Church of Scientology activates its disaster relief protocol for the area affected by the eruption of the Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala
In the aftermath of the tragedy in Guatemala, Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Guatemala took action to provide assistance to survivors and displaced persons. Its already distinctive yellow tent is installed on the slopes of the volcano, in the Plaza de la Municipalidad in San Juan Alotenango, Department of Sacatepequez. There they are caring for affected families by providing them with the spiritual assistance and support they need to get over it.
Also, the Church of Scientology in Mexico is currently coordinating the necessary actions to send a special brigade of Mexican rescue workers from the Topos Azteca with tools and equipment, as well as medical specialists in burns. They will join the Topos Guatemaltecos and the Topos Mexicanos advance brigade that is already working at ground zero in the municipality of Escuintla.
The Topos and Scientology Volunteer Ministers partnered after working together to provide relief in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
Héctor Méndez ‘El Chino’ leader of the Topos, was impressed with the dedication of the volunteers and the effectiveness of the Scientology aid techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard, which address the spiritual and emotional factors of stress and trauma. Since then they have worked together at many disaster sites, including the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011 and the earthquake in Nepal in 2016. ‘El Chino’ and many of his Topos have been trained in the techniques of volunteer ministers and wear a Scientology Volunteer Minister badge in their orange jumpsuit.
Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the Scientology volunteer minister’s motto is ‘Something can be done about it’. The program created in the mid-1970s by L. Ron Hubbard and sponsored by the International Church of Scientology as a social service of the church, is one of the largest independent international relief forces in the world.
A Volunteer Minister “assists his fellow men voluntarily by restoring the purpose, truth and spiritual values of the life of another”.
A global network of Volunteer Ministers is mobilized in times of natural and man-made disasters, responding to the call whenever necessary. Working with some 1,000 organizations and agencies, they have used their expertise and experience to provide physical support and spiritual/emotional support in hundreds of disaster sites.