Today is #GivingTuesday! Giving Tuesday is “a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.” You can be a part of #AshleysAmigos by supporting the people of San Salvador from the States! Since moving here, my support has dropped slightly. When I moved seven months ago, I was at 100% of my monthly goal. As of today, I am at 91%. THIS IS AMAZING!
It is my prayer that today, new people will step up to support my work in San Salvador and current supporters will increase their monthly giving! I am praying that by December 31st, I will be back at 100% to start the new year without ANY financial worries!
These are a few moments from the past seven months that I am most thankful for:
The feeling of excitement, uncertainty, AND certainty as the plane glided through the air from the US to El Salvador on a one-way ticket.
Seeing the smile on Jorge’s face as he walked into church after 50+ days in bed, completely healed from his back injury!
Watching a busload of kids from Guayabo experience the beach for the first time ever and watch three of them hand their lives over to Jesus as they were baptized!
Hearing the women of Soyapango laugh when I called a lychee fruit a “fresa con pelo” (strawberry with hair)!
Burning my mouth on a steaming (but SO DELICIOUS) empanada given to me by Virginia, the grandmother of Steven, one of the children at our Soyapango Development Center. Steven is only 10 years old and is already being pursued by the local gang. But he is persevering in his studies and his faith, and Virginia daily walks him through gang territory to the Center. Steven now has a special place in my heart, and I think I now have a special place in Virginia’s!
It has been friendships and moments like these that have allowed me to share Jesus’ love with the people of San Salvador. And that was just the first seven months! I am so excited to see what next year brings! Your continued and increased support will allow me to become even more effective in 2017. I will help fundraise for a new Computer and English Center at Guayabo, where doors to successful futures will be open to our students that have remained shut for years. I will help to create and lead an English Academy out of Iglesia Gran Comisión, helping the people of our church to not only have more successful careers but get connected to our church community as well. I will become a more integral part of our Mission Coordinating Team and I WILL become a translator for mission teams (#goals)!
If you feel led to begin supporting me or increasing your giving, simply go to reliant.org/ashley.arend to create/login to your account at reliant.org! Thanks to supporters like you, God has been working IN me so He can work THROUGH me to change the lives of His Salvadoran people.
AND DON’T FORGET TO TAKE AN #UNSELFIE OF YOURSELF SAYING WHY YOU SUPPORT GOD’S WORK HERE AND USE #ASHLEYSAMIGOS! 📸
This year’s Thanksgiving is being spent a liiiiittle differently than in years past. Rather than waking up early to cuddle with Dewey on the couch and watch the Macy’s Parade, I woke up early (at 4:30am!!) to go to the gym with Silvia. 💪🏼 Rather than warming up my stomach with Dad’s sunny-side-up eggs and bacon for breakfast, I enjoyed a typical Salvadoran breakfast of scrambled eggs, beans, and cheese. Rather than setting the table for incoming family, I’ll be meeting with our team to plan the rest of the year. And rather than devouring Dad’s homemade turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (inside AND outside stuffing!) and my own pumpkin pies, Ali and I will be attempting to cook a few of our US Thanksgiving favorites for friends and family here. 🍗
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, November 29th, is #GivingTuesday. Giving Tuesday is “a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.” Instead of scouring websites for ridiculously good deals (I was never emotionally stable enough to face the thousands of crazies IN the stores), this year, I will focus on using what I have to give back to the country I now call home. 💖
Check back here and on my Instagram over the next few days to find out how I will be giving back and how you can be a part of #AshleysAmigos, supporting the people of San Salvador from the States! 🇺🇸➳🇸🇻
I can’t believe how fast June just flew by me! It seems like just last week it was May! June was jam packed with equal parts fun and work – mostly because my job is seriously fun!
Three of the four weeks in June were spent with mission teams! The first of which, I am more than a little biased towards – Rock City! A team of ten people from my beloved home church Rock City came to serve my beloved city of San Salvador! They spent their week here serving our two Children’s Development Centers in Soyapango and Guayabo. But the most amazing day was the team’s last day here – not because it was beach day and DEFINITELY not because it was the day before they left – but because the team got to be a part of something really special – a baptism day! Six people (three kids and three adults!) from our Iglesia Gran Comisión San Salvador/Guayabo location asked to be baptized! So we filled a school bus with families from Guayabo and took them to the beach! Guayabo is a village on the side of an inactive volcano in San Salvador, so for most of these kids, that day was their first time in the ocean! There are few things more joyful than a child’s first steps on the beach!
The day started off cloudy, but we managed to enjoy ourselves anyway! After some splashing in the water and sand between our toes, we retreated to the pool for our baptisms! After six people left their lives at the foot of Jesus’ cross, we celebrated and God pushed the clouds aside and the sun came out!
When we have mission teams visiting and serving, my job is to assist Sarah, our Mission Team Coordinator with the team. I help with logistics, making sure everyone is where they should be, kind-of, sort-of translating and just acting as an extra pair of hands. I love serving with the teams because it’s a fresh breath of air talking with people from my own country. The hard part is that I bond with these people, and just as we’ve become close, they head back to the States!
