On Wednesday, Jan 26th, members of Churches of Scientology were among leaders of different faiths who joined the largest group of rabbis and other Jewish delegates to be granted audience by the Pope.
Read the full story here" Pope meets members of religious tolerance organization
Here is the story of two American VMs and what they have experienced while helping with disaster relief in Indonesia: American Volunteer Ministers Join International Teams in Indonesia
Here is an excellent interview with John Travolta: John Travolta tells Tiffany Rose how the modest heroism of New York's firefighters inspired him to make Ladder 49
More miracles occurring with Scientology assists. Over 4500 people trained on assists.
More news: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Wednesday 26 January 2005
Despite the devastation of the tsunamis, hope is returning to Banda Aceh. Businesses are reopening; small shops are springing up; there are ten times more people at the market this week than last; produce is displayed and taxis are even returning to the city streets.
More news: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Tuesday 25 January 2005
The Church of Scientology International is calling for more support and volunteers to help the thousands of people who still need help to get on with their lives and have hope for the future.
Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Monday 24 January 2005
Here is a personal account from a Scientology Volunteer Minister of his experiences in Thailand in the first 12 days of the relief efforts: "12 Days of War" - A personal account of the Tsunami Relief Efforts by a Scientology Volunteer Minister
The Volunteer Ministers (VMs) have now trained 2,350 people to give assists. In Banda Aceh, Indonesia, the VMs and some of those they have trained are operating in refugee camps located around the city and in the neighboring villages. An additional team of VMs arrived in India from Britain, while a South African team flew into Madagascar, an area that has so far received relatively little attention in the relief effort.
Latest News: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Thursday 20 January 2005
Many of those who came to help in the aftermath of the tsunami are now pulling out. For example, four-fifths of the volunteer organizations that were operating in Banda Aceh ten days ago have left. The international media are departing as well. Notwithstanding, the need of help is still great as local communities face the major task of reconstruction.
Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Wednesday 19 January 2005
As communities attempt to rebuild after the tsunami, the Volunteer Minister (VM) teams in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand are increasingly moving onto the next phase - helping in the process of reconstruction.
Around the world, members of the Scientology Volunteer Minister corps, known as VMs, heard the news of the disaster and began packing. Soon after the world heard the news of the disaster teams from the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Europe and Taiwan were on their way to the hardest-hit spots in Asia to give assistance and help coordinate relief efforts. No strangers to this type of activity, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have, for more than a quarter century, crossed national, racial, political and religious boundaries in more than 150 countries to help people deal with sudden upheavals and restore order, dignity and happiness to their lives.
Asian Disaster Relief - The story so far: Scientology Volunteer Ministers
The challenge for relief workers is to provide help on a scale that is commensurate with the scope of the disaster. Because the number of people needing help is beyond what the Volunteer Ministers can deal with on a one-to-one basis, they have been training others. As relief workers, doctors and nurses witness the effectiveness of these simple techniques, there is an increasing demand for this training. So far, the VMs have trained more than 1200 people in the disaster areas on how to administer assists. One hospital is flying in a team of nurses to Aceh in Indonesia to be trained. The leader of a physical therapy association has requested training for his group, while many of the relatives of those injured in the disaster are also learning how to do Scientology assists.
Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Saturday 15 January 2005
The Volunteer Ministers are continuing to train others in how to administer assists, giving workshops on the subject in the areas affected by the disaster. In Indonesia, medical staffs have been so impressed with the results from assists that one hospital administrator has asked the VMs to train 300 nurses.
Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Friday 14 January 2005
Assists are techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard. They operate on the principle that one tends to withdraw mentally or spiritually from an injured area. Only by restoring communication with this area can one bring the spiritual element into healing, thereby greatly speeding the healing process. Assists are used to alleviate stress and physical aches and pains, or to orient a confused or distraught individual to his present environment.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers use assists extensively to help those hurt both physically and spiritually in the disaster area. The results are quite miraculous : Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Thursday 13 January 2005
Amidst relief efforts to help thousands of Indonesian people left homeless by the recent tsunamis, a Volunteer Minister received an unusual request: Asian Disaster Relief Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers Updates
More Volunteer Ministers continue to arrive at the disaster sites, with many more on their way. The VMs’ efforts are sincerely appreciated by the government, military and medical officials in whose countries they are operating: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. ... more: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) - Update Saturday 8 January 2005
The Volunteer Ministers’ relief work continues in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. Hundreds of people, including government officials and members of other relief organizations, have contacted the VMs in order to work with them in helping those affected by the disaster.
Latest News: Asian Disaster Relief Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers Updates - Jan 7th
Volunteer Ministers (VMs) are working with disaster relief services in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. Reports from Indonesia and Thailand: Asian Disaster Relief - Church of Scientology - Volunteer Ministers Update - Thursday 6 January 2005
The Church of Scientology International is calling for thousands of volunteers to help bring aid to the four major disaster areas of Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka as part of ongoing relief efforts for victims of the worst Tsunami in recorded history. Hundreds of Volunteer Ministers have already been dispatched to these areas. Full story: Thousands Needed To Aid Disaster Victims Abroad - Church Leads "Something Can Be Done About It" Volunteer Ministry
Latest news of relief and recovery efforts from the disaster area: Asian Disaster Relief - Volunteer Ministers Update Tuesday 4 January 2005
Scientology Volunteer Ministers in South-East Asia are doing all they can to help the victims of the disaster. The International VM Hotline is receiving hundreds of calls from people offering help and donations.
To help call 1-800-435-7498 or (323) 960-1949 or e-mail vm@volunteerministers.org.
With the blessing of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, Buddhist monks from Mysore, India are now enroute to Chennai, India with a team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers. They are bringing medical supplies, equipment and spiritual aid to those in need.
Latest News: Scientology Volunteer Ministers News on Tsunami Relief in South East Asia
Here is a link to a page listing many disaster relief agencies who are accepting contributions to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami of December 26th, 2004:
Disaster Relief Agencies and Hotline Numbers
The page also contains a list of phone numbers if you are looking for information on relatives or family in the affected areas:
