Ryan was expecting a quiet start to the Operation Joy Ashton Drop-In...

Tuesday 9th August saw the opening of a new Operation Joy Drop-In at Infinity Iniatives café in the centre of Ashton-Under-Lyne

Ryan thought that because it was the first day no one would come.

To Ryan’s surprise, a young man and his girlfriend came, they were both asking about accommodation. Before they began to speak Ryan asked if he could pray, and the young man and his girlfriend agreed.

Once they finished praying, Ryan asked what the young man’s story was. He poured out his heart and started to tell Ryan about the traumatic life he had been through. Ryan was able to share the love of Jesus and began to tell the young man about the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Ryan was able to relate this story to things that had happened in his own life, and the man said that he could relate to what Ryan was saying and that things were making sense. He became very emotional and after composing himself, he said, “I have been a bad person, I have always done bad things for personal gain.”

Ryan said, “I could see the Holy Spirit at work in him, his heart seemed to be coming into the right place of repentance.” Ryan felt that he was probably ready to give his heart to the Lord, so showed him the consequence of sin in Romans 6:23, they then, that if he believes in his heart and confesses Jesus as Lord and saviour he will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Explaining that this was a step of faith (Ephesians 2:8), Ryan felt that he was ready to give his heart to the Lord, and led him in a prayer of repentance as the man gave his heart to the Lord.

Ryan gave him a Bible and suggested a church in Ashton that he could try. Ryan will continue to support him through the Drop-In.