The celebration began Saturday evening, March 12, with a momentous Centennial Event including a two-hour biographical presentation of the Founder’s life. It was attended by more than 6,000 in Clearwater, Florida.

The following day, Sunday, March 13, thousands of Scientologists next gathered for a Grand Opening ceremony to dedicate the Church of Scientology of Tampa in its new home, the landmark Ybor Square. The new Tampa Church was made necessary by a fourfold growth in Tampa’s Scientology congregation over the past decade.

The 88,000-square-foot Church houses a Public Information Center presenting the beliefs and practices of Scientology, including the life of its Founder. The Information Center further presents an overview of all Church-sponsored humanitarian programs, including its initiatives for Human Rights, drug education and prevention, literacy and learning centers, as well as its world-famed Volunteer Minister program providing disaster relief and indiscriminate help. The Public Information Center also includes multimedia displays with nearly 500 documentary films.

Ybor Square is a designated National Historic Landmark. Originally built in the late 1880s by city father Vicente Ybor, the complex of three buildings served as the “cigar capital of the world” at the turn of the 19th century. In making Ybor Square its home, the Church has meticulously restored the historic site. It features period artifacts, including an original tobacco press, original embossed tin panel ceilings and original wrought iron steps at the entrance. Also preserved is the building’s “lectern,” the wooden platform from which “readers” read to workers to both entertain and educate.

At the Grand Opening ribbon-cutting ceremony, Church Executive Director, Lynn Irons, reflected on the significance of the new Tampa Church and the historically ethnic community it serves:

“The Cuban, Spanish, Italian, Jewish and German populations who settled here all thrived—thanks to the creation of Mutual Aid Societies. These societies were created by immigrantsfor immigrants. And it is in the same proud tradition of service to the community that we open this Church of Scientology today, in Ybor City.” Mr. Irons went on to say, “We bring the infinite value of L. Ron Hubbard’s priceless discoveries and technologies to improve the community and the human condition. Accordingly, we are very proud to expand in Ybor and in Tampa.”

Officially dedicating the building was Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. In addressing the assembly, Mr. Miscavige placed the occasion in historical perspective for the worldwide religion:

“Unlike any other Scientology Church on Earth, this Church stands in the shadow of our spiritual headquarters in Clearwater. And with that comes another responsibility. For in the coming year, you will, indeed, see the ribbon falling on our new spiritual Mecca. And consequently, you’ll then see an unprecedented number of Scientologists arriving in Clearwater from virtually every country on Earth. As a matter of fact, coming soon to your neighborhood is the whole face of Scientology: Russians and Hungarians; Italians, French and Germans; Australians, Venezuelans, South Africans and Mexicans—not to mention Vietnamese, Taiwanese and Chinese. And they’re all going to want to see what now marks Tampa as a center for Spiritual Freedom and Greatness.”

Mr. Miscavige concluded his address by officially dedicating the building to the Church’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

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Haiti is a land that “once was.”  Occasional patches of concrete through the rubble in the Port-au-Pince streets evidence there must once have been roads. The French-colonial hotels with their wide verandas once must have been quite elegant.  And the passenger terminal that welcomed guests flying into the country in days past is long gone—replaced by a concrete-block hangar.

It is as though a 150-foot giant rampaged through Port-au-Prince on a drunken spree with a huge hammer—the teams of 30-50 government employees wielding pick axes, buckets and shovels around town are no match for the rubble he left behind.

More than a million Haitians live in tent cities now—little has been done to rebuild and there is no place else to go.

The structures that imploded on January 12, 2010, are crumbled monuments to those who saved a few dollars by adding extra sand to the concrete and those who condoned the lack of building codes.  The schools, markets and homes spared no one, not even those who built them, when they collapsed.

For the past month, as part of the Scientology Haiti  Volunteer Minister Relief Team, I’ve been doing what I can to change this, and help the freedom-loving people of Haiti transform their “once was” country into the nation they deserve.

