Missions Textbook 45 Speaking of Safety

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

We rarely felt danger in Austria. The tight security and limited freedom of a socialist country had created a place where it was difficult to find the resources to commit a violent crime. Europe – at least most of it – was relatively safe when we were there. Things have changed over the past decades since then. The mixing of cultures has increased, and people don’t trust one another as much as they used to. In addition, there are factions that do espouse violence to correct perceived or genuine injustice, and things are definitely not as safe anymore.  Following are notes from Floyd’s Safety Seminar. Keep in mind that he has tried to anticipate every possible danger in many different cultural settings. Not every threat is a danger in every culture.

It’s important to understand your own safety net at home. You already subconsciously know how to be careful at home, where NOT to go and when not to go there. You automatically recognize when something different appears within your safety net at home. A stranger, a different sound, an unlocked door, an open window: These are things you notice and remedy.

But when you leave your familiar surroundings, you no longer have that subconscious safety net protecting you, so you need to increase your SA – Situational Awareness, which means you need to become more consciously aware of what’s going on around you. You can no longer depend on your familiar surroundings to protect you. You need to build a new safety net in this different environment.

How do you do this? All humans have the ability to increase their listening skills and become aware of conversations going on around them. People who are hearing or sight impaired rely more heavily on their other senses to keep them safe.

1. Listening. You may have eyes, but in a different culture you are blind. You need consciously to force yourself to listen to conversations going on around you for the purpose of detecting things that may concern you.

2. Observation: You may have ears, but in a different culture you are deaf, especially if you don’t know the language yet. You need consciously to notice details of everything around you for the purpose of detecting things that may concern you.

Is anybody glancing at you and looking away when you make eye contact? It probably means nothing but be aware of that. Has someone been behind you for a longer period of time?

The purpose of increasing your SA is not to make you paranoid, but to build your own safety net in this new culture. After a few months, you will become familiar enough with your new culture, that your SA will diminish because your new safety net is in place. You will begin subconsciously to recognize how to stay safe in your new culture. Even if your friends in that other culture promise to take care of you within their safety net, don’t put all the burden for your safety on them. Show them that you care enough to protect yourself by increasing your own Situational Awareness.

Seven Principles to Practice before Leaving Home

So, at home, before moving to a new culture, practice these seven principles to improve your awareness abilities:

1.   Have a conversation in public with a friend and, without ignoring him or her, consciously look and listen to people and things around you both. Use your peripheral vision. Look at the person who is talking to you but notice what’s happening on the sides.

2.   Begin the habit of noticing . . .

  • The exits and how to reach them; stairways
  • The barriers to the exits, good and bad, hinder you or help you get away from a dangerous situation
  • Suspicious objects: Unattended bag. Something is out of place.
  • Suspicious people: Looking at you too much; looking around like they don’t want to get caught doing something.
  • Walls as safe surfaces: Stand against a wall to keep from having to look over your shoulder, especially in a crowded area.
  • The reflective surfaces: These can allow you to see your surroundings, outside your peripheral vision, such as a display window that reflects those around you or a glass table that reflects an upstairs platform.

3.   If you feel someone is following you, do the classic stop, turn, and pretend you went the wrong way. Let the suspicious person walk by you, then notice if he turns around as well. This also applies to driving: let a car pass you. If you are on foot and a car is following you, reverse direction and walk quickly past them. They will have a hard time turning around to follow.

4.   Show confidence that you know where you are going and what you are doing. This shows less vulnerability. This makes potential attackers more cautious and makes you more aware of any threats.

5.   Different cultures have different “space” rules.

  • A person may or may not be invading your space, i.e., how close people stand next to each other. This is more important than you realize. Learn the space rules for your new culture.
  • Then, if someone seems to be invading your space, look at their hands – Any weapons or intent to harm? Look at bulges under the clothes – Possible weapon? Notice overall aggressive verbal or body language.
  • Increase the distance between you and that person, re-evaluate, and make a decision.

