Church of Scientology: Service to South Africa in the first 100 Days of the Coronavirus Pandemic
The work of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa since the country went under lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic.
South Africa released an overview of the work of Scientology Volunteer Ministers since March 23 when the country went under lockdown.
With winter approaching in the Southern Hemisphere, the Church of Scientology looked at the possible ramifications of the coronavirus on the country and mobilized hundreds of volunteers to tackle the pandemic and encourage others in their work against this common enemy.
“Since day one, our priority has always been to assist essential services,” says Gaetane Asselin, President of the Church of Scientology in South Africa. “Our target was those who keep the country going, those who are the most vulnerable and those hardest hit by the pandemic.”
The best way to convey what they have accomplished over the past three months is in the numbers, according to Asselin, beginning with their work to clean and sanitize key facilities and vehicles:
- Over 10,000 buildings, including many government buildings and hundreds of homeless shelters, orphanages and homes for the elderly
- Nearly 300,000 taxis, ambulances, metro police cars and fire trucks
- Tens of thousands of buses, sanitized at night, so millions of commuters can travel to work safely each day.
The Church of Scientology saw to the printing of 1 million copies of three educational prevention booklets and had them translated into Zulu, Xhosa and Sotho. Volunteer Ministers from the church have distributed more than 600,000 copies of these booklets so far to help everyone understand and implement simple prevention principles to keep them safe and well.
“Hundreds of volunteers worked 15-hour days, seven days a week for the last 100 days to get this done,” says Asselin. “The work is tough, but we are thrilled to be able to assist this way. We know how much this is needed and that’s what keeps us going. Our team has contributed some 250,000 volunteer hours, all funded by the Church, to safeguard essential services and those most vulnerable in the country.”
One community leader in Ekurhuleni said, “Your dedication, motivation and perseverance leaves me speechless.”
A horse trainer burst into tears when the volunteers arranged to sanitize her facility for free. “Nobody does this kind of thing these days,” she said. “This is exceptional.”
A court manager from Koster Magistrate Court thanked the volunteers for their “tireless effort in a time when we most needed help.”
“We have all been trained on the Volunteer Ministers technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard,” says Asselin. “It is this technology that helps us keep going in these difficult times. It gives us the certainty that no matter the challenges, something can be done about it.”
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The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the largest and most visible international independent relief forces. A Volunteer Minister’s mandate is to be “a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.”
The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in Los Angeles in 1954 and the religion has expanded to more than 11,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 countries.
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