Gary Bromwell is in charge of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Here is his excerpted report of the effect that the team of VMs is creating in Indonesia:
“On the 27th of May 2006, a natural disaster occurred on the Island of Java, in the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
An earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale rocked Yogyakarta and surrounding areas for almost a minute. This was a terrifying experience for locals as the ground undulated up and down like a writhing snake. Frantic inhabitants struggled to escape their houses, doors had become stuck tight due to movement in buildings as a result of the tremors. Parents struggled to reach terrified children and more than 9,000 people were killed as roofs and walls collapsed. Thousands were injured as structures crumbled. The initial earthquake was followed by many aftershocks, resulting in further destruction, injuries and death.
On the 29th of May, a team of VMs from Perth, Western Australia fired to Yogyakarta to help the traumatized and injured. The team’s numbers grew as VMs started arriving from Medan, North Sumatra, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Sweden, America and Japan.
Shortly after arriving, VMs started to move through hospital wards like a wave, bringing relief and hope to the injured and traumatized, training family members, nurses and doctors. This activity rapidly expanded out to universities, where psychology students, nurses, midwives, doctors and lecturers were also trained. VMs were followed through makeshift hospitals, in a multi-storey car park and an unfinished basketball stadium, not to mention overcrowded wards in all major hospitals, by nurses, eager to learn the Scientology assist techniques to help the victims.
The Head of the Health Department in the worst affected area had seen the VMs on TV during the Aceh tsunami in 2005. On meeting the VMs she exclaimed, “Oh, is that you who are healing by using the touch? Finally, I have found you!”
Since arriving in Yogyakarta, VMs have trained in excess of 10,000 people — many of these, nurses, doctors, psychology students, teachers and lecturers.
We are currently delivering assist workshops to more than 10 schools in Yogyakarta City. This is being done in partnership with the Education Department of the City.
On the 15th and 16th of June, Merapi, ” Indonesia’s most active volcano erupted, spewing forth a toxic heat cloud and sending lava down the mountainside. Merapi sits just 40 kilometres from the centre of Yogyakarta city and has been a constant concern. Its status was recently downgraded from ‘dangerous’ to ‘standby’, at which point VMs were contacted to deliver assists workshops in villages and refugee camps –one being just 4.5 kilometres from Merapi itself.
On the 17th of July, a tsunami hit the southern coast of Java, killing more than 700 and traumatizing thousands. Once again, the VMs were contacted and asked for help. This was by a gentleman who had seen the VMs on a replay of a one-hour TV show, where they had demonstrated, nerve assists and locational assists. This show had been replayed by the TV station unbeknown to VMs. Within less than 24 hours of being contacted, a team of VMs headed for Cilacap in Central Java, and then on to Pangandaran in West Java. The VMs arrived in Cilacap on Sunday morning, and before the end of the day, had delivered assist workshops to the two worst hit villages. One in a mosque and the other on the road, outside the village chief’s house. The VMs headed for Pangandaran, the worst hit area. An assist workshop was arranged at a junior high school at the request of the headmaster….
The VMs returned to Cilacap and held the workshop for the government officials. Originally 50 were invited, but 79 attended. This was a great success and a Dianetics workshop is being arranged to train the same officials, from departments and areas all over Cilacap Region.
We still have thousands of people to help and train and our help is very much needed and very much wanted. But to continue our work here we need your help.
We don’t stay in hotels or eat fancy meals, but we still need funding to continue our work. We have to hire vehicles, pay drivers, fuel, mobile phone costs, meals and cover airfares for VMs that come and go.
We are making major progress with our work here… but we need your help to continue this work.
We need energy (money) to continue our activities here in Indonesia and this is where you can help us help the people of Indonesia. This country has a population of over 250 million and Yogyakarta is the centre of change and progress for the nation.
An ally of ours recently said the following at a very important meeting with officials here:
— The International Scientology Assist Team comes with the spirit of pure humanitarians.
— With the knowledge of assists, the Search and Rescue teams would not only be helping the body, but also the soul.
— The theory of assists is aimed at relieving the trauma.
— They are pure volunteers, even if you just call them, they will be there.
Our help is needed and wanted here.
But to continue, we need your help as I have said. Money is what is needed. Please make a donation by contacting Angela of Tanya at seasiaproject@optusnet.com.au or calling them on + 61 89221 7686 in Perth, Western Australia.
Or call 800-435-7498 (US & Canada) or 323-960-1949 (Int’l).
Or go to: http://www.scientology-perth.org to make a donation on-line for the Int’l Scientology Assist Team in Indonesia.
Our help is needed, I hope you can help us deliver it.”
I just sent cleaned out my paypal account and sent it to them – send Paypal payments to vm@volunteerministers.org.
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