After the Rock City team, we had a week break and then Cedar Creek came down from Toledo! It was an OH-IO month! We ended the month just a few days ago with a team from Bay Area Community Church in Annapolis, Maryland – Sarah’s home church! The Rock City team baptized people, the Cedar Creek team fixed the Guayabo broken-down swings and the Bay Area team repainted the church! WHEW! What a month of service!
When I get the chance to catch up with friends and family on the phone, most of the time, one of their first questions is “How’s your Spanish?!” Well…I’m definitely better than I was almost 3 months ago! Working with the children at the Guayabo Development Center has definitely helped my Spanish because they speak no English, other than the very limited basics that missionaries have taught them! There are many times when I ask them, “Como??” (What??), they repeat themselves and I understand and maybe even learn something new. But there are also times when I must concede and say, “Lo siento mi amor, pero noentiendo!” (I’m sorry my love, but I don’t understand!) Most times, they just shrug their shoulders, offer me a hug for trying and go about playing. They’re some of my most patient and helpful teachers!
I still have frustrations when I am hanging out in social groups and I don’t understand everything, but I’m getting better and eventually I will understand and be back to my old self, laughing along and making my own jokes!
In just three short weeks, on July 30th, another Rock City mission team is coming! This team is EXTRA special for me because a few of my most favorite people are on it!
Ali Howard, my best friend who will be joining me in full-time mission work here (hopefully!) in a few months!
Olivia, a 16-year-old student from Rock City Youth (you may know Olivia as my very sweet friend and disciple), her sister Tatum and their dad.
Carmen, another amazing Youth chica
A handful of other people who have been to San Salvador before, but never with me!
My girl, Ali
Carmen & I at the Love Is Red Youth Conference
Mi amorita, Olivia
Olivia + Tatum + Me
I am SO looking forward to this team! When they arrive, it will have been over 3 months since I’ve seen these “besties,” and my heart needs the refresher!
This will be the last Rock City team for the year, so it’s your last chance to send any care packages (aka, my love language 😉 )my way without paying international shipping 😃 I am so happy living here, but I definitely miss the States, so notes and packages from home will flood my heart with love and joy!
My current, and most necessary prayer request is for my temporary residency visa. I am currently in El Salvador on a 90-day tourist visa. It will expire on July 19th, in less than two weeks. The process for acquiring my temporary residency visa is quite complicated. It requires a lot of paperwork that must be filled out in just the right way. I went to Immigration two weeks ago with the hopes of being given my visa that day, but was given a litany of things that needed to be revised. For example, on the application, we wrote my nationality as “USA” and the government would prefer it to say “estadounidense,” a Spanish term for a person from the USA. My US background check was translated into Spanish at home in Columbus. The Salvadoran government wants it translated and notarized by a Salvadoran notary. We have since remedied these things and more, and will hopefully have the documents back from the lawyer and ready to go tomorrow, Thursday. I will go back to Immigration on Friday, where they will take all my documents and give me a date (most likely around Wednesday of next week) to come back and be informed about whether there are more changes to be made, or (hopefully!!) they will say everything looks great and they will issue me my 1-year temporary residency visa!
Please pray that everything looks good and that I receive my visa next week! If I don’t, I will request to have my tourist visa extended. But this requires almost as much work and the temporary residency visa itself, so I am praying it doesn’t come to that. The only other option is to take a little vacation out of El Salvador for a few days! Adventure awaits!
Whatever happens next week, I will keep you all updated!
It’s been almost 90 days living in San Salvador (I only know this exact number because that’s how long my tourist visa is good for, ha!) and I am happy, healthy and loving life! Thank you so much for those of you that have called, video-chatted, and otherwise reached out to me. It’s a strange thing attempting to maintain relationships back home while living a whole new life here. Part of my personal struggle is fearing I am losing friends back home while beginning to create new friendships in this country. So again, thank you for your prayers and encouragement – it comforts me to know that I am still in your thoughts and hearts! You can each be sure that you are in mine!
Please keep in touch!
Email: ashley.arend@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/AshleyElaine85 Skype: ashleyelaine85 Mailing Address: Condado Santa Rosa, Condominio Aclaraban, Pasaje Pacún #42. Santa Tecla, El Salvador (simply stop by your local post office to purchase a Global Forever stamp, only about $1.25! Just give it about 2 weeks to arrive!)
Please Pray:
As always, that I continue to learn Spanish without frustration and without wanting to just quit. Quitting is not an option here, folks!
For the process of acquiring my temporary residence visa!
Ali as she continues her support raising journey! She is currently at 75%! PRAISE BREAK!We are praying that she would reach 100% by the time she leaves for Mission Training International on September 19th! You can follow her ministry and support her on her blog, alihoward.co
For God to do a great miracle and to bring in $20,000 more by August. Wanna be part of the miracle? Click here!
For the Rock City team coming on July 30th! They’ll need health, endurance and love! And I’ll need to remember that I’m still at work – even if it is a little more fun than usual 😜
be cheerful no matter what // pray all the time // thank God no matter what happens.
Con todo mi amor y bendiciones,
-Ashley
There’s a lot of smiling between us because there’s not a lot of talking. Magali is patient as I learn Spanish and forgiving when I don’t understand. I hope there will be a day when our conversations go on and on about life, Jesus and love. But until that day, the silence between us isn’t cold. The silence between us is a short, simple conversation. “Te quiero, hermanita.” “Yo sé, Ashley. Yo también.”
