David Apedo, Scientology Volunteer Minister, Providing Help to Others

David Apedo, a confident young man in the signature yellow Scientology Volunteer Ministers T-shirt, was quiet and shy before Scientology. His profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos available on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.

The 14 months David Apedo spent away from his home in Ghana on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour was the experience of a lifetime. As much as he contributed to others, he benefited as much or more in return.

In his video on www.scientology.org, Apedo, 23, explains that what he learned on the Tour helped him tremendously and provided him many opportunities.

“I found out about Scientology from my uncle, Bright Freeman, who is in charge of the Central and West Africa Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour, and I volunteered to come along as photographer,” says Apedo. “I did not expect the Volunteer Ministers training I did to completely change my life, but it did.”

The Scientology Volunteer Minister program was initiated by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1976. While Scientology Churches and Missions make the program available to their communities, Goodwill Tours, like the one Apedo joined, bring courses and seminars based on the 19 chapters of the Scientology Handbook to areas where Scientology is new.

The course that helped me most was “The Components of Understanding,” says Apedo. “It deals with the fundamentals of human relations. I was the kind of person who didn’t like to mingle with others. But since taking this course, I make friends wherever I go.”

Back home now in Ghana, Apedo plans to continue his Scientology Volunteer Ministers work by providing seminars and workshops.

“Scientology has improved my life,” he says, “and I want to continue to help others the way Scientology helped me.”

View the David Apedo video at www.scientology.org.

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own YouTube Video Channel. The Official Scientology YouTube Channel has now been viewed by millions of visitors.