Ashley’s Story – Restoring Community 

Meet Ashley Spence, our newest missionary serving at Camp Hope (Warden Woods Community). She has come full circle being reached as a child, raised as a leader who loves Jesus and serves her community. 

I joined UrbanPromise Toronto when I was 11 years old. While leaving school one day, I was approached by a site director about registering for an after school program. As a kid who was eager to join after school program, I was immediately interested. They reached out to me and my family. While attending camp, I began to learn about Jesus and the impact He had on all of my leaders. 

I grew up in a household where we knew about God, but had no actual relationship with Him. At camp, I learned so much about Jesus and myself from my leader Ayesha, who attended camp as a child. Her challenges helped me to take Jesus seriously and I became a StreetLeader in high school leading children, just like my leaders had done to help raise me into who I am today. 

Being a leader felt natural to me and I wanted to serve more and in different ways. After high school, I had an opportunity to serve at UrbanPromise Wilmington. There, I faced many challenges which helped to affirm my calling to be a missionary long-term in my community. 

After returning from Wilmington, I went on to get a diploma in Addiction and Mental Health. I believe it will help me to advocate for the youth of my generation and to support the vision of restoring my community.

Now, I am a missionary with UrbanPromise Torotno in my community serving children and youth. 

As I reflect on my journey to becoming a missionary and serving my community, I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words: 

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12      

If you would like to support me as a missionary, please go to Donate to UrbanPromise and select Ashley Spence in the fund drop down.