I wish the community success in all their endeavours. Only if we shall be aware of our responsibility towards all creatures, we will gain the knowledge of the true Good and therefore we shall become true humans.

Albert Schweitzer
15th Sept 1959

Tonight is the holy night and I am travelling. I wonder how people will experience the holy night today? Let our thoughts travel.

We arrive in the little Salem children's village in Kovahl. The snow crunches under our feet. It is cold, but we can feel the peace. We go along a path in the fields passing by the children's houses to the horses. It has become dark. As we reach the entrance of the village, we can see how all the children with the horses and candles enter into the forest. Christmas in the forest. Forgotten is all the misunderstanding and the worry we have felt through days. Just like the shepherds must have experienced in Bethlehem when the angel came to them and said: "Behold.I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day a saviour who is Christ the Lord."

As our thoughts move further southwest right across the Atlantic, we reach Colombia. Here sadness and hopelessness is great. A young child once told me: "To live or to die, is both the same to me. Which is better?" How sad this made me. The hopelessness also did not seem to disappear in the Holy night. Empty bottles of liquor are evidence of sadness and show us how, especially at Christmas, one tries to forget everything. Yet hang on, we can clearly see a light, as we walk from the quarters of poverty, of Aquablanca in Cali to the Salem youth house. Here we can hear voices singing. However, as we carefully eavesdrop, we can clearly hear the laughter of children. Maybe they do not understand yet, that 2000 years ago there was also a child born in poverty into this world. A child, that brought light into this dark world. Now God has sent Salem to here to help these children. In this moment we can also feel the freedom in us.

Across mountains, much further along the Andes we can see many small Indian farming villages, high up in the mountains of Ecuador. But what does this silence mean? We stop at one of the farmhouses and look through the window. Here a family is sitting together. It is difficult for them to forget their poverty even just for a moment. What is going to happen? The neediness stifles every kind of cheerful laughter. They have heard of Jesus. Yet the people that called themselves Christians, where not bringing freedom. Distressed, we look through the window and our lips spontaneously mouth a prayer and wish: Shalom! Peace! May we, from Salem, also kindle a light here in this sadness.

Full of thoughts we shall travel over the ocean to Uganda. Instantly we are overcome by us the thought of the persecution of Christians in Africa. Will our brothers find peace in the Holy night? Regardless of great poverty and the fear of persecution, their eyes are not embittered. Was not even Jesus persecuted together with its parents and brothers? "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also!" He sayed to the apostles. We can already hear the voices of children from far away as we arrive in our Salem children's village. What a joy! Tonight is the Holy night and therefore a very special night. When I look at these happy children in their unity, sad stories come instantly to my mind. What kind of sorrow leads these children to Salem? To experience love is the most wonderful thing and only love can change things. When we had finished our walkabout through the village, we stopped at our Salem-hospital and prayed for the sick.

We also see light in the huts of Salem-India and in Salem-Orr-Shalom in Israel. Yes, also in the Salem-children village in Höchheim together with the Salem-animals this ancient night of peace will be commemorated.

A light of a very special kind will soon shine in Salem-Russia. There, near Königsberg, which is situated in the former northeast Prussia, the youngest of the Salem-children villages is just being built.
Just like the simple answer of Jesus, when he speaks about the good Samaritan, we are consious about what we have to do in SALEM: 'Go and do likewise'.

Samuel Müller

We live in a confusing time, a time of crumbling cultural values without the replacement of new ones, which could give stability and direction to man's endeavour. Reason was followed by the scientific analysis, which divided everything into single sequences and further splits into material and energy processes, has won the lordship over our lives.

Science does not know all the meanings of 'good and bad', only the meanings of 'right and wrong'. Hereby right is what serves the human beings needs in the short term, and wrong that which damages it. The typical human aspect of ethically based decisions does not have value within this logical schema. The belief in an almighty God guiding and ordering everything, was pushed aside as out-dated.

Instead of the belief in an almighty God there are ideologies, which lead to the belief of control and manipulation over living systems.
A result of this modern viewpoint is a thoughtless and ill-considered technology. Mankind faces a catastrophe of the highest order. However, it is not possible to imagine life without any irrationality. That is also why we do not know the meaning of health, as this is only to be created within a tight network of all life on this earth. Therefore we are increasingly walking in a polluted atmosphere.

The pollution of our environment was caused by the pollution of our souls. This only knows short-term material gains. It has also abolished the respect for the living nature and claims to be able to govern without God. This way human beings have separated themselves form the natural and paradise like security. Religion is only being tolerated; art is being polluted just like nature. Human beings are on the verge of de-humanizing themselves mentally, which is followed by their physical disintegration.