(This is an update from my first week here! There will definitely be another one coming soon! Sorry for the delay in posting!)
Hola Hola, amigos!
Well, I have been living in San Salvador for a little over a week now and think I owe you guys a little update!
First of all, and most obvious, I am alive and I have internet! PRAISE BREAK!
This past week has been a mix of work, fun and relaxation. The Turcios Family (Pastor Victor, Silvia, Silvita and Victor Raúl) has welcomed me with open arms and I am settling into my new home very nicely. This past Wednesday was Silvia’s 50th birthday (I know, right?? It’s gotta be the heat or something that keeps Salvadorans looking so young and beautiful!) ! The family and I went to dinner at a local restaurant, La Pizzeria to celebrate! We had calamari and 3 different types of pizza! After a night of laughter and sharing stories, I am already beginning to feel like part of the family!
One of my biggest challenges has been and will continue to be my lack of fluency in the Spanish language. When I am with a group of friends, most of the time, I am able to generally pick up the topic, but I don’t understand enough to jump in the conversation…yet. I am listening to learn and speaking when I can. This often leads to one of two reactions: a cocked head and confused face or a fit of laughter. In Colorado, at Mission Training International, I learned that one of the perks of language learning is giving the locals a reason to laugh. So, here’s to bringing the joy!
I have had the joy of spending much of my week at the Children’s Development Center (CDI en español 😉 ) in Guayabo and one day at the newer CDI in Soyapango. The new Soyapango CDI is absolutely beautiful and barely recognizable from the single, open-air building it was the last time I saw it! There are fewer children at the Soya CDI, but one in particular has stuck in my heart since I first met him in June 2014, on my very first day ever in San Salvador. Cesar is now 12 years old, and I have had the joy of reconnecting with him each of the three times I have been to Soyapango. This week, when Cesar walked into his CDI and saw an (unforgettable??) tall, blonde girl sitting at his table, he shouted, “ASHLEY?!” What?? He remembered my name?? Man, I love these kids.
My days at the Guayabo CDI this week have literally been filled with precious moments. It has been a blessing to begin to build relationships with the sisters of Esmerelda, a sweet girl taken from us much too soon by cancer, last March 2015. Seeing that these girls have persevered through a loss too heartbreaking to conceive is pure, hard proof that God is working in the CDI.
On Friday, we had a grand day at the Guayabo CDI celebrating Silvia’s birthday with the kids! Marleni, one of the teachers, baked beautiful pink cupcakes for the morning class and got a GIANT cake for the afternoon class! We sang, laughed, and filled our bellies with delicious treats!
One morning, I was instructed to help a boy, Kevin, look through workbooks to find photos of natural disasters (volcanoes, earthquakes, flooding, etc) and assist him in finishing his poster board filled with hand drawn images and how to avoid each one. Needless to say, there was a bit of a language barrier, but sweet Kevin had patience with me, and as it turns out, I have quite a bit of information tucked away about where to live to avoid a landslide!
This past Tuesday morning, my dear friend and co-worker, Adriana and I met with Pastor Victor to discuss our individual job responsibilities and what we will be working on together. For the time being, my job will not be focused on youth ministry, but I will begin to work with the pre-teens (middle school) in the next month or so. In the meantime, my #1 priority is helping to raise funds for the church, the Children’s Center and the Total Health Clinic. I will focus specifically on helping to raise the remaining $30,000 of $40,000 to build a dental clinic at the Guayabo CDI.
As expected, one of my other responsibilities will include managing the social media pages! There are three Facebook pages (CDI, Total Health Clinic, and Mission Teams) and one Instagram page. Along with the social media outlets, I will also work with Adriana to update the blog twice a month.
Because another part of my job includes accompanying mission teams every day when they are here, the fun starts tonight when Adriana and I travel with the van drivers to the airport to pick up my first of many mission teams! This ALSO means that when any of you Rock City folks come on a mission trip to San Salvador, yours truly will be greeting you with open arms to my new home! I am really looking forward to spending time with my Rock City family when they come down!
This week was a smooth warm-up to what my future here in San Salvador will look like, and based on what I have done and seen so far, it will be an exceptional challenge that I am more than ready and incredibly excited to jump into! The only thing missing is my girl Ali Howard. She is currently raising support with the bold prayer to move here mid-November. It will be a beautiful blessing to have her here. If you are interested in her Salvadoran ministry, please check her out at alihoward.co! Help get my bestie to San Salvador! The CDI needs her and I want her here!
Thank you so very much for your continued prayers, financial support and outpourings of love. Each morning when I wake up in my bed with my Salvadoran family, in our Salvadoran house, I thank God that He is always and forever good and always comes through on His promises.
“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1v5
Please keep in touch! It fills my heart with gladness to hear from friends and family back home!
That my Spanish would come quickly and that I do not get frustrated when I say something silly or can’t participate in conversations as I would like to.
For my ability to accomplish all the responsibilities entrusted to me and for the sunshine to keep my stress at a record low!
For overall culture adjustments. So far, so good, but I know a moment will come when something unexpectedly drives me crazy! Prayers for patience and calmness when it does!
For Ali as she continues her support raising journey!
For all the Rock City Youth students and leaders as they raise support to head to the NYC Dream Center for a week of serving!
be cheerful no matter what // pray all the time // thank God no matter what happens.
