Response in Day-to-Day Living

Volunteer Minister’s training seminar

Scientology Volunteer Ministers are active throughout all of Southern California, responding like they do elsewhere around the world on a one-on-one basis to everyday emergencies—from child study problems to strained relationships and sickness.

They are individuals like Jenny Listug of Rancho Sante Fe, who among her long list of contributions since completing her training as a Volunteer Minister at the start of the year, most vividly recalls the morning in January she was driving on the 405 freeway and saw a car turned upside-down on the shoulder.

In the past, she would have felt that familiar twinge of horror and sadness over another’s ill fate, not to mention a share of helplessness in not being able to do much other than dial 911. This time, however, was different. Listug immediately pulled over. Police had just arrived and an ambulance had been called. One of the two victims was pinned beneath part of the wreckage, the other had been thrown and lay several feet beyond. Thankfully, both were alive, and both were conscious though disoriented and in pain. Listug immediately applied skills she learned as a Volunteer Minister, helping to orient them to their circumstances, and being a calm and confident presence until the ambulance arrived.

As part of the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Volunteer Ministers learn the basics of first aid

Afterwards, Listug recalled, it occurred to her that she did not even think twice about taking responsibility, jumping into the scene, and assuming control—because she had known what to do. Moreover, she knew that she had done something effective and had really helped the accident victims.

Listug recounts many examples on her ever-growing list of effective deeds, among them bringing order to the scene of a fire (from contacting the fire department to calming and directing neighbors), helping a waitress reconcile with her boss, helping a former Olympic gymnast recover from an injury, and the list goes on—dozens upon dozens of examples of helping people in their day-to-day lives.

“I was taught to ’help thy neighbor’ from the time I was very young,” said Listug, who grew up in a church-going family. “I know a lot of people who have really big hearts, but outside of kind gestures in day-to-day life, a lot of times they really don’t know what to do to help. I used to be like that, too. You wonder if you’ve done enough, if there isn’t something else you can do.”

Since becoming a Scientology Volunteer Minister, Listug says, “I don’t wonder now. I have no doubt what to do.”