For this reason we shall see the work of Salem founded by Gottfried Muller in the following. The deep-rooted religious belief in our future as humans, clearly dominates here. Against established material interests and stubborn crtitics, Salems sets examples of kindness and help and brotherly love.

With Salem a community has been created in which the highest value is life and health that is closely connected to life, and includes the body as well as the soul. The child needs most of all our kindness, help and love.
The child is most sensitive against all manipulations of life. As only thinking and acting will lead to the child's true development. That is why Salem is focusing its work on children, whose care the brotherhood of Salem has made its main task.

In the Salem community faith in the future of humans, in life and the recreation of health in all of nature, leads to the harmony in its whole. Here one knows that there are a lot of things that stand higher than reason. Salem provides a new and fundamental mission.
In this sense Salem is a resting place.

Imagine a place, cradled in nature, set high above the cares and concerns of your daily world. A place where trees replace television, home-grown organic dishes replace mistreated chemical-heavy food and peace pervades the air, which is scented like freshly-baked apple strudel. A place your soul calls home before your mind even has a chance to acknowledge it. Then add a small family of people bearing gifts of friendship, who you have always known, loved and respected though you haven't met before. Sprinkle with a golden dusting of sacred rituals, timeless wisdom and the presence of a truly inspirational holy messenger, and you have the perfect recipe for a new world.

This place exists. Set on a hill above Stadsteinach in Germany, it has become the flagship of Salem International, a material manifestation of a lifelong relationship with a loving God. Once a children's village it has now evolved into one of Germany's leading health spa's and spiritual retreats without losing any of its sanctity.

Last weekend it was the setting for a conference with Thom Hartmann and Herr Müller, mentor and legend of Thom's book 'The Prophet's Way'. A group of us from Scotland were fortunate enough to attend.

During the weekend we were to benefit from the wisdom of a man who speaks with God every day. Together we shared stories, songs, tears and laughter and built solid relationships with friends of all nations and ages (ranging from 19 to 87), dissolving our differences in a celebration of unity. We honoured the Sabbath, relaxed and plotted the progress of Salem's recent projects in Russia and Australia.

On Saturday morning we walked The Prophet's Way with Thom and Herr Müller. It was as if we were reliving moments from the book. When we reached Herr Muller's shrine we stopped, and after Thom had carefully removed a worm from our path, we were anointed with holy oil and received a blessing.

For most of us, this was the most magical part of the whole weekend. The universe seemed to shift slightly in the profound shared silence that followed. It seemed that everyone allowed the peace that is Salem into their hearts and souls. Many contemplated their divine purpose, some making radical alterations to their life plans. Some committed to extending Salem's network of peace, others decided to 'be the change'. Whatever decisions we came to that day, we left Salem the better for it.

As we left, one of our group shared her vision with us. She has tied a silver thread between Salem and her heart so she can return whenever she needs to reclaim her sense of wellbeing. This weekend she discovered she was a healer. Everyone needs a tonic for the soul. Salem was ours.

Thank you.

Adrea Lomas

Having read, and been greatly inspired by Thom Hartmann's book 'The Prophets Way'. I decided to book my family on the 'holiday of a lifetime', believing that if this gentleman Gottfried Mueller was only a fraction as incredible as Thom had depicted him, our holiday would be most extraordinary.

In the summer of 2002, along with my wife Fiona and sixteen year old daughter Carina, we travelled for a one week holiday in Salem Stadtsteinach. Whilst in Germany we had the privilege of visiting Herr and Frau Lipfert at Salem Hochheim, where we were to observe at first hand a Salem village in operation. We had the great honour of sharing the 'prophets way walk' with Herr Mueller, and in doing so we were able to feel the intensity and profoundness of faith that he has in our creator. He was indeed every bit as incredible as Thom had described him!

During our 7day stay, we observed that we had never previously experienced associating with so many, and yet such a wonderful group of people, and we realised that we all seemed to share the same Salem values. The kindness, love and spirituality of Salem created it's very own ambience of being our 'heaven on earth'. It was not only a most extraordinary holiday, it was also an awakening and an opportunity to recover our lost sense of perspective that had been slowly eroded during the chaos of our everyday lives.

We were all deeply touched by the Salem experience and we as a family intend to contribute more fully when our daughter's academic education has ended.

Kind Regards
Dave Robson

After having acquainted myself with the activity of Salem, I have understood even better the importance of the Salem-project in the region of Kaliningrad, Russia, - the building of a village for children who are lacking in domestic bliss. The activity of Salem deserves to be supported morally and financially. What Salem does is a sign of noble-mindedness. I ask you to regard me from this day on as supporter and intercessor of this great project, including the children's village in Russia. Perhaps this one won't be the last.

I wish Gottfried Müller, his wife, his son, Mr. Lipfert and all the other collaborators of Salem a good health, welfare, a long life and a lot of success in their activity which is so indispensable for men!

