The Scientology Volunteer Ministers continued their trek across the South Pacific last month with a visit to Guam, the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific Ocean, some 1300 miles (2167 km) north of Papua New Guinea.
 | The Scientology Volunteer Ministers South Pacific Goodwill Tour is in Guam. |
The Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour opened in the town of Tamuning, the economic and tourism center of the Island.
Torrential rains threatened the festivities, but stopped just in time, and the crowd gathered by the big yellow Volunteer Ministers tent, decorated in palm fronds and proudly displaying the U.S. and Guam flags side by side.
The Chamarro, the indigenous people of the Mariana islands, is the largest of the various ethnic and cultural groups that make up the population of the island. The grand opening celebration featured Chamarro rituals and entertainment.
 | The Goodwill Tour was welcomed with traditional Chamorros dancing and music. |
The director of tourism of Guam was the master of ceremonies. His welcoming speech was followed by a performance by the Tao Tao Lagu dancers, a ritual blessing of the tent and a performance by Ms. Flora Baza-quanm, the Queen of Chamorro Music.
Senators Ray Tenorio and James V. Espaldon presented a resolution based on the motto of the Volunteer Ministers. They announced that February 28th was "Something Can be Done About It Day."
The Director of Chamorro Cultural Affairs addressed the crowd and told of L. Ron Hubbard's personal involvement with the Island. When LRH's father was posted to the U.S naval station in Guam in 1927, Ron moved to the island and, little more than a boy himself, he taught English to Chamorro children in a local school. His experience there was his first encounter with the "influence of a mislearned word on a life," a concept he explored further in his later research and which he incorporated into the effective technology of study that he developed.
 | The ribbon cutting signified the opening of the tour, which brought seminars, and workshops in the Scientology technology and one-on-one help to the people of Guam. |
The Goodwill Tour delivers on-site workshops, seminars, and one-on-one counseling for those who are in trouble or want to improve certain areas in their lives. Seminars, based on the Scientology Handbook, include such topics as communicating effectively, creating a lasting marriage, learning how to learn, raising children, overcoming stress, increasing happiness, building relationships, improving honesty and integrity, and learning basic organizational skills.
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