I know many of you (ok, anyone who follows me on social media) may be surprised and even concerned that I have not posted ANY photos since moving to El Salvador last Thursday! But the truth is, I haven’t TAKEN many photos! I’ve been enjoying reconnecting with friends I have not seen in 16 months and figuring out how to live life as a Salvadoreña! But, estoy aquí! I am here! And life is great! My new family (Pastor Victor, his wife Silvia and their two children, Silvita & Victor Raul) have welcomed me with open arms as their adopted (and MUCH taller) daughter! My friends have resorted to speaking only 5% English with me, so I am learning very quickly! I have visited both the Guayabo and Soyapango Children’s Centers and been given more hugs than I can try to count! I will give a longer update later this week, but I wanted to check in and let you all know that I am safe, I am happy, and I am home. 🇸🇻
Oh my goodness! Where has February gone?! It has been a whirlwind month for me! The month of love was filled with just that – support and encouragement from the people who love me the most. It has been truly sweet!
This month wasn’t a monumental month, although there were a few memorable moments, it was more a month of maintaining. By the beginning of February, my Development Plan was in full swing. I have been more involved in Rock City Youth, I am being challenged weekly in my discipleship lessons with Pam and by mid-February, my counselor affirmed that we were accomplishing what we had set out to do! My favorite part of each week has been spending a few hours at home with my two favorite guys – Dad & Dewey! Last, but definitely not least, are my Spanish lessons! I have a long way to go before I am even close to fluent, but speaking, writing and listening in Spanish is becoming more natural.
Being able to maintain my Development Plan means being able to trust that God has me in the palm of His hand and that He has already mapped out this part of my life. Somewhere right around the middle of the month, being in Columbus no longer felt like being stuck. It began to feel comfortable and I became settled in the situation. I was no longer panicked or anxious about not knowing when I will move to San Salvador. Any obstacle that has been tossed into my path, God has removed in His perfect way. I know that I will move there soon and that whatever happens between then and now, it is all part of God’s plan and His hands are all over my life.
On January 18th, Rock City Church began their annual 21 Day Fast. Rather than giving something up this year, I chose to add something into my life. I didn’t remove anything from my life because I feel like I have been in a season of God taking things from me. He took my plans for leaving in December and He took my control over knowing and deciding when I would leave. So instead of giving up even more when I am already in a season of deprivation, I added in daily, focused prayer time. Every morning at 6am, I crawled out of bed and fell (sometimes literally!) to my knees in an hour of prayer to God. I wanted to be in conversation with God before anyone had a chance to text me, like my Instagram post, tag me on Facebook, or otherwise distract me from my Creator. Some mornings were awesome and the hour would fly by. Other mornings, I tried and failed at praying while sitting up in bed (“I’m awake! I’m listening, God. I’m herrrreee….zzz…”). The fast ended February 7th and to be honest, I was thrilled to have my extra sleep back in the morning. Although I was slightly better rested, my days were less purpose-driven. Not having my morning time with God (even the failed prayer mornings) took away the conviction of knowing that whatever happened, God’s got it under control. So I am now adding that dedicated morning prayer time back into my schedule a few times a week.
One of my favorite nights from February was an evening at Youth Pastor Amanda’s home. The Rock City Youth Core Leadership Team gathered for our monthly Family Dinner Night. We got close & comfy on the couch, shared praises of what has been going well in Youth and what needs modified. But before we got down to business, Amanda’s husband, Josh, joined us to lead us in an acoustic worship session on his guitar. It was such a precious time, sitting with some of my closest friends, giving God all our praise. After a few songs, we each shared where we were feeling weak and could use some extra prayer and we prayed over each other while Josh continued playing in the background. With our hearts out in the open, we were ready for God to make moves through us in the Youth of Columbus. We spoke truth to one another, sang each other’s praises and laughed – a lot. At one point, I stopped talking, stopped laughing, and just took it all in. I have been so very blessed to be surrounded by people who share my heart for Youth Ministry. The leaders of Rock City Youth have been my family for a year and a half. When I stopped to appreciate the moment, I realized once again just how much I am going to miss these people when I move. I completely empathize with Paul when he wrote,
For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1v8
February held an especially sweet memory – Ali Howard returned back home to Columbus! She spent looooong 3 weeks away visiting San Salvador and attending Reliant’s New Staff Training so that she can begin building her ministry team! Ali will be moving to San Salvador full-time to serve at the Children’s Centers in Guayabo and Soyapango. It’s kinda cool to think that she will minister to the children while they are in elementary school and then she will hand them off to me when they’re old enough for youth group! My friendship with Ali was definitely unexpected but quickly turned into one of my most treasured relationships. There hasn’t been one day since we both confessed wanting to move to San Salvador full-time that I haven’t thanked God that we are going through this process together.
{…and yet, our friendship just works. 💜}
For over a year now, I have had the pleasure of being discipled by my mentor Pam. Two weeks ago, I began taking what she has taught me and pouring it into someone else. Many of you know of Olivia, one of the sophomore Rock City Youth girls that has permanently taken up space in my heart. Olivia loves Jesus with all of her heart and I actually got to baptize her last spring! She is now in a place of her faith journey where she wants to know all she can about God and His Word. This provided a beautiful opportunity for me to practice discipleship from the other point of view! Olivia and I are working our way through the book of Philippians, discussing how Paul’s words speak to us and what confuses us. We are also spending time simply being in awe of a God who can take a man who one was murdering Christians and the next, that same man preached the Gospel and wrote a huge chunk of the New Testament. I am really excited to see where God leads Olivia and me on this journey. I am even more excited to hear how Olivia will take what she learns from our time together and passes it on to someone else. The process of discipleship is truly neverending!
