After a childhood plagued by violence, homelessness, drugs, and suicide attempts, Counties Evangelist, Lee Marsland, found Jesus. Today, he’s reaching to those who have nothing.

In Summer’s Ignite we tell the story of Oldham-based Counties Evangelist, Lee Marsland. Lee was bought up in Oldham, by his alcoholic father after his mum walked out when Lee was four years old. His dad was violent and at just 11, Lee ran away from home. He lived on the streets and was in and out of prison, foster care, and children’s homes.  He spent Christmas sleeping under Kwik Save supermarket air vents and had started using Class A drugs by the time he was 13.

Lee Marshland (in hat)

“I was really angry all the time, getting into fights. I think I ran away in the first place because I wanted someone, especially my dad, to come and look for me but nobody did.”

Lee tried to commit suicide five times. His final attempt at suicide happened after Lee took crack cocaine and had a huge row with his ex-girlfriend about their baby daughter. The police were called, and he ran away and ended up dangling from a bridge above the M62 motorway.

“I thought, ‘Just jump, no one will miss you.’ I was crying and I was scared but I couldn’t handle living the way I was anymore. I was only 21.”

A year earlier, Lee’s best friend had nearly died of a drug’s overdose but became a Christian. He told Lee: “Jesus loves you Mars,” (short for Marsland) which just made Lee furious, so he walked away.

Then, on that motorway bridge, hanging on with one hand, Lee heard the voice of his friend saying: “Jesus loves you Mars”.

“My heart just broke and then I heard it again. Something started to happen. All these emotions came flooding through me and I got off the bridge and started walking. I ended up at my friend’s house.

“When he opened the door, at two o’clock in the morning, I felt the peace of God. And I fell to my knees and started crying. I said: ‘Is this Jesus guy real? Will he save me? I can’t live like this anymore.

“He took me into the living room and his mum, who I always thought hated me, was standing there crying out to God: ‘Mars needs a miracle’ and then she turned round and saw me and shouted: ‘Praise God’.”