Creating a Corps of Volunteers to Help Fiji in Times of Disaster

Press Release • Apr 8, 2016

Six weeks after Cyclone Winston tore through Fiji with winds of 230 km per hour (143 miles per hour), pastor Alfy's (Rev. Alfred Waqa) Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue to provide relief, traveling to nearby villages to help them recover from the damage.

Fiji, April 8, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Cyclone Winston made landfall Feb 20 on Vitu Levu, Fiji’s largest island, ripping up the infrastructure and destroying homes and schools. For the past six weeks, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been hard at work—first cleaning up their own village, Nalalawa, and then extending their help to nearby communities.

The Volunteer Ministers ranks have swollen from 10 in February to 73, with their leader, Pastor Alfy, a Christian pastor, training new volunteers in every town they visit.

"I am very grateful to be part of this association," said one of the new volunteers who particularly liked the group's orientation to encouraging people to help one another. "I count myself lucky to be part of the Scientology Volunteers," said another, "because it helps me to be available for assistance. …I need to be alert to help anytime and anywhere. I am ready to face the music."

Last week, the Volunteer Ministers traveled to the nearby villages of Mataveikai, Savusavu, Narewa, Vitawa and Nabau to help these communities with cleanup and construction. They removed debris and repaired or rebuilt houses and schools.

In each village, they put in place a team of 10 new Volunteer Ministers that Pastor Alfy trained to respond to future disasters, including how to provide Scientology assists—techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual components of stress and trauma.

“I am very grateful to be part of this association,” said one of the new volunteers who particularly liked the group’s orientation to encouraging people to help one another. “I count myself lucky to be part of the Scientology Volunteers,” said another, “because it helps me to be available for assistance. …I need to be alert to help anytime and anywhere. I am ready to face the music.”

The Volunteer Ministers program was expressly intended for use by Scientologists and non-Scientologists alike. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities. And all are welcome to do so.

Equipped with effective technology to resolve virtually any difficulty, Volunteer Ministers live by the motto: “No matter the problem, something can be done about it.”