{Discipleship Devotional with Olivia}
It has taken almost three months, but I am finally resting in God’s plan and actually enjoying it! Until I move to San Salvador, I am continuing to lean into God’s sovereignty and trusting in His word when He tells me,
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8v28
Thank you all for your continued support! Each and every one of you is allowing God to work through you to encourage me to persevere on. The following verse from Hebrews speaks so clearly to me in this season of my life. Because I am surrounded by a cloud of people who love and support me, I am all the more able to banish from my life the evil one’s attempts to slow me down or stop me altogether. It is with your help and your love that I am able to focus on God’s purpose for me, no matter where in the world I am.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12v1
Please Pray:
For Rock City Youth as we travel to Canton, Ohio, March 3-5 for Love is Red, a Youth and Young Adult conference with the vision of “developing leaders and inspiring students to know God and to make Him known.” I got to go last year, and it is a beautiful thing to watch students from all over the country raise their arms in surrender to Jesus.
Friendships will be built and faiths will be strengthened. As my girl, Olivia Shank said when my departure got delayed, “Hey! This means you get to go to Love is Red, RIGHT?!” Right on, amiga!
Next week’s Rock City Youth Night! We will be hosting an anonymous Q&A with a panel of youth leaders!
For Ali as she begins building her Ministry Support Team! This season of ministry is one that requires much perseverance, but inevitably draws us closer to God. Sign-up to follow her journey here!
Rock City Church’s first mission trip of the year to San Salvador! Our Beyond Our Walls Director, Nate, leaves with a team of missionaries on March 5th to serve the people of San Salvador. Lives are going to be changed! Gracias Dios!
For continued endurance and the ability to “relax and enjoy the journey in God’s presence.” (Jesus Calling)
be cheerful no matter what // pray all the time // thank God no matter what happens.
Want a little sunshine in your inbox each month? WHO DOESN’T?!?
Click this link to get signed up for my monthly email updates ➳ You’ve Got Mail!
Please consider giving. You can get set up in five minutes by clicking the “Give to the Cause” button under my photo or by going to reliant.org/ashley.arend
Considering I started the month having no clue what to expect, January pleasantly surprised me! I moved into a new host family home, Rock City Youth came in like a wrecking ball, and my birthday was the highlight of everyone’s month!
January started out with a move! I am now living with Pam and Brad Boseker. Pam is my discipler (mentor). As part of my Development Plan from Rock City Church, she and I meet at on the couch once a week for a lesson on evangelism, how to study the Bible or we focus on one Bible theme. These lessons with Pam are changing how I view God, how I read the Bible and how I view myself in God’s plan. One-on-one mentor time with Pam is definitely something I would not be getting if I were in San Salvador right now, so I am appreciating that beautiful perk of being stateside! One of the greatest parts of living with my mentor is that I get daily encouragement and support for this unexpected life detour I’m currently in.
After a month long hiatus, Rock City Youth came back in 2016 with a night of killer worship and a solid message from our Rock City Church Lead Pastor, Chad Fisher. Not only had Youth been on break for a month, but I was in Colorado for the month of November, so it had been since the end of October that I had seen my Youth comrades! Being back with the students laughing, catching up on life and praising God was just what I needed in the midst of my season of uncertainty. Turns out they weren’t so disappointed that I’m still around. 😉
A few weeks ago, Amanda, the Rock City Youth Pastor, and I decided that part of my uneasiness of being in Ohio was that I no longer had a schedule. Fortunately for me, Amanda is one of my more ingenious friends!
We sat down and figured that as a full-time employee of Reliant Mission, I should be working about 40 hours per week. So what am I doing with those 40 hours? My Development Plan from Rock City included:
Weekly counseling appointments
Twice a week discipleship meetings with Pam
Weekly Spanish lessons
Rock City Youth Leadership
Intentionally deepening my relationship with Dad before leaving the country
We scheduled out the appropriate amount of hours for each of those activities and I was left with about 13 hours to fill.
When I began serving with Rock City Youth, I was put in the position of the 9th-grade girls’ LifeGroup (small group) leader. I absolutely loved this job and it solidified my passion for youth ministry. Since then, I have been moved around a bit to fit the needs of Youth, but I have always been a LifeGroup Leader. Pastor Amanda decided that it was time to up my game and strengthen my building muscles.
{a few of our 9th (now 10th!) grade girls!}
In Rock City Youth, I was a leader, spending time with the students and committing much of my schedule to connecting with them. I was now going to become a builder. I love being a LifeGroup leader, and honestly, I’m pretty good at it. But the next level, administrative stuff was where my skills were weaker. As a builder, I am building up new leaders to be able to go out and reach the students of Columbus.
