Volunteer Ministers Bring Hope in the Aftermath of Czech Floods
When some 10,000 were displaced in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, the bright yellow jackets of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers became a symbol of help.
Storm Boris rampaged through Eastern Europe beginning 13 September, leaving unprecedented disaster in its wake. With 500 mm (20 inches) of rain in the Czech Republic’s Northern Moravia region, it surpassed previous flood records. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala described the disaster as a “once-in-a-century flood.” Rivers overflowed their banks, submerging entire villages. Thousands were evacuated in the region and homes were without power. Scientology Volunteer Ministers of the Czech Republic rallied to respond to the needs of the town of Jeseník, one of the areas hardest hit.
In coordination with town officials and first responders, the Volunteer Ministers assisted with assessing the damage. And as soon as the flood waters receded, the arduous work began. They worked with the fire brigade and other first responders to dig homes and businesses out of the mud. Next, they tackled the mold and mildew in flooring, walls and furniture, which can be dangerous sources of disease.
Prime Minister Fiala expressed concern about the risk of food contamination, which was the source of an unexpected task the Volunteer Ministers were called on to help handle. The volunteers safely disposed of meat that was rotting in a storehouse due to a lack of refrigeration during the power outage.
Once the immediate danger to homes and infrastructure was handled, the Volunteer Ministers went from house to house, meeting with residents to address their needs.
But they took care of more than their physical issues. They helped with another aspect of disaster that can be even more devastating and long-lasting. In the state of shock and despair that disaster often triggers, it can be nearly impossible to overcome the tremendous challenges people face to put their lives back together again. So the Volunteer Ministers provide Scientology assists, techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.
Their help did not go unnoticed.
“I could tell you many superlatives about your work,” said one local official, “but it is not necessary, because the job you have done is speaking for you.”
And from a representative of an art school the Volunteer Ministers salvaged from flood damage: “A really big help for us were the volunteers from Scientology. We call them ‘Yellow Angels.’ They literally fell from the heavens. Their willingness to help was fascinating. They didn’t just save us a lot of effort—they also gave us very needed support and understanding. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Such a difficult situation shows us that good angels are among us, really.”