Thank you very much for the cordial and warm reception!

Yours sincerely
L. Klepazki,
Consul general of the Russian consulate in Munich

June 8th, 2002

It's late spring and the Linden Trees are blooming. The fragrant flowers share their beauty well and even the most downcast person, who's way of walking reveals his burden, will then smile with glee, as though being tapped on the shoulder and reminded where to be. Even the individual leaves, each one uniquely different, are in the perfect shape of the Tree itself, so that by looking at only one leaf, one can see the whole Tree therein. While seeking shade under one of these mother-like trees, one can see life manifest, appearing here in every one of her beautiful forms. Bumble bees come, attracted from afar by the sweetness that fragrantly fills the air, as the sun shines down from the Heavens emphasising, like one of God's fingers, and in a whisper you can hear, "This,. this here is where life is at. This is where you are supposed to be!"

High up in the protected branches birds sing in one of the most impressive pulpits I've ever see, and the ground underneath being the perfect pew for learning and listening. I might add that there is naturally no worries here. What was once troubling falls away, easily and effortlessly, even as old skin that once served you now must go. Oh, but how Life moves just like a refreshing river! And over time even the bee will go, sharing all that he has gathered with his friends, with his brothers, with his sisters, with his family. And together they may make something sweet, something which gives honour back to the beautiful Linden, something that makes her proud for sharing all that she is. So patiently waiting, but ever giving.

For the past 5 months of my Life, Salem has been this Linden tree to me. I admit that I have been that downcast man before, walking and wondering where the sky is as my eyes trace my well worn circle on the ground. I'm here like the man sitting under its branches, listening to the wisdom of birds, taking God's suggestion, while I seek relief in the form of shade from the often overbearing and exhausting heat of the now mid-day sun. Salem, a resting place. But I'm also like the bird! Singing and proclaiming beauty from the safety of these branches. And I know also, that I'm like the bee, and that after a while my time for departing will come, being then on my way. To go to my friends, my brothers, my sisters, my family, by which of course I mean the world! To share what I've received from the ever out stretched hand of God. And together to make something sweet, something which gives honour back to our Tree, something which will surely make her proud for having shared all that she is. And perhaps one may even now find a likeness in my leaf-like body, between myself, and the ever growing Tree I represent.

---

Richard has been a volunteer with Salem International in Stadtsteinach, Germany, from mid April 2003 until January 2004. After all of his wonderful and fulfilling experiences he encourages every truth seeker from around the globe to learn more about Salem, and hence more about themselves. As he himself will tell you, "coming to Salem has been a key point in my Life, whether through the places I've seen, everything I've learned, or from every one of the inspiring and like-minded people I've been blessed to meet. I know now that there are many people around the world just like myself who know that we shape the world by our good deeds."

My impressions of Salem-Ecuador:
Once I was asked if the work of Salem in Salem-Mindo was actually necessary? The work of Salem is worthwhile every minute of this present time, because even if the whole work happened for just one child, it would be necessary anyway. Many of those children of Salem in Mindo have fates that we as collaborators of Salem actually don't know and I am sure that the warmth and security of Salem is really good for every one of these children. I also felt how much the children enjoy and appreciate the Salem-lunch.

Anyway, I support Salem-Ecuador completely. The project with its ideas and the new pair of leaders have fascinated me so much that I will travel again to Mindo that very year to collaborate for several months.

I carry the work, the collaborators and the children of Salem in my heart every minute of my life and I want to be part of this work in this bewildered world nowadays and I am full of hope and faith about the good in and about the human beings.

Conny Pioda,
St. Gallen/Switzerland In January of 2004

Conny Pioda visited her parents, than project leaders in Salem-Ecuador in Mindo, Ecuador

Music can be miraculous.
When one is surrounded by questions, it is often the answer, when one is alone, it is a hand on your shoulder and when there is darkness and coldness, it is a flame.

Since the beginning of history cultures the world over have turned to song as a form of prayer, bringing God nearer and thus walking once more with a smile upon their faces. Whether through a favourite song or simply through the enjoyment of music, each of us has seen this in our own lives:
Music reaches through the monotony of our daily routine and makes us more complete. It is in this manner that one song influences many people.

To many throughout the world Salem is music. When one is surrounded by questions, Salem helps with an answer, when a child is alone, Salem is the hand on his or her shoulder, and when there is darkness, Salem is there with a light. Even as a flame can be passed from candle to candle around the world, so does Salem pass on its flame, its music, to all those it comes in contact with, who then in turn carry it with them throughout the world, then being able to help others as well.
It is in this manner that one person, with a single good deed, makes the world a better place.

It is with your help that we are able to accomplish this.

Richard Powell
Volunteer in Salem, Stadtsteinach
July/August 2005