I am now the Rock City Youth Leadership Coordinator! Youth is fortunate enough to be rapidly growing with students AND potential leaders. In the past, when someone has expressed interest in leadership, we’ve welcomed them aboard, background checked them and threw them in the pool! But as a growing organization, we need a more official and thorough process of onboarding new leaders. It is now my job to develop that process and implement it with oncoming leaders.
Yeah…I really had no clue how to do that, so this was going to be a challenge. I’m more of a people person – I can convince a brick wall to be my best friend! But coordinating all those friends into a well oiled Youth Leadership machine…?? I didn’t even know where to begin, but I was ready and willing to learn!
Amanda introduced me to a few of the web apps she has been using to organize her Youth Leadership Team. Using these apps, leadership requirements and my own experience as a leader, I got to work developing a process.
This has been a challenge for me because as much as I love being organized, getting organized can often be difficult for me to initiate and maintain. I also know very little about what requirements there are for a person in leadership at Rock City Church and how to accomplish those requirements. I also wanted to make sure we were developing a very clear process so that when I do move to San Salvador, whoever takes my place can simply step in and pick up where I leave off.
Amanda and I have a pretty good system worked out that includes a thorough system from a person’s initial interest to shadowing a Youth Leader Pro to placing the applicant in the best fitting leadership position.
Stepping out of my comfort zone of LifeGroup leadership and into a new, more administrative role isimperative for my future work in San Salvador. A year ago, Jorge, the Iglesia Gran Comisión Youth Director, told me that the leaders of the church had been “praying for someone to come and help with our youth ministry!” With my small group leading abilities and my leader-building skills, I will hopefully be God’s answer to that prayer. Whatever need is the greatest, I will be able to step in and begin to help.
Another immediate need is for someone to help update sponsors of the children in the Development Centers of El Guayabo and Soyapango. We are blessed to have over 200 children sponsored, but that means that there are over 200 people in the States wondering how their child is doing and how their money is helping. I am eager to jump in right away and begin connecting the sponsors to the child they help to support.
I’m spending more time in the Rock City Offices working with Amanda, still accomplishing my Development Plan, and enjoying life with my friends. It’s definitely not the ridiculously, crazy schedule I was maintaining over the summer and it’s not the blank canvas I was struggling to fill last month.
Call me Goldilocks, because this schedule is just right. (ha! I slay myself sometimes!)
OH! The greatest part of the month was my birthday! DUH! On January 21st, I solidified my position as a woman in her thirties by successfully turning 31! WOOOO!!!! As a Christmas gift, Dad and Cathy gave me some money to spoil myself with, so on my birthday, I did just that. I got a massage and a manicure, watched 2 hours of Law & Order: SVU and for the 19th year in a row, the fam went to Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse for dinner! The following night, Dad was kind enough to host a birthday party in his home! I think the last birthday I celebrated with that many teenagers was back when I WAS a teenager! We had a selfie wall (a background for selfies – NOT a wall of selfies of me. Although that would have been clever), Chick-Fil-A chicken and the loveliest cupcakes I think I’ve ever seen! The night was filled with the people I love. It was the perfect end to a perfect birthday.
{ahhh…the massage waiting room – complete with mimosa!}{my loves}{Dad, Cathy & I at the Selfie Wall!}{BFFs 4EVA…somethings never change 😂}{sweet treats}
So. When am I leaving?
I still don’t know anything yet. And believe me, as soon as I do, the entire world will know! There will be a Facebook post, email, blog, cloud writing…believe me, you will know! But here is what I do know, to borrow a snippet from my previous blog post:
“Yet” means that I am still pursuing an answer, that what I am praying for will happen at the right time and that I still have hope. I rest in the truth that just because God is silent on the matter does not mean He does not hear me. God hears my cries and He will answer my prayer of moving to San Salvador. He just hasn’t…yet.
“Because He bends down to listen I will pray as long as I have breath.”
Psalm 116v2
Please Pray:
That God would continue to guide the days, weeks, and maybe even months that I am still in Ohio.
That people would continue to support my ministry, whether I am stateside or abroad.
That Rock City Youth would continue to grow! I recently discovered that “Make Out Calendars” are a thing, so it is evident to me that this generation is desperate for unending love and the only place they will find it is in the arms of their heavenly Father. This world needs youth ministry.
For growth in the Iglesia Gran Comisión (San Salvador church that I will be working for) Youth Program! The needs of youth are not specific to our country. The Salvadoran youth are just as desperate for love and acceptance and the church’s youth ministry is working diligently to point them towards Jesus.
That my Dad and I would continue to have quality time together and that through it, our relationship would continue to strengthen.
I would also love to pray for you! Please text me or call me letting me know what your prayer needs are. Rock City Church is on Day 12 of a 21 Day Fast. Rather than taking something away, I am adding something in to my life. Every morning at 6am, I am waking up before the sun for an hour of pure prayer. No devotional, no journal, not even my Bible – just me and God in the quiet stillness of the morning. It would be a privilege to include your prayers and praises in my new morning ritual.
be cheerful no matter what // pray all the time // thank God no matter what happens.
Want a little sunshine in your inbox each month? WHO DOESN’T?!?
Click this link to get signed up for my monthly email updates ➳ You’ve Got Mail!
Please consider giving. You can get set up in five minutes by clicking the “Give to the Cause” button under my photo or by going to reliant.org/ashley.arend
I am sitting in the cozy lobby of Mission Training International in scenic Palmer Lake, Colorado, and my mind is finally still. Life has been a tornado of chaos the past few weeks, but Jesus has come in and calmed the storm.