There is wisdom in the maxim of teaching a man to fish rather than feeding him a meal and this is the philosophy of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program; we help others by giving them knowledge they can use  to make their lives better—knowledge that is easily taught, quickly learned, and useful in everyday life.

Ranking high among the skills we teach is a body of knowledge called Scientology assists.  Administered to help people recover from illness and injury (once needed first aid has been applied), assists can also relieve loss, trauma and the spiritual factors that contribute to chronic conditions.

A Scientology Volunteer Minister demonstrates a Scientology assist in a seminar in Haiti.

For most of my stay in Haiti I’ve been living (along with Russians, French, Australians, Mexicans and of course Haitians) at the program’s headquarters in Petionville, in the hills above Port-au-Prince, training Haitian Volunteer Ministers.  And I have learned so much from the Haitian people I’ve met—their beauty, resilience and optimism despite the ordeals they’ve survived.

While in Haiti, I ventured to Gonaïves with two other Volunteer Ministers.  A group from this town had attended a Scientology assist seminar in Port-au-Prince and asked us to bring this technology to their city as they prepare for this year’s hurricane season.

The hundred-mile bus trip begins with…waiting.  The bus only leaves Port-au-Prince for Gonaïves when it is full, and we soon learned that “full” means three adults to a seat in an ancient school bus.  Our only guarantee of a seat for the three-hour trip was to sit there from 7:10 until 8:40 in the morning while the bus slowly filled up. Once underway there was one hour on an asphalt road.  The rest of the way we barreled over concrete, ruts and rock and held our breath as the bus repeatedly swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to dodge stalled trucks.

On arriving in Gonaïves I was struck by its resemblance to the black and white images of ghost towns in old American westerns.  Although spared the wrath of the January 12 earthquake, it had never recovered from the tropical storms and hurricanes that decimated the city in 2004 and 2008.

But that impression ended when our seminars began.  I was once again struck by the spirit of the Haitian people—the true descendants of those who prevailed against the military might of Napoleon’s France; the only country in recorded history to have formed a free nation from a successful slave revolt—60 years before America’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Continued…

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_{Clearwater Scientologists organize the Say No To Drugs Holliday Classic to promote drug-free living.}

Clearwater—A Volunteer Awards Ceremony will be held in the historic Fort Harrison to honor the over 800 Scientologists in Tampa Bay who have donated over 300,000 volunteer hours to raise funds for the needy, rehabilitate inmates in Florida’s prisons, tutor children, and to spread the message of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and that a Drug Free Life is More Fun. Pat Harney, the Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization will be presenting the awards. She said, “In 1961, L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology wrote: ‘…a being is only as valuable as he can serve others.’ This is an ideology that Scientologists internationally practice, including those here in the Tampa Bay area and I want them to know that they are appreciated for the tremendous work they are doing to raise the standard of living of the people of Tampa Bay and throughout Florida.”

Harney continued, “Participation in Scientology volunteer groups, however, is not just limited to Scientologists. People of all faiths are welcome to volunteer, and most of our programs count a wide range of community volunteers.”

Here is a partial list of the volunteer groups established and led byScientologists in the Tampa Bay area:

THE COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (CLC): Holly and Brendan Haggerty founded the Community Learning Center to provide kids a safe place to learn and to go to after school for arts programs and sports. The proud parents of four children, they have now expanded their services to include literacy programs for adults. Though based right outside of downtown Clearwater, their after-school tutoring programs are running in Pinellas, Dade, Hillsborough, Alachua, Broward-Deerfield and Broward-Ft. Lauderdale counties. Their 89 volunteer tutors have helped some 500 students in the past year alone.

CRIMINON – FLORIDA: Founded here in Florida about 15 years ago, Criminon Florida is currently run by Clearwater resident Susan Broughton. A chapter of Criminon International, Criminon Florida offers character building criminal rehabilitation programs through correspondence courses in 85% of the 75 prisons in the state and has over 2000 inmates enrolled. This activity is 100% volunteer all the way, volunteer supervisors grade inmates lessons, while others ensure that the course is properly administered.

