Xanga Site!

Name: Ashlee
Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
Birthday: 7/16/1987
Gender: Female


Interests: Adventure


Message: message me
AIM: L2ashbash


Member Since: 3/17/2005

SubscriptionsSites I Read
yougotgutzkid
thomandker
emnorman
auntkelli
ashleysmeemaw
dimora
HouseOfSmooches
gmaReal
fiaschetti

Groups Blogrings
A Missionary's Life
previous - random - next

Heart for God's, Heart for the nations [Missions]
previous - random - next

Adventures in missions
previous - random - next


Posting Calendar

|<< oldest | newest >>|
view all weblog archives

Get Involved!

Suggest a link

Recommend to friend

Create a site


Tuesday, January 04, 2011

New Blog :)

 

Below is the link to my new blog with Hope Renewed International.  All my future blog posts will be on this blog.  I have just updated it with our latest news so please check it out. Thanks :)          

 

http://www.hoperenewedinternational.org/blog/

 

 

 


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Motivation

What keeps your spirits up when everything around you seems to be pulling down?  How do you keep going when you feel so unmotivated?  I cannot say it was easy to come to my home a few weeks ago and see that many of my belongings had been stolen.  It was not any easier to know that after I had moved out the house was broken into again, the thieves taking everything left behind including the doors.  It is never easy to understand why?  But I have to remember the Limonada is full of people in desperate situations making desperate decisions.  This was risk I ran over 2 and 1/2 years ago when I moved into the ghetto and it was not until a few weeks ago that I was broken into for the first time.  Most of these people have only been taught to steal in difficult times.  I have told many of you on mission trips to the ghetto if your mom or dad never got you out of bed for school when you were little would you have gone?  I know I would not have, I hated going to school if I remember correctly.  Well, most these teens and adults never had anyone get them out of bed to seek a good life.  Many of these people had their parents get them out of bed to work at a young age or to teach them the gangster street lifestyle.  I know that I am who I am today because of my parents and all of those mornings they got me out of bed.  The nights they stayed up late and worked on homework and studying for crazy spelling tests as I hung upside-down on the couch not wanting to take anymore.  Unfortunately most of the children and youth of the ghetto and dump do not have parents encouraging them at home to seek a brighter future or showing them Christian values.  If the parents want to change and give their kids what they did not most of them do not have enough education to help their kids with their homework and tests.

  

 

My house being broken into is one more reason why these people need the organization that I am starting.  Parents need a place to learn practical work skills and hope of finding a permanent job.  Children need a place to get homework help and tutoring.  The youth need a distraction from the streets at the gym, arcade and internet cafe that will be in the community center. I believe we can see this community and many others change through education, job training, job opportunities, provisions and access to basic needs (clean water, food and shelter) as well as basic humanitarian relief.

Below is the letter from a woman from a ghetto like the Limonada who is in prison:

A card from a desperate Mother

 

First before anything I want to tell you a little about my case.  Well, I was the friend of a lady and I did her a favor to earn some desperately needed money for my family.  But when I was doing the favor someone filmed me and I was captured by the police for the crimes of extortion and assailant.  I have a lawyer and I have already paid him a small part of the fee, I have a lot more to pay but anyways...

I want to touch your noble heart and ask that you help me.  I have four children and I am a widow now for almost five years.  I was the only one who had a job in my house to provide a living.  I lived with my parents but they were to old to find any work.  My parents are the ones who are caring for my children while I am here in prison.  I am really not sure how long I will be here because I have not had my hearing yet.  I am asking of your good heart if you could extend a hand to me with some kind of help.  My oldest son is --years old his name is Angel Rigoberto* and currently he is the only one with a job in the house.  I cry a lot here because I lack many things but it doesn't matter because at the end of the day I can at least eat the prison food.  But I am not sure if my family at the end of the day has eaten or not.  I cry as a mother because my children do not have the help of any other family members, we only have each other.  What can I do from here for them?  I can only ask God to have mercy on me and my family and that He will help me get out of here.  I mostly suffer for my family.  I don't care about myself or my needs it is for them that I am reaching out for help, as embarrassing as it may be.  I don't want the other woman here to know that I am writing to you because they may make fun of me for asking for help.  You know how it is and know that I am changing my life.  I am reading the Bible everyday and I am asking the Lord that someone helps me.  

Maybe one day you will have some free time and you could call my second to oldest son Miguel Antonio* and you could encourage him during this difficult time of not having his mother.  I would be so thankful.  He really wants to work during school vacations and he is currently looking for a job because he wants to help me and the family.  He is -- years old and his number is 5555-5555 if you wish to call him and encourage him.