When I began raising support for my full-time mission work in San Salvador at the beginning of June, I prayed big and I prayed boldly that God would bring in 100% of my monthly support by the time I left for a month of culture training in October.
Well folks, as I said, I am now in Colorado and have been since 9am Sunday morning (I came a day early to visit my dear, sweet friend Heather). At 7pm Saturday night, with a mere 11 hours to go, God decided to show off His power and faith by bringing in exactly 100.0% of my financial, monthly support!
WE DID IT!
I truly could not have done this without the provision of a good God and without my faithful supporters. Whether through prayers, hugs, words of encouragement, money, or all of the above, so many of you have been a part of my team. YOU are Ashley’s Amigos!
Thank you.
With this huge accomplishment comes the privilege of buying a one-way plane ticket to San Salvador…once Reliant double checks all my financial gifts {fingers crossed}! This is a huge step towards getting me to San Salvador to spread God’s love and instill hope in the lost and fearful.
“Look…and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told..” Habakkuk 1v5
I stand completely and thoroughly amazed at God’s provision. Cuan grande es Dios. He has calmed my storm.
When I left for Colorado, not only did I have to be packed for a month of training, but I needed to be completely moved out of my home because my renters will move in while I am here. This meant packing for Colorado, packing for San Salvador, packing for the time in Columbus between Colorado and San Salvador, and selling or donating anything and everything in my house that wasn’t going to my mission field. As many of you read about, can imagine, or possibly personally witnessed, this was a chaotic time for me.
“Your room was green??” – Olivia Shank
But here I am, in Colorado, with everything packed up back home and an empty house ready for her new tenants. Cuan grande es Dios. He has calmed my storm.
Colorado is beautiful and the Mission Training International (MTI) Center is going to be a home away from home for the next month. I have my own room, very similar to a hotel room. I brought my Salvadoran blanket, family photos, and my favorite candle. I love that I have my own little space with just a little more than the necessities for the next 4 weeks. As crazy as my life has been, I am craving simplicity.
The MTI Center is not only where 30 international missionaries will be living for the next month, but it is also where our training sessions are held and where we enjoy daily meals together. Everything is housed in one building. Simplicity.
I am looking forward to the weeks of separation here in Colorado. I am separated from the commotion of life back home – support raising, packing and moving, Rock City Youth, family, friends – these are all wonderful, beautiful blessings, but I need a little more distance between me and my life and a lot less distance between me and my God. I hope to spend much of my time here finding rest in God’s embrace and praising Him for His infinite provision. Cuan grande es Dios. He has calmed my storm.
ps…in case you missed it, I cut my hair, a la Taylor Swift 😉
God is so good. SO GOOD. He continues to bring faithful believers and supporters to my side. Day by day God is fulfilling His promise to get me to San Salvador and do great, big things in and through me.
These are the awesome people who have come alongside me in my journey to San Salvador! Please pray and thank God for them as they give sacrificially towards God’s work in San Salvador!
GOD IS SO GOOD! He provided me with my very first financial supporters!!! Rachel and Matthew will forever be a part of my story! It is truly a sign from God that exactly a year ago today I stood in the center a Salvadoran high school and heard Him whisper in my heart that He has work for me to do in San Salvador!
Blessings on Blessings!!! Welcome to the familia, Becky!
Kristen has been my best friend since 2003! She immediately became family! Her husband Trai joined the FUN in 2011!
Michelle has been my girl at Phia Salon for TEN YEARS now! So I’ve decided that she is going to have to make regular trips to San Salvador to cut my hair.
Abby began supporting me when moving to San Salvador was a mere call from God. Now she has joined mi familia and is part of the dream!
My main hombre Marty Mar joined Team Ashley! I’m so excited to know that Marty will be reaching out to the CBus urban youth while I’m reaching Salvadoran youth. God is so COOL!
God is good and so is Bueno! Even at 7:30 in the morning! It was really awesome sharing my vision of God’s work through me with someone who knows and loves the Salvadorans like I do. Welcome to la familia, Bueno!
Frank is a teacher at Upper Arlington, my old high school! I never actually had him as a teacher, but we’ve run into each other through mutual friends the past few years. Mr. Tuttle understands kids and he sees God’s vision in San Salvador!
Something Kevin Loves: San Salvador Something Kevin Does Not Love: Selfies
Having Emily on my team brings a big smile to my face and a tear of joy to my eye knowing that God is blessing this journey through friends like her.
“Wow, I am so very impressed with your mission work. You are an amazing person, but I honestly realized that when you when in the 1st Grade 24 years ago. So very, very proud of you! Take care and God bless you.” – Mr. Scarpitti, my elementary school principal. There are no words. Thank you. You marked my heart 24 years ago and you have done it again.
Jamie and Michael have a little one on the way and now they will have a crew of Salvadorans to take up space in their hearts!
They weren’t kidding when they said “Sisters are for Life!” I love how God brought us together years ago on Ohio University’s campus and He did it again, now states apart!
