15th anniversairy Ichthys, Mahlow, Germany

[Carsten Schermuly]

"My" home for homelesses incl. alcohol resocialisation, named Ichthys has had its 15th anniversairy by a "summer festival", held in all rooms of their homes and on the large backyard on saturday, june 28th.
Their webpage - only german talking
http://www.ichthys-mahlow.de/

photos of leaders and social workers
http://www.ichthys-mahlow.de/i_0006.htm
click a thumbnail photo to get the larger copy

Google maps - Arcostr 40 - 42
http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&ie=UTF8&ll=52.372462,13.395864&spn=0.001746,0.004699&t=h&z=18
we can easily dedect details, shown in my photos

[Jim Franklin]

Thank you, Carsten. I remember some years ago hearing an account that the original quarters for Ichthys burned down. Do I remember correctly? Tell us more about the services of this organization.

[Carsten Schermuly]

Norbert Dennewill (white shoes) ordained eldest
Norbert Dennewill
Katrin Dennewill, physician, talking to Werner Zimmermann, ordained eldest and leader of Nehemiah Yard, Wietstock, Ludwigsfelde
Katrin Dennewill, talking to Werner Zimmermann

one of several webpages of Nehemiah Yard
http://www.suche.nach.wahrem.leben.2.ms/

[Carsten Schermuly]

Thank you, Carsten. I remember some years ago hearing an account that the original quarters for Ichthys burned down. Do I remember correctly? Tell us more about the services of this organization.Yes, you are right. See in Google maps the blue roof with suncollectors. The northern half with the suncollectors was burnt down - the building to its bigger part was a wooden construction. The walls of ground floor around kitchen, bathes and toilets have been built by bricks, so on ground floor have been the damages not too hard - but the upper floor and roof have been ash. The insurance paid correctly - bottom line - no financial lost - but a time lost - the fire destroyed the work of more than a half year. The new facade including temperature isolation makes the impression, the entire building were stone - but its southern half still is the original wooden construction.

What they do?
In Berlin do live around 50thousand homelesses. Two third are 18 and under. Norbert and others did preach the gospel in the streets - and some homelesses did follow.
Now - what to do with a homeless new born christian after ending service? Send him back in the cold wet street? Norbert had the vision of this home for homelesses and did make it reality.

A bearer circle was founded, members of the church in Lichtenrade, John Locke Str carried the new project. Everybody can become a member - with the right to vote and with a yearly fee. No question, everybody can give as many he wants.

Professionals have been found to handle special difficulties. The most homelesses had connections in the drug scenery and done small crimes. To let them not go in prison, someone was found, worked for the Berlin Senate Youth juristic help and had a good relation to police and courts.

Physicians (Katrin Dennewill) and pedagogic professionals did the addictions jobs - to lead someone back in work processes - rehabilitation.

Many had begun a new life - have got new roots. Some founded a family and many joined the church. Ichthys is a richly blessed work.

Not all do climb the mountain. Many do fall back - they do need our prayers.

Some W & W Teams did great help.

With this blue pulpit (to fold and to put in a cars trunk) the story had begun. Norbert as an ordained eldest did preach in the streets.

[Carsten Schermuly]

The northern fence and Hans Thoma Str

See the firewood on Google maps, the satellite photo is already some years old so the photos differ a bit. To make firewood is a very good job, Norbert told me - important for resocialisation.
http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=52.373041,13.396288&spn=0.000873,0.00235&z=19

Note the grey roof, left of firewood place. This building was very dirty, a hall to hide coal in - today pretty and clean - does serve as a shop or as a kitchen, inside decorated after Jesus word to Peter to try to fish again - with the result of the overload net.

Second photo - Esther Vollenweider (white hair) does lead the kitchen, is responsible for hygiene questions. Where window and door will be, has been a broken wooden hangig gate. This building was a top ugly place (it seemed me in 1993 as to be without a worth) looking now really nice.

Fourth and fifth photo - Wolfgang Schwarzfischer, pastor of Jakobus Community, Berlin - Lichtenrade, John Locke Str with Gisa and their youngest daughter Lisa. Gisa in football fever (sokker), decorated in national colours like a football fan - "European Championship" (Spain made sunday first place, Germany second).

[Carsten Schermuly]

This side building (multi purposes building) inside, decorated after fishermens jobs

the text is a part of the Lords Gethsemane prayer

[Carsten Schermuly]

children - the future

I met some children, I never have seen before, they came from neighbourhood and had closed friendships to children, living in Ichthys.

In the Jakobus community is a group of little children, often preschoolers, do visit homes for seniors and do sing - as little missionairies.
Why little children?
Elder and lonesome people are often bitter and closed. Their life was not what they did await. They do not like to talk about and they are not open for the gospel. But - listening to the sweeties, to the sweet hearts - their heart becomes warm - and they do begin a good dialogue, first to the children.
Little children as missionaries -
it does drive tears in eyes to listen to their innocent testimonies - the most of that singing group do have already a real living relation to the Lord.

The two girls hand in hand are children from neighbourhood of Ichthys.

[Carsten Schermuly]

a gun

the Lord Jesus Christ does make visible changings - a former outlaw today does serve as police officer after going through Ichthys. He is not a private person (note his shirt, a part of uniform (not so his trousers and shoes, they just do meet the correct colours)), in Germany are weapons strictly forbidden. Hunters and sport shooters underlay special controls.

[Carsten Schermuly]

last but not least - Thomas Vollenweider, former district superintendent, pastor of Lydia Community, Berlin - Rudow, talking to a visitor

about a social workers job "fine arts therapies" and gave her some flyers for nearer information

he was a driving power during the time, the home was founded and he has lead the yearly member meetings
members of the bearers circle, a non profit organisation, "eingetragener Verein, e. V."
eingetragen = registered

the green sweater with ice cream is Berrit Dennewill

the red pullover is my daughter Elisabeth

the fish is the southern wall of the second main building hardly on driveway
.