SAY NO TO DRUGS RACE: 20 years ago, Clearwater resident and world-class runner Sandra Johnson started the Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic to promote an anti-drug message through a road race. A team of 200 volunteers produces this race, which now brings over 1,000 runners a year. From executives to chiropractors, to Boy Scout troops to sponsors, all contribute to making this event a success. Now under the direction of Chris Alexander, the race continues to be a draw for elite athletes and weekend warriors alike.

THE WAY TO HAPPINESS: Written by Mr. Hubbard in the early 1980’s, the Way to Happiness is a non-religious moral code designed to help young and old make decisions about their lives that will enable them to flourish. Here in Tampa Bay, the Way to Happiness Club, led by Clearwater resident Betsy Cramb, distributed 125,000 free booklets and held 52 events last year to educate children in the application of this non-religious moral code to improve their survival and the survival of those around them.

THE CLEARWATER COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS (CCV): What originally started as the Women’s Auxiliary of the Church of Scientology, theClearwater Community Volunteers holds fundraisers and events throughout the year for the benefit of local charities. These include Winter Wonderland in downtown Clearwater, the Easter Egg Hunt in Coachman Park, and Fashions-with-Flair Fashion show which just held its 8th annual event at the historic Fort Harrison. From these events, CCV is able to contribute tens of thousands of dollars each year to worthwhile local charitable organization such as the Make a Wish Foundation and the Children’s Home of Tampa. Realtor and self-proclaimed Professional Volunteer Pamela Ryan Anderson now heads up this group which utilizes the talents of over 800 volunteers.

FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG FREE WORLD, FLORIDA: Led by Julietta Gil, this group was founded to educate people about the dangers of abusing harmful drugs. This chapter of the international Foundation for a Drug Free World gave 30 drug education lectures in schools throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County to about 3,500 people in one year. They also offer drug free educational pamphlets, and have distributed 75,000 over the last two years. Through partnerships with a multitude of groups, such as the Dunedin Blue Jays, the Clearwater Downtown Partnership and the Sunscreen Film Festival, youth are sworn in as “Drug Free Marshals” who pledge not only to lead a drug-free life, but also to educate themselves and others about the harmful effects of drugs.

HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS: The protection of basic human rights has been a hallmark of the Church of Scientology since its earliest days. Here in the Tampa Bay area, two groups have picked up the torch to educate people about what their rights are and how they can defend them: the Tampa Bay Chapter of Youth for Human Rights and the Human Rights Group. Members of Youth for Human Rights give presentations on the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights in schools throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County. They have also passed out thousands of booklets and public service announcements depicting the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Headed up by Linda Drazkowski, the Human Rights Group held its fourth annualWalk-a-Thon this March in St. Petersburg’s Straub Park. More than 1,000 people from many different faiths and backgrounds marched in support of human rights.”

To find out more about the work of Scientologists as volunteers log on to www.scientology.org.

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Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, officiated, acknowledging the Scientologists who spearheaded the drive to build the new Church.  Stressing the significance of the occasion, Mr. Miscavige said:

“Just this year alone, we have opened six new Ideal Churches on three continents.  While in months to come you’ll see ribbons parting as far away as Tel Aviv, Melbourne and Moscow, and as close to home as Twin Cities, Sacramento and Portland—to cite but a few of the more than 60 new Churches now looming on the near horizon.

“So, yes, you are part of a movement that qualifies as ‘history in the making.’  Moreover, it is a movement that is all-embracive, all-inclusive and all about ensuring no one falls between the cracks.  Because when you possess a technology capable of restoring the infinite goodness in every human being, then every life becomes immeasurably precious.”

Acknowledging the Church for its many contributions to the community were Washington State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, Washington State Representative Marilyn Chase, Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce President Dave Peterson, Seattle Neighborhood District Coordinator Christa Dumpys, and FEMA volunteer liaison Jo Ann Oram.

