Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Australia Restore Hope in the Land of Dreams

In a very quiet way, day by day, Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Australia on the Outback Goodwill Tour help people overcome the barriers to their happiness and renew the dreams of the people of dreams—the indigenous people of the Australian Outback.

The plagues that dominate indigenous Australian culture are drug and alcohol abuse and illiteracy. In 2005, the reading levels of less than half of third year Aboriginal students and only 31 percent of fifth year students met national standards. While only 5 percent of Australia’s 10-17-year-olds are Indigenous, they make up 40 percent of all young people in the nation’s juvenile justice system. A report released in June 2009 found that Indigenous Australians are 13 times more likely to end up in jail than the rest of the population. The report found a clear link between drug and alcohol abuse and the high number of incarcerated Indigenous people.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour tackles these problems in villages and camps on a one-on-one basis, using Study Technology, the Answers to Drugs Booklet, and Scientology Assists—”spiritual first aid” that helps establish the person’s communication with his or her body to overcome the pain and discomfort often associated with withdrawal. This spiritual technology, developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, is making a difference in the lives of these people, one person at a time.

Alice Springs is a cultural meeting place for the 60,000 Indigenous Australians of the Northern Territory. An additional 2,000-3,000 Indigenous people pass through 18 outlying town camps and thousands visit the Todd dry riverbed, a sacred site that runs through the town. Volunteer Ministers have introduced hundreds living in the city and camps and those making the spiritual trek to the city to technology to help with drug addiction, literacy, ethics and morality.

An elder from Alice Springs heard about the Volunteer Ministers on the “bush telegraph” (in other words, by word of mouth) and how much their Scientology Assists had helped people. When she encountered the volunteers she had them train her to give Assists and she now uses them regularly with her own friends and family. A Lutheran pastor from Hermannsburg heard about Assists and he too is now delivering them—and has taught 30 others this technology.

With their motto “Something can be done about it,” the Goodwill Tour reaches hundreds of people each month, and through training them in these tools for better living, reach out to an entire culture.

For more information on the Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tours visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers website at www.volunteerministers.org.

Scientology Seminar Helps Restore Trust in Kenya Village

Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology Mission of Nairobi help Ongata Rongai congregation face marriage and family issues.

Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology Mission of Nairobi helped the congregation of the Christian Empowerment Ministries of Ongata Rongai, Kenya, concerning a subject of great interest in any culture. Those attending the Volunteer Ministers seminar on September 15 learned how to revive a marriage that has gone stale or bad.

Ongata Rongai is in southern Kenya, 12 miles southwest of Nairobi, near the border of Tanzania. Pastor George Lukoye heard about the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and their offer to provide free seminars to anyone in need of help and asked for their assistance with problems that members of his congregation were experiencing.

Many in Pastor George’s congregation were troubled by marriage and family problems. Knowing how an unhappy marriage can affect all aspects of life, the pastor invited the Volunteer Ministers to help his parishioners with a seminar to address these issues.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers asked those attending to write down the problems they have in their marriages. High on the list were communication difficulties, misunderstandings, unfaithfulness and dishonesty. The seminar then used techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard from the Scientology Handbook and gave them practical tools to overcome these problems.

“I have learned how to communicate with my wife, children, friends and relatives,” said one of the pastors attending the seminar. “I have also learned that I have to keep on creating and building my relationship on a daily basis and to appreciate others.”

“I now have greater insight on how to handle marriage,” said one of the parishioners. “Now I can easily use good communication.”

“I have learned how to keep children happy by appreciating and acknowledging their views,” was the benefit another gained from the seminar. “I have learned how important communication is in our daily life,” said a woman who attended. “Communication plays a vital role in marriage.”

Scientology Volunteer Ministers deliver on-site workshops, seminars and courses that provide simple solutions to such life situations as study problems, relationship or communication difficulties, conflicts and stress. For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program or to arrange a free seminar, contact the Volunteer Ministers Consultant at vm@volunteerministers.org or visit their web site at www.volunteerministers.org