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Our SALEM-village in the Kaliningrad region is close to our hearts, just like all our other projects. At the moment, the idea of peace, which was always Gottfried Müller's main motivation, is particularly graspable there

In October, SALEM-managing directors Samuel Müller and Gerhard Lipfert, who has been closely linked to SALEM-Raduga (German for rainbow) since the beginning, got their own idea of the situation there. After the long journey by car, they were warmly welcomed by the SALEM family.

The village is run in an exemplary manner by Anna Engel and Sergei Vislov and is in a very well-maintained condition. However, some renovation works are necessary. These are, for example, gutters for five houses, new wooden cladding for the eco-house, accommodation for young people in the youth camp area. And the change in heating from coal to wood means that a wood splitter is urgently needed.

We would be very thankful if you supported us with these purchases. There is an option to donate online here. As you can imagine, the willingness to donate to Russian projects is not very high at the moment.

During the visit, the special relationships with the Lutheran Church Community in Kaliningrad, but also with the Russian Orthodox Church, were strengthened. Above all our faith helps in working for peace in the world.

Time in the SALEM-village was also spent learning more about the people there. Residents and visitors talked, sang, celebrated and prayed together. This resulted in a children's prayer for peace: 

We, in SALEM-Russia, pray for peace 

May both, the sky and thoughts, be clear. Our hearts shall be open.
 

May we bring peace to places where it does not exist. 

May our hearts receive the seed of peace and may it thrive in us and in our children.

 

 Finally, everyone solemnly signed this message of peace.

At the end of the evening, Samuel Müller asked the young employee Alina, who comes from Luhansk, why SALEM should stay in Russia. She replied: “There will be no such thing as SALEM again. If we’re not there anymore, who will do our work?”