Justice Sanders spoke of working with the Church in the field of human rights, a partnership spanning nearly 35 years:  “There is nothing more important in life than being true to yourself and standing up for what you believe. That is freedom, and that is what makes life worth living. And that, to me, is what you represent. … The Church of Scientology is truly a leader when it comes to fighting for the civil rights of those subject to abuse by the so-called mental health laws and those that enforce them.  And I respect your struggle to abolish coercive practices in the field of mental health and to restore human dignity and freedom to all people. I am proud of our accomplishments over the years, and I am especially proud for your significant accomplishment of opening this beautiful new Church.”

President of the Greater Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, Dave Peterson, gave these words in acknowledgment of the Church’s history of service to its community: “Your Church of Scientology has never failed to step up….  Together, we have a proud tradition in Seattle, one in which the Church of Scientology can rightfully claim its due reward…  I am also proud to say that the Chamber and the Church have co-sponsored many projects for the benefit of the greater community.  And in every case, you never just stand by and think about improvements.  You do them. We at the Chamber know we can always turn to the Church of Scientology – and you will never let us down.”

Long active as volunteers in community betterment initiatives, just last April local Scientologists received the Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award.  Seattle-area Scientologists serve in the Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and as certified associate chaplains of the Seattle Police Department’s Community Chaplaincy Program.  The Scientology Environmental Task Force, partnering with the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department, Department of Neighborhoods and Seattle Public Utilities to Keep Seattle Beautiful, sponsors the oldest Adopt-A-Street program in the city.  Scientologists have also volunteered with Food Lifeline since 2002 and, since 1993, the Church’s community drug education program has helped thousands of Seattle young people steer clear of substance abuse.

The State of Washington holds a significant place in the life of Scientology Founder  L. Ron Hubbard. In 1923, he joined Tacoma Troop 31 Black Eagle Patrol and the following year, at 13, became the youngest Eagle Scout in America. In 1926, he spent his sophomore year at Seattle’s Queen Anne High School on Galer Street, before embarking on the first of several voyages to a then rarely visited Asia.

During the 1930s, in his Port Orchard writer’s retreat overlooking Puget Sound, Mr. Hubbard authored several acclaimed stories and novels for what is remembered today as the Great American Pulp Fiction Movement. It was also in Port Orchard that he scripted the Warner Brothers classic Dive Bomber.

It was also from Seattle where Mr. Hubbard set sail on the famed “Alaskan Radio Experimental Expedition” to field-test a then novel system on which all future radio navigation was based.

Most importantly, it was in neighboring Port Orchard, in 1938, that Mr. Hubbard authored what is remembered as the philosophic foundation of Dianetics and Scientology. A now legendary work entitled “Excalibur, ” here was the first examination of key universal principles common to all life forms and underlying all behavior.

The new Church of Scientology of Washington is located just blocks from Seattle Center and the Space Needle.  The ground floor features an extensive Public Information Center with 17 multimedia displays that present and illustrate Scientology beliefs, the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard and the full array of social betterment and community outreach programs.  These interactive displays provide a concise but panoramic view of the religion to visitors, students and others desiring to learn more about Scientology.

To even better serve the community, the Church has further established the Scientology Life Improvement Center adjacent to the century-old Pike Place Market Historic District, the “Soul of Seattle.” This center provides Scientology introductory courses.

Click here to watch the video!

_____________

The Church of Scientology of Washington State is the seventh new Scientology Church to open in 2010.  The Brussels branch of Churches of Scientology for Europe opened on January 23; the Church of Scientology of Quebec opened on January 30; the Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Las Vegas opened February 6; the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles opened April 24; a new National Scientology Church opened in Mexico City July 10; and the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena opened July 18

Last year (2009), new Churches of Scientology opened in Washington, DC; Rome, Italy; Nashville, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; and Malmö, Sweden.  These join a roster of new Churches of Scientology recently opened in world cultural centers, including the Church of Scientology of San Francisco, in the original historic Transamerica Building; the Church of Scientology of New York, just off Times Square; the National Church of Scientology of Spain, in Madrid’s Neighborhood of Letters; the Church of Scientology of London, at the city’s epicenter; and the Church of Scientology of Berlin, near the Brandenburg Gate.