I have a daughter whose name is Kimberly Maribel* she is -- years old, she is a young lady that also needs a lot of guidance and words of wisdom.  My youngest son is -- years old, his name is Jose David.* My mother's name is Ana Guadalupe* and she is -- years old.  My old man's name is Carlos Enrique* and he is -- years old.  All of them depend on me and I am here without the ability to do anything because I am locked up. What more can I do than ask for the help of someone?  I thought of you because I don't have anyone else who can help me.  Sometimes I go hungry because the prison food comes filthy and I cannot eat it and I have to fight the hunger because I have no money to buy other food.  My son and father do come to see me but they cannot bring me anything because they only have enough money to pay for the bus.  It does not matter because I want to see them and they want to see me too.  They cannot let the week go by without seeing me.  That is why I am like foreigner here but with a family because I have no one to bring me food.

My oldest son quit school to work to support the family.  He wants to help me also and that hurts me inside because I know he has the dream of becoming an accountant but he left it all to help his brothers, sisters and I. He is the only one helping my family during this time.

Ashley, please I ask you to help me but I don't want any of the other women to know because I am very embaressed.

If you do not believe my story please call my house and talk to my family and son.   That way you can go to visit my humble home it is made up of only tin slabs.  We do not have electricity or running water because it was cut off because at the time no one had a paying job.  If my family needs water or lights my neighbor sells buckets of water to them and runs an extension cord to the house for a price.  I hope you can understand why I robbed.  I wanted to give my family a better life, but I couldn't and now I am here behind bars without anyway to even help them get food. I tell you this so that you will believe me. My address is -----, a ghetto much like the Limonada.  


If God puts it on your heart please call my son and tell him how you know me and if he will take you to the house.  When you go you will see that everything I have told you is true.  I hope you can respond to me soon.

May God bless you and take care of you for the great person that you are. Te Quiero Mucho.

Azucena Ariceli

Here is my ID number --- so you can look up my case number and see that what I have told you is true and hopefully you can help me. 

For women like this I want to be able to have a job training program in the prison with possibilities of earning money through a small job to support their families.  Everybody deserves a chance in life. Through our new organization Hope Renewed International has the mission of being dedicated to improving quality of life, renewing hope by providing relief to those in need and providing opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them.

If you are interested in supporting our effort or participating in a mission trip that includes working in the ghetto, dump, orphanages and prison please write to Hoperenewedinternational@gmail.org  

*Names have been changed for the safety of the prisoner and her family. 

Special thanks to Jordan, Lynn and Carolyn for your photos :)


Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Thank You Lynn and Carolyn :)

This last week the people of Guatemala and I were blessed by the visit of Lynn and Carolyn who come down throughout the year to volunteer.  I am always blessed by their passion and commitment to the people of this country.  

They blessed me in many ways.  Not only did they bless with much love and encouragement but also with many new things for my apartment.   We had many adventures in the community.  Everywhere from the dump to the ghetto to the Terminal and of course to both women's prisons.  I want to share with you below some of the pictures from their trip and how they blessed the people.  

The ghetto was very exciting.  Carolyn got to street dance with some of the guys and Lynn was able to give out t-shirts that a friend of hers had donated.  They were also able to visit Hermana Sara and encourage her :)  

        

In the dump they helped us give out 35 water filters, food and clothing.

        

At Santa Teresa Prison and COF they helped give out blankets to the children that are in prison with their mothers and donated paint and christmas tree for the isolated girls' cells and the nursery at COF.

  

Thanks Lynn and Carolyn I hope you can come down again very soon :)

If you are interested in coming down like Lynn and Carolyn to volunteer please send an e-mail to hoperenewedinternational@gmail.com 

 


Thursday, October 28, 2010

Going Forward


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Everything Happens for a Reason...

I can't say these last few weeks have been the easiest weeks of my life but they have definitely been a time to learn and be thankful.  Last week my house was broken into and my laptop, flatiron, watch and other items were stolen.  Because I live by myself I made the very difficult decision to move a couple of blocks outside of the ghetto.  I will still be doing the same work but as I was leaving with my stuff many people stopped to beg me not to go many believing I would never be back.  I live within walking distance of the ghetto and it is very nice because I don't have to climb hundreds of steps anymore to get anywhere.  

As many of you know I have started playing basketball a lot in my free time.  We recently started a team in the ghetto.  We had our first game Sunday at 7 PM.  I was so excited about playing and couldn't wait to show of my skills hahaha.  Well, that day I ended up having my boyfriends sister over and at the last minute decided not to go to my game and to take her to the fair. I knew she would probably be bored watching us play and knew the guys would do fine without me.  At 7:30 PM where I was supposed to be playing basketball there was a drive by shooting and 7 of the guys were shot.  I am thankful to report no one was killed. all but one have been released from the hospital.  At this point no one knows why the shooting occurred.  All I know was that I was supposed to be there and once again God has saved my life.

Nothing is coincidence God is doing things around you all the time.  

Monday I was talking to an active gang member in prison.  She told me "I know I am here because this is where I deserve to be.  I know I am not getting out of here because actions have consequences.  I have a daughter and she should know that her Mom is in prison because she is guilty and there is a price to pay."  I told her that although there is a price to pay God is merciful and forgiving.  And she answered "I know and I am so thankful I can pay for this here in prison and not in eternity and it is only because of God's mercy. "    

 

 



Next 5 >>


<bgsound src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr0fkzeBzuU">