A Place of Shelter and Hope

The house was almost always full; up to 73 people found a warm bed, food and human kindness there at the same time – often for the first time in a long time.

One of the first residents of the year was Uncle Sascha, aged around seventy. He fell asleep outside on a bench on a snowy winter’s evening. He arrived at the Help House with severe frostbite. There he received immediate care and loving attention, and his feet are slowly healing.

Another moving story is that of a 45-year-old woman. Because of her alcohol addiction, she had lost custody of her children. In our house, she began a period of rehabilitation, gradually regained her life and was allowed to take her children back. When she was later diagnosed with cancer, the house took her in again and accompanied her until the end. To this day, the team continues to support her children, who are now adults.

Then there is Jura, who fell from the fifth floor while drunk. Miraculously, he survived with serious injuries. After his stay in hospital, he came to the House of Mercy homeless and disoriented, where he learned to walk again, reads the Bible and prays.

He now even runs the in-house radio service, and every morning music and short devotions can be heard throughout the building. For many residents, these provide comfort and encouragement.

In 2025, a large part of the second floor was renovated: two rooms and a shower were refurbished, and a new boiler was purchased – essential for the winter. The funds for this came from small jobs done by the residents, voluntary contributions from their pensions and donations. In addition, many people bring donations in kind.