Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour

July 27, 2005 - To the music of a military police band and a Brazilian dancing ensemble, and a welcome from 400 uniformed police and fire fighters, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Goodwill Tour opened its doors Saturday in Salvador, capital of the Brazilian state of Bahai, with a Catholic priest joining representatives from the Churches of Scientology in South America, to cut the ribbon on the VM's distinctive yellow tent. The Senior Commander of the military police for the state of Bahai told the cheering crowd that he intends to train his military personnel in Volunteer Minister techniques. The Grand Opening, attended by hundreds of guests, marked an enthusiastic start to the VM's Goodwill Tour.

Father Sadoc, a priest from the Catholic Church welcomed the Scientology Volunteer Ministers to Brazil, adding that God accepts everything that is good for people. “It is a not a matter of religious differences, it is a matter of help,” emphasized Father Sadoc, who said that he was extremely pleased with the knowledge the VM Tour will bring to his country.

Thanking him, Scientology Church representative Lucia Winther spoke of the need of religion in today's society and introduced the Volunteer Minister program, which she described as containing practical tools that anyone can learn to help oneself and his fellows to improve conditions in their lives.

After the speeches, thousands toured the tent, where Volunteer Ministers were on hand to demonstrate the different services available.

L. Ron Hubbard founded the Scientology Volunteer Minister program in 1976. The VMs were hundreds strong at Ground Zero in New York following the 9/11 tragedy, earning commendations from the emergency services. Since then, they have gone wherever needed - from leading salvage and rescue efforts in response to Florida hurricanes, to being appointed an official “civil defence force” by the Italian federal government, and called upon to help manage crowd control teams in Rome for the Papal funeral. In the aftermath of the Southeast Asian Tsunami—close to 500 Volunteer Ministers from 11 nations helped more than a third of a million people in the regions affected. In return, national leaders of Indonesia, India and Thailand commended them for their services.

Most recently, teams of Volunteer Ministers have been assisting police and emergency services in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in London. In addition to providing food, water and supplies to the emergency workers in coordination with local shop owners, the Volunteer Ministers have been providing their unique form of help known as assists to the injured or traumatized.

Famous for being able to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies, VMs are also equipped to save troubled marriages, help failing students, resolve conflicts and assist the injured - in fact, to deal with practically any situation that life presents. Their motto: Something can be done about it.

The purpose of the Goodwill Tour is to introduce people to the simple yet effective techniques that the VMs use to improve conditions in life. In all, the Volunteer Ministers have helped more than 4.7 million people since 9/11, and with more than 50,000 active members of the Volunteer Minister Corps, they are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information call the VM Hotline 1-800-435-7498 (US & Canada) or from outside North America call 1-323-960-1949 or e-mail vm@volunteerministers.org

For more information: Scientology Volunteer Ministers News

1. Assists 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.