Asian Disaster Relief
SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MINISTERS (VMs)
TSUNAMI AID IN THAILAND

Assists are given at the VM Relief Center

VMs helping with food and water distribution

VMs initially flew to Phuket, but they observed a province on the mainland of Thailand, Phang Nga, that was more badly hit by the tsunami and not receiving much needed attention. This had been a very popular resort area where many were holidaying when the tsunami hit.

One of the first VMs on the ground reported, “We saw the destruction that occurred in this area with 5-star seaside resorts completely destroyed. We continued up to the county hall of Takua Pa. The area was in chaos and we knew we would need more VMs to effectively change the scene there. On our way back to Phuket we stopped off at the city hospital and did assists and helped the few foreigners that were there being readied for airlift back to Bangkok.

“We drove past a temple that was full of bodies and then realized the scope of the disaster was much worse than what had been reported thus far. We returned to Phuket and called for VMs to join us there.”

The VMs immediately went to work finding out what was needed and at the request of local officials ended up organizing the identification and care of the deceased. Any task they were asked to do, they did fast to bring order to the chaos. They organized up many teams to handle the different functions needed to care for both the physical and the spiritual needs of the people affected.

A Relief Center was set up in a tent outside the temple, which was now being utilized as a morgue, and gave assists to medical workers, policemen, volunteer workers, etc, as well as to relatives who had lost family members and came to the temple to identify them, giving them relief so that they could cope.

A second team of Swedish VMs administered assists in different locations in Phuket and became a stable center for the foreign tourists in that area.

In the course of their work, the VMs found a huge warehouse had been set up containing donations from around the world, however, for over 5 days none of these supplies had been distributed - meanwhile, the people in villages who had lost everything were without food and water. The VMs, working with the Red Cross got the distribution organized; the transport handled and deliveries made to the people in need.

One VM said, “As more and more volunteers and foreign teams began arriving, we found ourselves supervising vast numbers of people. At most times the operations section of the VM team ran hundreds of personnel, cranes, tractor trailers, construction crews as well as armies of volunteers who continued to work with us.

“We organized several vehicles and teams, loaded up the donated items and started getting them out to the small villages that hadn’t received help. For 3 days we kept a constant supply line going out directly to the people affected; delivering water, rice, clothing and assists to those that hadn’t received any help yet. We also distributed Red Cross disaster relief bags.

“I believe our work there was very important to those we helped and we were urged to return to assist them. Our team didn’t leave the scene until we knew there were others there helping as effectively as we had so that the people still needing succor are cared for.”

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

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Learn on-line how to do Scientology Assists.

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