Bethel - He blossomed in the hospice

From the balcony, you can see dense green treetops. A gentle breeze carries the scent of lavender. Plates clatter on the terrace. Black Forest gateau also goes down well in Westphalia. Laughter wafts up. Eckhard Vinke feels at home - he has blossomed in the hospice of all places. He is a guest at the new Bethel "Haus Zuversicht".

The 73-year-old radiates a special energy. He often smiles, and despite his advanced illness, he appears light-hearted. Eckhard Vinke has ALS. The nervous system that controls his muscles is failing. He needs a wheelchair, often chokes and sometimes runs out of air. When he holds a glass, he has to use both hands and concentrate. But even though his body is increasingly limiting him, Eckhard Vinke has decided for himself: "I still want to experience something." That's why he only agreed to move into the Bethel Hospice when he learnt that the guests can organise their own time. At least as long as their illness allows. "At first I was afraid that you would just lie in your room in a hospice," he says.

Instead, Eckhard Vinke is now making the most of every moment he has left, travelling to the "Neue Schmiede" leisure and cultural centre in his e-wheelchair to watch football in the midst of other fans. He met world travellers at the Bethel Hotel Lindenhof. He enjoys piano recitals at the hospice. The seriously ill man met another guest, a pastor from Paderborn. "They were stimulating conversations," he says. Eckhard Vinke, who describes himself as a spiritual but not religious person, says: "I was deeply touched by the fact that he included me in his prayers."

When he talks about himself and his childhood, you can sense that the man, who is still handsome today, must have often felt very small and helpless. In the wild garden, he hid from his father, a man with many traumas and aggressions. "But I had the opportunity to forgive him," says Eckhard Vinke. He didn't feel comfortable at school and was completely terrified. Later, he wanted to help - himself and others. He became an art therapist and was always a seeker. Spirituality. Shamanism. Power animals. What has remained with him is the conviction that death is just a farewell to his physical shell. "Death is a transition," he is certain. And he emphasises that he wants to experience it as fully as possible. He greatly appreciates the fact that his beliefs are accepted at the hospice and that he is treated with respect. Previously, he was often dismissed as a "nutcase" by other care services.

Leaving the body? Inevitably. But before that, he can still feel it. Not only failing and painful, but also almost weightless. Because in the House of Confidence, many things become possible - including accompanying the man in the electric wheelchair to the outdoor pool and lifting him into the water. "That was so nice!" says Eckhard Vinke gratefully. "This is not just a hospice for dying, it's a healing centre," he says. He finds peace, support and human care. "I'm glad to be here."

Text: Heike Lepkojis | Picture: Christian Weische