Blogs

Haitian Street Life in May 2010

Paris Morfopoulos, a Volunteer Minister and first-responder who went to Haiti for several weeks in January and February 2010, just recently returned from his second trip to Port-au-Prince. There is still a lot to do and though the news media is not reporting anymore about the help needed in Haiti, the VMs are relying on your continued support, either through the International Association of Scientologists or with skills, time and direct support! Read his report here:

Scientology Volunteer Ministers manning Nashville shelters

The first weekend of May, the Cumberland River overflowed, flooding downtown Nashville. Not only were entire neighborhoods submerged, but resorts, restaurants and hotels were inundated with floodwater and mud. Mayor Karl Dean has predicted the cleanup will cost $1.5 billion and the relief effort will be continuing for months.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Haiti and other nations march from the Port-au-Prince suburb of Carrefour to the city of Leogane to garner support for the next phase of Haiti relief.

Flag Day in Haiti May 18 took on new significance this year as Haitians and friends from around the world reaffirmed their commitment to rebuild the country from the January 2010 earthquake. 

Areas affected by the February 27 earthquake.

In the early hours of the 27 February 2010 a 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Chile. The main shock created a tsunami that killed hundreds of people and affected more than 2 million in various cities and towns of this country. The city that was mainly affected was Concepción, the second largest city in the country which is about 280 miles from Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers network mobilized Chilean Volunteer Ministers in Santiago and Rancagua, a city about 200 miles north-east of Concepción.

Since the disaster hit Haiti on 12 January 2010 over 300 Scientology Volunteer Ministers from 22 countries got active and continue to help the Haitian population - every day.

    In the first week following the Haiti earthquake the Church of Scientology Volunteer Minister corps has mobilized and safely transported more than 350 rescue and medical professionals and Volunteer Ministers to Haiti. Donations for about 40 tons of food and medicine were raised and the supplies were brought into Haiti for distribution, in coordination with the United Nations. Within ten days over 100 Volunteer Ministers were working in Haiti.

The Church of Scientology has called on its nationwide network of Volunteer Ministers to assist Nashville in flood relief.

The Church of Scientology announced today that it has called on its nationwide network of Volunteer Ministers to assist Nashville in flood relief. "We have people around the country who are trained and experienced in disaster response," says Julie Forney, who is coordinating the Church’s volunteers, "and the help is definitely needed here.”

Kenya Scouts who trained as Scientology Volunteer Ministers helped in the search and rescue action following mudslides in the Bududa District of Uganda.

A team of Kenya Scouts who are also Scientology Volunteer Ministers traveled to Uganda last month when massive mudslides killed 94 and displaced 30,000 from their homes.   Led by Elly Rajab, 22, the Scouts joined Uganda Army rescue workers in their search for 500 people missing in the flood-affected area.

The Volunteer Ministers began unloading the ship April 30 at 11 am and carried on till noon the following day.

The "Lifeboat for Haiti" arrived in Port-au-Prince in April 2010, loaded with tons of supplies--everything from MREs (meals ready to eat) to crutches, medicine, cooking-stoves and an ambulance.  All the supplies were donated by charities and everything is being distributed to charities in Haiti including schools, orphanages, hospitals and clinics. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers in the USA and Haiti who had organized the ship and more than 100 tons of donations welcomed the ship at a private dock in Haiti.