Julie has been one of my greatest supporters since the beginning – Since before the beginning, actually! Around April of last year, Julie and I discussed my feelings of not having a purpose in life and just feeling quite lost. A few weeks after that, we met again and Julie was quite certain that I would find some clarity to my life’s direction in San Salvador. And, as they say, the rest is history, my friends. I am so encouraged to call Julie and Seven Studios some of my kindest friends.
Oh my goodness. There is only laughing and smiling when I am with Alisa! Her friendship is the sprinkles on my ice cream cone of life! I’m so glad to call her my sister!!
my’s heart for missions is contagious! I love sitting with her and sharing our love for Central America. Amy left part of her heart in Honduras, but I know it won’t be long until I see her in San Salvador!!
Deedee’s smiles are heart warming and contagious! Her heart of gold has led her to send her love through me to San Salvador!
I met Lauren in San Salvador last August. Our churches were both on mission trips. I could immediately tell she had a giant heart for the children of San Salvador. Now, with her support, I get to share that love with all the people of San Salvador!
A little over a year ago, Annie and I were in San Salvador together on a 9-day mission trip and I DROVE HER CRAZY. Loca. After I was finally able to open my heart to my mission team, she saw the real me and quickly became one of my best friends. Since then, she has been my biggest supporter and a wonderful mentor.
Jasmine (aka Jazzy J) was one of my roommates during the August 2014 mission trip to San Salvador. I was blessed because of the amount of laughter and joy I shared with this girl!
Mrs. Donovan was my 1st grade teacher waaaaaay back when! When we met yesterday, she told me that she knew from my young age that I had an adventurous spirit! Apparently I needed to learn to tame my adventuresome side! Donna supported my life journey then and she is supporting me again!!
Connie has been a dear friend for years and years. In high school, I played ultimate frisbee with her oldest son, her middle kid was my first (and only!) high school boyfriend and her youngest, Alissa, is fellow Depp-a-Thon VIP! Through it all, Connie has been so kindhearted and encouraging. I am blessed to have her and her husband Phil by my side for this new adventure!
Robin and her family were part of my neighborhood, Teeway Drive, family for years growing up. Memories of swimming in their pool, playing dress up with her daughter, Sydnee and laughing for hours on end will forever fill my heart. Thank you for your love and support!
In the past 7 months, God has opened door after door, showing me that youth ministry in San Salvador is His call for my life. On Wednesday morning, God used Tom to show me once again that I’m on the right path. I had never met Tom before Wednesday morning. He is a friend of a friend who thought he’d be excited to hear what God is doing in San Salvador. I took a step of faith, shared my vision with Tom and asked him to join my team. Without hesitation, he agreed. Wow. This is a HUGE deal because Tom doesn’t know me and yet trusts that God will work through me in San Salvador. He believes in my vision enough to support me, practically a stranger, with his hard earned money. That is definitely a sign. Thank you God & thank you Tom.
I have a lot to learn from this beautiful girl and her heart of gold! It is a privilege to work beside her in Rock City Youth.
I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by women who embody the person I aim to become one day as a wife, mother and woman of God. Barb is all of of those things. She loves her husband and kids with all that she has, is always working to grow closer to God’s heart and DANG can that woman bake a delicious dessert!!!! // side note // it has been a true gift to hang out with Barb’s daughter Annie at Rock City Youth! Annie’s smile, laugh and joy for Jesus is absolutely contagious!
God placed these 2 girls in my life as my best friends 16 years ago for a reason. He knew that I would need a solid foundation of love and support to draw on after years of trying to do things my own way. All these years later, Emily and Brittany have stuck by my side and continue to love and support me. It brings a great smile to my face and a giggle in my heart to think of all we have come through together and yet made it out on the other side – together.
“Well OBVIOUSLY I am going to support you!” Folks, none of this is obvious to me! I go into each meeting hoping for encouragement and prayers. When someone tells me that they want to support me above and beyond prayers, it is a joyful and beautiful moment! I don’t take any of this for granted and truly appreciate all the love that has come my way – in all its forms!
These weirdos have been an incredible blessing to my Salvadoran journey! Nicole’s first words to me after she and Josh returned from San Salvador in March were, “NOW I get it. I know why you have to go there.” I love it when people get it.
Meet Lord Business! Jack is a number crunching, youth leading, world traveler with a heart for youth missions in San Salvador!
Oh Callie. What a wonderful soul. I am blessed each day that I get to spend with her. She loves people the world over and is a constant encouragement as I take my love to San Salvador!
There is no doubt that Sylvia’s heart beats for San Salvador. I am so eager for the day when she comes to visit and I get to greet her on the Salvadoran side!
I have known Jon for years and he is a constant source of smiles and support. I am so excited to share this experience with him!
Kayla and Nicholas have been on this journey with me since almost the beginning! They have offered up prayers, hosted jewelry parties, and are now part of my support team!
I had the joy of experiencing San Salvador with Annie last August! Watching her work with the kids at the CDI was my first chance to see her heart for service. And now she is serving San Salvador from afar by helping to send me there!
God has a plan for this young woman! It is inspirational to see how she trusts God to lead her life. Lauren has been to San Salvador and back and now is helping to send me there!
As I prepare to follow God to San Salvador, Ray is following Him to Abu Dhabi! He will be teaching kids in the classroom and I will be working with them through the youth ministry! I am so excited to see how God uses both of us to work in the hearts of kids around the world.
#LivinLaVidaRamirez 