OVERVIEW

The first American Volunteer Ministers on their way, with supplies, to Indonesia

The military transport that flew the VMs to Banda Aceh

When they arrived the VMs were confronted with a scene of total devastation

Kimberly and Shirlee Hunter, two American Volunteer Ministers (VMs) from Salt Lake City, Utah, recently made the decision to help with tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia. It was the start of an unforgettable experience for them.

Hearing that food and materials were running low in Banda Aceh – their destination, they took with them six large bins of supplies. The first stop was Jakarta in Indonesia and from there they traveled to Medan in northern Sumatra. They spent several days trying to reach Banda Aceh, but military helicopters were grounded and all military and domestic flights were full. Eventually they flew to a military base in Thailand to get on a shorter waiting list for transport to Banda Aceh. Their strategy worked and they finally made it onto a flight in the cockpit of a huge military transport.

The two VMs were provided with accommodation in a Banda Aceh house. Their roommates were other VMs from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Europe.

Kimberly and Shirlee report that the people of Banda Aceh are wonderful and very appreciative of help in the face of destruction that is ten times worse than they had ever imagined.

These VMs have visited hospitals, orphanages and refugee camps daily, providing whatever help is needed. That help included organizing relief efforts, as well as ministering assists.

Kimberly and Shirlee worked with other VM teams, helping by instructing volunteers, clerics, military personnel, hospital personnel and other professionals how to do assists. They found that once people experience the effectiveness of these techniques, they want to learn how to do it themselves.

They observed that the successes from the assists were sometimes dramatic, and that they always help bring relief from the spiritual trauma that accompanies injuries and loss.

Kimberly and Shirlee Hunter will be returning home shortly. After their three-weeks in Indonesia, they say their lives will never be the same again and they are glad to have had the chance to help so many people.

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

1. Assists are techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard. They 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.