6.   Visualize threatening situations and visualize your response. This greatly increases your awareness abilities. Make a game of this, not an exercise in paranoia.

7.   Read the book: The Gift of Fear, by Gavin de Becker.[1] Listen to your instincts.

90% of threats are avoidable if you consciously increase your awareness abilities.

General Safety Principles for Crossing a Culture

Most international business companies focus security on their top executives, but you are probably traveling for reasons other than business. You will have to be your own protection. Getting you overseas is important, but getting you home is equally important. Much of this training is intended to get you home safely.

1. Language – Learn as much as you can before going. Learn how to get around without asking a stranger. You will be safer if you can do more things on your own without the help of strangers. It is extremely helpful to learn the dialects that exist in that culture. And you will make friends much quicker when people realize that you are at least trying to learn their language.

2. Culture – “Pre-travel intelligence gathering”

à       First, read The Personal Travel Safety Manual, by Christopher Barnes[2], or a similar book.

à       Second, find a book on the specific culture of your destination and read it thoroughly. Take a close look at this website to find your specific book. https://www.interculturalpressbooks.com/. Intercultural Press Books[3] provides books and information for almost any culture you could want.

  • Learn especially about the holidays, which sometimes become violent.
  • Compare the local dress and body language with your own.
  • The rule: adapt, adapt, adapt.
  • Notice and compare your style of walking: head held up high, eye-contact, voice level

3. Politics and Religions – Focus on those that may be Aggressive toward your culture.

  • Has there been any history of aggression toward your culture? Why?
  • Historical reasons?
  • Has there been any history of terrorist activities by anyone toward anyone in that culture?
  • Is there any current terrorist activity?
  • ALWAYS CHECK: https://travel.state.gov/travel.warnings.html. Be aware of the possibility that an embassy or consulate might come under attack and can’t help you.

This website will cover international travel, travel warnings, unrest and civil wars in other countries, and dangers for different cultures. As much as we want everyone to love each other, reality is that many cultures hate other cultures, and you may love everyone, but not everyone loves you. This website is open to everyone wanting to stay away from dangerous areas.

4. Geography – Learn to get around on your own; use a map as well as GPS. Some places have no GPS, and their maps are often out-of-date. What are the transportation possibilities in addition to public transportation? Do you have the right kind and amount of money ready for transportation? Ask your friends who live there where you should NOT go and how to avoid those areas.

5. Resources – Who can help you if you need help? Do you have their telephone numbers?

  • Your friends and relatives.
  • Consulate! An Embassy exists to promote the interests of its own country in a foreign country. A consulate exists to help its own citizens in another country. Both an embassy and consulate may be located in the same building, but they do different things. Locate the consulate that is closest to your destination: addresses, times open, services offered, telephone numbers. If you get your passport stolen, did you make copies of it before leaving?
  • Your own national friends. Write down their addresses, phone numbers.
  • Local police – Be careful. Can they be trusted in that culture? Ask your national friends.

6. Study unusual situations: Read: The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook[4] and The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel.[5] Knowing what can happen and staying alert to avoid those situations is 90% of your security.

7. First Aid: Take some training before you go. Different cultures may place different importance on different injuries. One culture may refuse to treat a headache, while another culture might give you a brain scan. It is safer to treat yourself, if you know how, than to go to a doctor whose language you do not understand.

Special Safety Situations in Crossing Cultures

Car-jacking:

  • People do this to those who are not being observant.
  • Targets: Females traveling alone; expensive cars; wealthy-appearing.
  • Locations: Urban areas with lots of people and traffic and more car stops.
  • Stay especially alert when your car is stopped.

