(1888PressRelease)
April 02, 2009 - The Colombian rainy season typically lasts from June until September, but last year's rains continued unchecked, and by October things had reached emergency proportions. By early December, an estimated 827,000 people were affected, with 1,685 houses destroyed and 75,989 damaged.
Seeing the effects the disaster was having, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers contacted agency that provides disaster relief in the country, and offered their help. That was how they learned that the town of Belalcázar, Colombia needed immediate help.
Melting mountain snow had caused an avalanche that inundated the area with mud and took out the roads and bridges connecting Belalcázar with the outside world.
Bringing their own water and canned food, four Scientology Volunteer Ministers arrived in the area in early December. The local Red Cross Coordinator met them and brought them to a primitive cable car - the only way to cross the Paez River to get to the community.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers found people dazed by the destruction. They helped people put their lives back in order and provided them with Scientology assists--techniques that orient a person to his present environment and handle the effects of trauma and stress.
Leaving smiles on the faces of people who were anxious and worried when they arrived, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers were proud to live up to the purpose of their program, described by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard more than 30 years ago: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."
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