The December 2004 tsunami brought this fact home to the world. Anyone with a TV set or access to the Internet was engulfed by the images of the devastation. More than 150,000 dead in a matter of minutes. Millions displaced from their homes. Loss in property or possessions incalculable. An entire population touched by the loss.

Within days of the disaster, hundreds of Scientology Volunteer Ministers arrived in Medan. They began by assisting the rescue workers, identifying bodies, and delivering water, food and blankets to those who survived.

A bit over a year ago, on August 15th, 2007, a magnitude-8 earthquake rocked the coastal region of central Peru, causing more than 500 deaths and leaving over 1,800 injured. The earthquake destroyed nearly 60,000 buildings and damaged another 20,000. Although the town of Pisco was hardest hit, the earthquake shook the city of Lima more than 150 miles away and was felt as far off as Quito, Ecuador, La Paz, Bolivia and Manaus, Brazil.

Two Los Angeles area Scientologists packed their bags and left for Peru on hearing of the disaster.  This is their story--one year later.