Another five new Churches of Scientology are scheduled for completion before the end of 2010.  Worldwide, there are more than 8,500 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups in 165 countries.

News from ScientologyNews.org

The Conchoo Dance Group performs a traditional dance, welcoming the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour to Papua New Guinea.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers South Pacific Goodwill Tour was officially welcomed by traditional dancers and local dignitaries at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Murray Army Barracks in Papua New Guinea June 7.  Tour members and officials spoke of working to tackle illiteracy and poverty through seminars and courses that the tour will provide at local level throughout the island.

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals include improving  literacy as a pivotal target for eradicating poverty, increasing opportunity and guaranteeing other human rights.  Of all Pacific island nations, Papua New Guinea ranks lowest in both literacy and standard of living, with some 30 percent of the population living on a dollar or less a day.  To make inroads against this crucial problem, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour is providing free seminars and courses to teachers and students across the island.

Established in 1976 by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program enables people to better cope with common problems and stresses of life and independently improve their situations.  Scientology Churches and Missions provide training in Volunteer Ministers know-how and sponsor Volunteer Ministers activities in their areas.

In 2004, to extend the reach of the Volunteer Ministers program, ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige launched the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tours, enabling teams of volunteers to bring help to remote areas including South and West Africa, Southern Asia, India, the South Pacific, Eastern Europe, Siberia, the Australian Outback, and Latin America.

For more information, visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers website.

News from Scientologytoday.org

_{Foyer inside the Church of Scientology on Victoria Street, London.}

When the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena opens its doors in the city’s historical core this summer, it will not only enable the Church to expand its service to the community, it will give back some of its cultural history.   Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the character of what was once a turn-of-the-century bicycle factory has been transformed into a unique blend of old and new, its four-story atrium and original façade still intact.  With attention also given to 21st century detail, the restored building will also be LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Church of Scientology International has been working for the past six years on a program to acquire new buildings for its regional Churches around the world.    Launched in 2004 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the aim of the program is to establish each Church in premises ideally suited for its many and varied religious services as well as its community outreach activities.  So far, 19 such ideal Churches have opened, eight of them in unique historic buildings, with more on the horizon.

_{The Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for the European Communities situation at Boulevard de Waterloo 100-103, is an early-20th-century structure fully renovated to serve the congregation and the community. It was dedicated 23 January 2010.}

“These Churches have already been in their cities for many years and their buildings need to be large enough to accommodate all their activities including a chapel, rooms for the study of our theology and introductory courses for new people and individual spiritual counseling rooms,” said Church of Scientology International spokesman, Tommy Davis.

Far from a Sunday-only meeting place, Churches of Scientology hum with activity seven days a week.  In addition to common congregational services such as weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies for newborn children and Sunday service, parishioners can study days and evenings as well as receive the religion’s unique form of one-on-one religious counseling, participate in the Scientology Purification Program (a precise and closely supervised religious regimen that addresses barriers to spiritual gain) and take part in community betterment planning and activities, sponsored and initiated by the Church.

In May the Nashville, Tennessee Church of Scientology historic building took top honors in the city’s 35th Annual Preservation Awards for meeting all safety standards while preserving the beauty and grace of the 1898 building, which opened last year.  Built just two years after the famous Grand Ole Opry in a similar style, its features include red brick walls, original doors and hardwood floors, 14-foot ceilings and an unusual three-floor atrium crowned with a glass cupola.

Last January, the Church opened the Belgium branch of the Churches of Scientology of Europe, an 88,000 square-foot early 20th century historic structure in the heart of Brussels.  In October 2009, the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, DC completed renovation of its seven-story, 49,000-square-foot historic building by architect Appleton P. Clark, Jr., half a mile from the White House.  And another historic Church property fully restored in 2009 is the 1926 Mediterranean Revival-style Fort Harrison building in Clearwater, Florida.

