The search and rescue phase of the Tainan earthquake has been officially ended with the last survivor pulled from the wreckage of the city’s Wei-kuan complex. Scientology Volunteer Ministers provided assistance to search and rescue teams who were working around the clock to pull survivors out of the rubble.

A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology Mission of Tainan and the Churches of Scientology Kaohsiung responded to the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Tainan February 6.

Teams of rescue workers labored around the clock, digging through the collapsed Wei-kuan complex, saving the lives of 173 of 289 they pulled from the rubble.

Volunteer Ministers helped the rescue workers, under tremendous stress both physically and emotionally, with Scientology Assists—techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the spiritual and emotional components of stress and trauma. Those helped mentioned the assists relieved their pain and exhaustion, leaving them feeling calm, and in many cases, more energetic.

Teams of Volunteer Ministers also visited residents throughout the neighborhood. Many were still in shock that the familiar building had been transformed into broken slabs of concrete and metal. They seemed to be stuck right at the moment when the catastrophe occurred and they appreciated the effectiveness of Scientology assists that seemed to help them come to grips with the incident.

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is “Something can be done about it.” The program, created in the mid 1970s by L. Ron Hubbard and sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service, constitutes one of the world’s largest and most visible international independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister “helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.”

A global network of Volunteer Ministers mobilizes in times of man-made and natural disasters, answering the call wherever needed. Collaborating with some 1,000 organizations and agencies, they have utilized their skill and experience in providing physical support and spiritual aid at hundreds of disaster sites.