How to avoid:

  • Be aware of surrounding people in traffic, those closest to your vehicle.
  • Keep doors locked and windows up! Unlocked doors and lowered windows are the main reason for successful carjacking. If possible, have a car with air conditioning that works in warm weather, so you won’t be tempted to roll down your window.
  • Be suspicious of unknown people approaching your vehicle.
  • In traffic leave enough distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you, in case you want to pull out of traffic and drive away. If someone attempts to carjack your car, don’t worry about the damage to the vehicles or public structures. Drive on the sidewalk, if necessary.
  • If being approached, drive away. Don’t worry about running a red light if it’s safe to do so.
  • If a car bumps you from behind, do not assume that you are involved in an accident. The carjackers may plan on you getting out of your car to inspect the damage. Look closely at the people in the car behind you and all the people around your vehicle.
  • Do you have a cell phone with you in the car? What’s the 911 call in your new culture?

Medical Safety – more than just getting shots.

  • Vaccines – Check with doctors about diseases in your destination country; get shots! How would getting a disease affect your time in that new culture?
  • Is there local medical care? What’s it like? We experienced drastically different medical care in Romania, Russia, England and Austria. Talk with people who live in those areas, not just travel in and out. Each culture has its own definition of what it means to be “healthy.” Some cultures have less medical advancement and believe in Reincarnation. In these cultures, sickness is not taken as seriously as in cultures that view reality differently. In cultures that have lower medical options, the nationals do not expect to live a long time.
  • International Health Insurance. There are many options that range from inexpensive to very expensive. You will choose the one that fits your own needs: where you are going, how long you will be there, the level of comfort you want while you are there, your age and general health. Don’t overlook this. Do your homework.
  • If you use prescription medications, divide them into two containers. Keep them in two separate places.

Driving Safety

  • Know the local laws! Tourists often overlook this simple rule and get into a lot of trouble driving in a different culture. I learned very quickly that you don’t turn right on red in Austria. The police car was right behind me!
  • Learn the local driving hazards before you arrive, if possible. We found the roads in one Russian town worse than in a war zone.
  • Car rental: If you need to rent a car, choose one with low mileage. You have a better chance of the car working properly. If possible, remove “rental” stickers, so you don’t stand out. Get and use power locks and windows. Don’t forget about the air conditioner and heater. Make sure that they work.
  • International Driver’s License: Get one before you leave. AAA in America and CAA in Canada will have the information you need. Don’t go to jail because you didn’t have the proper license. If a policeman wants to take your driver’s license, give him your international one and tell him that your own license is not valid in his country.
  • International Car Insurance: You will pay a large fine if you do not have car insurance, and you might spend a long time in jail if you have an accident without car insurance. Get car theft insurance also, so you don’t have to pay for an entire new car.
  • Carry car papers with you on your person and put copies in the glove box. If the car is stolen…

Hotels

  • Get recommendations. Call the embassy (not the consulate, in this case) at night because they are more talkative at night.
  • Do not rent a room above the third floor, in case you have to jump out a window.
  • Do not rent a room in a ground floor motel where anyone can just walk in without going past a front desk.
  • Do the windows lock?
  • If possible, get passcard keys instead of metal keys that can be copied.
  • Find and use a secure parking lot, esp. for late at night. Is it well-lit? Is there a security guard?

Customs and Duties

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info

“…anything you bring back with you that you did not have when you left the U.S. must be declared.” Some items will land you in jail if you bring them back with you. Study the website BEFORE you leave.

Specific Safety Principles for Crossing Cultures

These are the things that you will DO when you arrive:

  • Make copies of everything: your passport, plane ticket, visa, credit cards with telephone numbers, health insurance, prescription medications, car insurance. Put copies in your carry-on, checked baggage, and maybe on your person.
  • Have a daily plan: activities, locations, people, transportation, time-schedules.
  • Work it out ahead of time.
  • Memorize it for that day.
  • Know the possible deviations from your plan, location, people, transportation time-schedules. Memorize them. Patterns are easy to detect. Vary your plan! Take different routes at slightly different times.
  • Set times to check in with someone each day. Memorize the times and the numbers to call.
  • Keep others informed of your daily plan, possible deviations, and check-in times.
  • When in public or homes you are not familiar with, consciously increase your Listening and Observations skills. Don’t, however, overreact and make people think that you’ve become paranoid!
  • If you sense anything really unusual: do NOT move in that direction, like an ambulance chaser. Avoid, avoid, avoid. Don’t give in to your curiosity. You don’t understand enough of the culture to protect yourself from the unknown. Move to a safer place.

