|
HELPING TO REBUILD INDONESIA
Asian Disaster Relief
SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MINISTERS (VMs)
AN OVERVIEW
VMs giving assists in the hospital
|
Nick Broadhurst meeting wth officials heading the rehabilitation of Aceh
|
The devastation left in the tsunami's wake
|
On the 26th December 2004, three earthquakes sent a series of tsunamis radiating out across the Indian Ocean. The worst hit areas were in the northern province of Indonesia, Aceh. Here one wave came out from the west and totally obliterated all coastal villages from and including Meulaboh up to Banda Aceh. Not one village or town remained. The city of Meulaboh was devastated with 85% of the city washed out. Buildings, first crushed by the earthquake, were then overrun by the tidal wave. By air one can see the entire coast is destroyed and the sea has now reclaimed land hundreds of meters inland. Nothing remains of most of the bridges and coastal roads.
Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh, was the worst hit. An earthquake north of it generated a tidal wave that went south towards the city. While such waves normally radiate out this was not the case with this wave. The islands surrounding Banda Aceh funneled the tsunami right onto the city and the ten meter (33 foot) high wave crashed down swallowing up the entire seaside, business district, suburbs and government buildings.
Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) arrived in Indonesia almost immediately, the first group coming from Perth, Australia. Other VMs from cities around Australia came next, followed by volunteers from countries all around the world.
MEDAN:
The worst casualties were airlifted to Medan, the capital of the North Sumatra Province so that is where the Volunteer Ministers first set up.
They visited hospitals and refugee camps helping those in distress. While the VMs still have headquarters in Medan, where they continue to help survivors and train other volunteers, teachers and relief workers, the center of concentration quickly moved to Aceh.
ACEH:
Aceh has buried over 93,000 people and 132,000 remain missing, and 300,000 more have been displaced and are living in refugee camps. The VMs set up their base headquarters in Banda Aceh. They rented a house in the city and erected five tents in the center of the town where they work day after day, helping people overcome their trauma. Running the project is an Australian VM, Nick Broadhurst, who ran the Volunteer Minister disaster relief activities following the Kobe earthquake where 5,000 lost their lives.
Volunteer ministers use special Scientology techniques called “assists." More than 7,000 assists have been performed in the weeks since the VMs arrived in Aceh. Most of the original volunteers have had to return home, replaced by others, but many more are still needed.
Anyone of any profession or faith can learn the techniques used by the Volunteer Ministers, and help others. There is still tremendous need and we urge anyone that can to come and join us to help the people of Sumatra.
If you can help with donations or wish to volunteer time, call (323) 960-1949 or 1-800-435-7498 or e-mail vm@volunteerministers.org
For more information: Scientology Volunteer Ministers News
1. 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.
Learn on-line how to do Scientology Assists.
|
back
