Religions reach out on campus
Michelle Rivera, CT News Reporter
April 25 2007
Since last week's tragedy, the Virginia Tech community has come together through the thousands of signatures on the memorial tributes, the scene of countless faces lit only by moonlight from the myriad of candles at the vigil last Wednesday, and the single voice that rose from the crowd crying, "Let's go, Hokies!" However, since the tragedy that has pulled everyone together, various religious groups have stepped boldly onto campus to reach out.
The bright yellow trucks of the Church of Scientology and the equally bright shirts and jackets of their volunteer ministers are scattered on the Drillfield to provide grief counseling and trauma relief for students, faculty and all others who have been affected by the tragedy last Monday.
The Scientology Volunteer Ministers, or VMs, number 80,000 strong around the world, and when disasters, tragedies or other crises occur, groups of these VMs are dispatched to the location in need. Individually, each VM travels to the designated area and all eventually congregate together.
"We assess what is needed by the people and environments to determine what their needs and wants are," said Lisa Cummins, a VM from Florida.
At the picnic held this Saturday, the VMs helped the SGA and Hokies United to serve food and clean up, according to Abby Wertz, coordinator for the VMs on the eastern coast of the U.S.
Similarly, the Dwelling Place Christian Fellowship church has offered their help on campus. After hearing the tragic news on Monday, pastors from the church came to campus to speak along with other ministries.
On Saturday, Dwelling Place had a picnic as well for the Tech community and other churches near the cascades.
"There were 300-400 students there," said Rick Sizemore, pastor at Dwelling Place. "We wanted to give them a place to get away from campus to breathe."
The church is also working with Youth With A Mission, the world's largest mission organization, according to Sizemore. Three different teams from across the nation have traveled to Tech to set up prayer booths.
"They aren't meant to force or push anyone," Sizemore said. "They're just there if anyone needs to talk."
Dwelling Place also has had and will continue to have special services during weekdays for anyone who wishes to attend.
"Our focus when we have these services is to build a ministry healing for the people who have been affected by the events," Sizemore explained. "We also have counseling for those who need it."
Also providing people to talk to and a comforting retreat is the Newman Community (Catholic Campus Ministry). On Otey St., the Newman House is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The house is closed to the media and is a haven for anyone who needs to get away.
According to Bryan Schamus, music ministry at Newman and a junior communication major, some students have chosen to spend the night while others come in for home-cooked meals, hugs, talks with the pastors or to watch movies.
"The house is open to anyone and is for whatever they need," Schamus said.
Priests are coming in from all over the country to be at the house. David Kauffam, a popular musician, is flying in with two friends at his own expense from San Antonio, Texas, to lead a night of healing at the War Memorial Chapel. This special night will be held this April 30 at 7:30 p.m.
The community has been supporting Newman House from the start. The home-cooked meals were made by various community members. Wal-mart has donated sleeping bags, pillows, Disney movies, kitchen supplies and blankets upon hearing that students were staying overnight. The community has also donated gift boxes to the house to show its support.
"It's not about Catholics right now, but about the Tech community," Schamus said.
This outpour of support and help not only from the people but from the religious groups around campus has shown that the Tech community is held together and united by diverse faiths as well as diverse people.