A Family Restored, Ashley’s Story
Ashley’s story is different because she never used drugs but was addicted to heroin and opiates from the day she was born.
Her father was a drug dealer on the streets of Fresno and her mom used drugs every day of her pregnancy with Ashley. Within two weeks, Ashley’s mom gave her baby girl to her mother to care for. Doctors predicted Ashley would be developmentally challenged and would be plagued with physical and mental problems all her life. But God had other plans and in the first miracle of little Ashley’s life she was healthy and never experienced any of the difficulties the doctors had predicted.
Nine years later Ashley’s mom, Juanita, turned to Teen Challenge for help. And everything changed. Juanita became a new creation, graduated, and joined the staff of Ventura Teen Challenge. The evidence of God’s power to change was so strong that Ashley’s grandmother was able to return Ashley (and a brother) to her mom. And, in 1997, Ashley and her brother joined their mom in staff housing on the campus of Ventura Teen Challenge.
Ashley grew up at Teen Challenge. She rode to choir outings with the ladies in Teen Challenge vans. She attended and helped out at special events. And the ladies of Ventura Teen Challenge spoke into her life. Juanita was now the spiritual as well as a physical mom of her children and infused the truths and principles she had learned at Teen Challenge into their lives. Ashley saw Jesus at Ventura Teen Challenge and fell in love with Him there.
Today Ashley loves coming alongside the ladies, shares the truths that she learned first-hand and watches God transform them just like He did her mom 20 years ago. Ashley’s story is possible because of you. Without Teen Challenge of Southern California, Ashley’s life would be dramatically different. But the combination of God’s grace, caring VTC staff, and support from men and women like you paved the way for the life of ministry Ashley now enjoys.
Thank you for your support in making a difference in lives, families and our community. You make change possible.