I came to the Wiedenhof in 2016 at the age of 26, completely emaciated and addicted to drugs. After 11 years of drug addiction, I was given the opportunity to start anew, which turned out to be the best time of my life. Not only did I get to know my Father in heaven, but I also learned that I was called to live, and without drugs! God restored my body, soul and spirit. Today, my life is full of joy, and I am a staff member at Haus Wiedenhof, helping people to take their first steps towards freedom.

I was completely destroyed by drug addiction. But then Jesus came into my life and with him came great hope. I went to  Haus Wiedenhof and experienced the love and power of God, which began to heal me inwardly. In the daily devotions, in the personal support from the staff and in everyday life, I learned how to consistently follow Jesus. This gave me a new, healthy and stable foundation for life, which has now lasted for 16 years. Today I am part of the team at HELP International e.V. as an accountant. I also love going out on the scene to tell other drug addicts about Jesus, who has new life for them.

"My only friend, the end" was my credo, the remedy was the needle. At 22 on the street, between street walking and shooting up, I thought of this Jesus I had heard about. "I have nothing to lose anyway", I thought, and came to the Wiedenhof. There I felt: I have to get right with God! I called out to him, first inwardly, then with my mouth. The miracle happened: Jesus came into my heart and I was literally born again. At the Wiedenhof, I learned to live with Jesus in my everyday life, experienced forgiveness, deliverance and healing from the junk of my old life. That was almost 30 years ago and it still lasts.

On a Monday morning in the summer of 1996, the prison bus took me straight to the door of Haus Wiedenhof. Behind me lay years of addiction, criminality, a prison sentence ( § 64) and jail. That's where I met Jesus. That changed my heart so much that I realized how broken I was from my past and at the same time I had a strong desire to live with this Jesus. At Haus Wiedenhof, I was able to learn what it means to live with Jesus and also with others. That was such an enormously life-changing path to freedom, and it has had a defining impact to this day. I have been free from drugs for over 20 years and have lived as a missionary in Germany, Austria and Japan.