The MAIN Rule: blend into your surroundings; don’t stand out; keep a low profile; adapt. Take your cues from the locals. Dress like them, if allowed. Walk like them without insulting them. Talk like them if you know the language. Do not appear wealthy. Do not wear expensive clothes, jewelry or watches. Avoid all USA logos on clothing or belongings.

Real Trouble

Alternate Retreats (if things get out of hand)

Some parts of the world are not friendly, especially to missionaries. If you are going to one of those places, you need to be prepared to leave with very little preparation.

When you’re in the field, it is difficult to have an overview of potential threats from the outside. The American State Department USUALLY will inform any Americans overseas of any serious threats in a given area, but the State Department has to know that Americans are in the area who need to be notified. Other countries offer their citizens similar services, depending on their government’s financing of their own consulates in foreign countries

It is imperative that American missionaries keep the State Department informed of their location and travels, especially when living in a more unstable country. IF a situation arises, the State Department will usually send out a warning by email, and maybe other ways, stating that the potential enemies or dangers to Americans might be the area. The State Department sends out a second warning, as well, but if the situation is escalating quickly, the State Department may not have any time to send out even a first warning. Therefore, any indication of such a situation has to be taken seriously and reacted to promptly and properly.

Physical preparations:

  • You need at least one backpack for each person with three days of water, food, appropriate clothing, and medical needs ready to go at a moment’s notice, which means grab and run. In serious situations, you will not have the luxury of taking a taxi to the airport. Watch the movie Argo,[6] which is based on a true story.
  • Choose three routes beforehand to exit the area to a safer area: a primary route, a secondary route, and a tertiary (third) route. The missionary should procure an up-to-date map of the entire area, with as much detail as possible, and use this map to plan the three routes before arriving in the area. Rivers? Climate? Obstructions? Compass?
  • NEVER give up your original passport unless you’re positive that it is an American you are giving it to, preferably someone at an American consulate. Your American passport belongs to the US government, not to you. Make copies of it and keep your original in a safe place. (You will probably have to give it up to local authorities to get your visa and residence permit, but they will give it back.)
  • IF you’re concerned about the situation, you are better off to leave immediately, and not allow yourself to be talked out of it, or to talk yourself out of it. Leave and come back later. NEVER think that saving money on a plane ticket is worth risking your life or the lives of others who need to leave as well. Your mind is your best ally. If you get that crawling sensation on the back of your neck about a situation, LEAVE!

Recommended Reading

The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence, by Gavin de Becker.[7]

Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane), by Gavin de Becker.[8]

[1] Gavin Becker, The Gift of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence, Dell Publishing, 1998.

[2] Christopher Barnes, The Personal Travel Safety Manual, (Tally Ho Consulting, 2003).

[3] https://www.interculturalpressbooks.com/

[4] Joshua Piven & David Borgenicht, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Expert Advice for Extreme Situations, (Quirk Productions, 2019).

[5]Piven & Borgenicht, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel, (book soup publishing, inc., 2001).

[6] On Nov. 4, 1979, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, taking 66 American hostages. Amid the chaos, six Americans managed to slip away and find refuge with the Canadian ambassador. Knowing that it's just a matter of time before the refugees are found and likely executed, the U.S. government calls on extractor Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck) to rescue them. Mendez's plan is to pose as a Hollywood producer scouting locations in Iran and train the refugees to act as his "film" crew. This is a movie about a fake movie that was used to rescue Americans from Iran in 1980.

[7] Gavin Becker, The Gift of Fear: And Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence, Dell Publishing, 1998.

[8] Gavin Becker, Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane), Dell Publishing, 2000.

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

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