A Surprising Australian Welcome to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Outback Goodwill Tour

Volunteer Ministers Goodwill tours travel to remote areas to bring one-on-one help and training, based on the Scientology Handbook, by L. Ron Hubbard, to remote locations. But if they expected the Australian Outback to be an ordinary place, the Goodwill Tour team quickly learned otherwise, as their arrival in Alice Springs coincided with the Henley-On-Todd River Race.

In a classic example of Australian humor, this "river race," now in its 46th consecutive year, is a rowing and sailing regatta held 1500 kms (932 miles) from any large body of water, and the boats, canoes and yachts that compete are bottomless shells, carried down the dry riverbed by teams of runners who race one another to the finish line on foot.

Four of the members of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers team walked their "canoe" through Alice Springs to the starting line.

Learning about the festival, the Goodwill Tour members were delighted to find out that not only could they set up their yellow tent at the entrance to the race to introduce the thousands attending to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program, but they could also join in the fun, with a Volunteer Ministers "canoe", which four of the team members "entered" in the race.