_{The first floor hallway of the Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for Europe with study rooms, offices and the a Documentation Center which holds the written and recorded works of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.}

Other cities with historic buildings now home to Scientology Churches include: San Francisco, California; London, England; Tampa, Florida; and Buffalo, New York.   The Church has also acquired historic buildings that are in pre-construction stages in Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Montreal, Canada; and Manchester, England.

“We take a lot of pride and care in adapting and rehabilitating our historic buildings,” said Davis.  “The result is truly unique as these new Churches exemplify our religion and are dynamically practical and aesthetic, and enable us to practice the full range of Scientology services as laid out by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.”

News from Scientologytoday.org

Watch this series of video’s from Freedom Magazine. They utterly disgrace Anderson Cooper’s lies and setup during his one-week special “investigation” on the church of Scientology. Full evidence of his plot to hurt the Church’s image and reputation are given in these video’s. When CNN proudly promotes that they only tell the truth, these video’s show with full documentation that Copper was totally driven by dark motivation, probably funded by some pharmaceutical/psychiatric money –as CNN is known for.

Click on the picture below to access the 3 Freedom Magazine videos.

After traveling 42,000 miles in 80 days, the 7th annual Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) World Tour returned to Los Angeles this week.  Marking the United Nations International Year of Youth, the tour met with leaders in the public and private sector in 13 countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, South Africa, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Japan, to plan and implement action to eradicate human rights abuse against children and youth.

Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights includes freedom from want and prohibits child labor and slavery, an estimated million children are pressed into sexual trafficking, 300,000 are forced into armed combat and 15 million die of hunger each year.

“Our human rights education materials take the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and with simple language and videos make it possible for anyone to teach or learn the 30 basic rights enshrined in that document,” said Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, Founder and President of Youth for Human Rights International.  “These materials not only help youth and children understand and defend their own rights and those of their peers, they make human rights real to people of all ages.  Simply by watching the YHRI DVDs and reading our booklets, many have been inspired to work together to do something effective about the social ills that perpetuate human rights abuse.”

Shuttleworth and her team met and formed partnerships with representatives of national and state human rights commissions, community, business and religious leaders and educators in 13 countries this year, providing them the YHRI human rights education materials for use in their own campaigns.  They held seminars and classes in 15 universities and 21 high schools and elementary schools to reach youth directly with their message.

Shuttleworth has drawn inspiration from Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard who wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.”  With the new partnerships forged on this year’s tour and youth in 329 groups in 105 nations carrying out this education initiative, YHRI is focused on empowering youth and bringing about tangible change in the human rights climate.

For more information on Youth for Human Rights, visit the website.

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Sharon Tay of the KCAL news team introduces the piece, saying: “The Church of Scientology is opening up tonight.

There’s a newly rebuilt Church center in Hollywood where Scientology was founded and KCAL’s Dave Malkoff was invited to look around and ask questions.”

News from Scientologytoday.org

HAITI—A Scientology-sponsored “Lifeboat to Haiti” arrived in Port-au-Prince April 8, carrying more than 100 tons of urgently needed supplies including medicine, medical equipment, an ambulance, food, cooking stoves and tents.

In the first weeks following the earthquake, the Church of Scientology sponsored five chartered flights, bringing more than 440 doctors, nurses and emergency medical technicians and 280 Scientology Volunteer Ministers to the island, helping more than 200,000 people through their combined efforts in the first two and a half months.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers are in Haiti for the long haul, not only providing disaster relief but also working with local government and civic groups and community leaders who are determined to improve the quality of life for all Haitians.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers work in the IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camps providing food, water, and other supplies and training people in Scientology Assists—techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that help the individual overcome the emotional and spiritual aspects of trauma and stress.

The Volunteers Ministers are also establishing a base in Petionville to provide free training to individuals and groups including teachers, students, disaster relief groups and government agencies. This training addresses the underlying social issues and skills needed to bring about lasting improvement. Seminars and courses include subjects such as communication skills, the basics of organizing and study technology. So far, they have provided seminars and classes to over 8,000 local residents.

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Haiti Response Team, visit their web site at blog.volunteerministers.org.

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