In a tradition that began with the pandemic, Budapest Scientologists provide needed support to the town of Gyulaj, Hungary

Winter can be very hard on Hungarian Roma communities where breadwinners often depend on seasonal casual work to support their families. Since the pandemic, even those with regular employment find it harder than before to make ends meet; salaries have not kept pace with inflation. So, when it became clear that the children of the town of Gyulaj were going hungry, Roma community leader István Szatmári took action. While he continues working to handle the underlying cause of the problem—improving education and job training opportunities—Szatmári knew who to turn to for immediate help. He called on the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology of Budapest.

 

The partnership between the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the town of Gyulaj began shortly after the Covid lockdown. The Church of Scientology Budapest received a message on their Facebook asking for help. Some 65 to 70 percent of the 1,700 Gyulaj residents are Roma—most of them living at or below the poverty line. Most families support themselves through farm work and day labor, which were severely impacted by restrictions. Families, already living in poverty, were unable to properly care for their children. 

Then as now, the Volunteer Ministers filled their bright yellow vans with food and supplies to help local families make it through difficult times.

The work of the Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology Budapest throughout the pandemic is featured in an episode of Destination: Scientology on the Scientology Network. In addition to supplying underserved communities with food, hygiene products and durable goods, they also provided service to healthcare workers, ambulance drivers and first responders who were stretched to the limit providing urgently needed care to their communities. 

The Church of Scientology of Budapest is an Ideal Scientology Church, dedicated by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in July 2016. The Church is configured to serve its parishioners in their ascent to spiritual freedom and to serve as a resource for the entire community.

Find out more about the Volunteer Ministers and the other humanitarian and social betterment programs supported by the Church of Scientology. Take a tour of the Public Information Center of any Ideal Scientology Church, open daily throughout the year. Find the nearest Scientology Church through the Scientology global locator. And watch Operation: Do Something About It, the feature-length documentary on the untold story of the Church of Scientology’s global response to the pandemic. 

The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, on Scientology.tv, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide.