While our goal as an organization is to work in difficult places, we make every attempt to ensure the safety of our staff and participants in the field. All of our trips involve thorough planning in collaboration with in-country partners. Note that the Arts Relief and Restoration Program specifically targets the toughest places in the world; these places are often intrinsically un-safe. While we never purposefully place staff or participants in peril, there is a higher level of risk involved with ARR trips than our Goodwill Tours or Cross-Cultural Discovery Tours [i.e. we do take ARR groups to countries tagged with a State Department travel warning]. Please contact the Overseas Coordinator concerning the specific circumstances of individual trips.
|
|
Thoughts on safety and travel planning |
I am planning to go on this summer's mission trip to Europe, but I am having trouble convincing my parents that it is safe to go. My mom says that there is just too much stuff going on in the East and she is apprehensive in letting me board a plane and fly to the other side of the world (I have never been out of the country before). I know that I am on my own being a sophomore in college, but my parents' opinions still matter to me. Is there a way that you cold help me to let them know that all efforts will be made to ensure the safety of all us while we are [on the trip]?
Answer: First-time traveling can have a fear factor. It can also have a multiplying effect on parents. I know, I have three children and five grandchildren (one of them being a godson). I understand the worry, particularly in the post-9/11 world. One hears so many reports of violence, bombings, and terror threats that it does appear to be safer to stay at home (or even in your house!).
First let me share how we make decisions about the countries we visit, how we make choices for ministry, and then provide some resources for further reading on the web.
- We do not take groups to unsafe countries (we define unsafe as those countries that have a travel warning advisories from the US State Department. However, see note above concerning ARR programs.)
- Terrorist activities tend to take place in well populated areas and in countries where there is significant tension with the United States or internal conflict (for example: Iraq, Palestine, etc.). There are a number of regions in the world that can be very dangerous; we do not travel to these countries (However, see note above concerning ARR programs). There is no country without crime; crime is unavoidable. However, we can limit the possibility of being a victim by planning, training, and safe practices. Because we work with local people in countries where we travel, they are very often aware of dangerous political activity and unsafe areas.
- When you say the East, I am not sure what you mean, but Western and Eastern Europe, are not the East. The Czech Republic, for example, is very far from Iraq and Indonesia. We are talking a greater distance than New York to California! Before making a decision, it helps to locate the country on a map, read news reports, and check the State Department website for travel reports.
- I live in Philadelphia. Nightly, I hear reports of shootings in the city. I know I am reasonably safe because I know the city well enough NOT to go to certain parts of the city at night or to enter the clubs and other places where conflict erupts. It is the same with our hosts; they know where danger spots could be and help us to avoid them. But, to be honest, I often feel much safer in Europe and most countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America than I do in my own country. America has more guns per capita than any other nation.
- The American media tends to focus on the catastrophic. Because we see so many images of violence and reports of terrorism, it is very easy for us to assume that the world is totally under siege; this is just not the case. )Though that does not mean we should go "willy nilly" into the night without precaution.) So, we take every precaution we can. Our trips are highly regulated; we will give pre-travel training for safety. Every traveller is assigned at least one "travel buddy" and possibly two. No student or traveller is allowed to go places alone, or with our guests (without your buddy). We have nightly room checks and morning travel calls just to keep track of everyone. You will have and keep contact numbers of every location. With the advantage of cell phones, you and your parents or significant others will be able to talk several times within the trip and they will know where you are.
- We will stay in smaller hotels (not the big tourist ones) or homestays, avoid large crowds and demonstrations, and stay abreast of any political activity. If we sense that there is danger we will change the itinerary. If there would be a travel warning for the country of destination we will cancel the trip. We will check this up to the last day before we depart.
- Now let me change the tone a bit to say a word about why even bother to travel abroad. I was a missionary in African for 12 years. Some days were difficult and there was a greater chance of me getting AIDS from a car accident than being shot or blown up. I lived very close, by the way, to the incident several years ago where a group of terrorists bombed a tourist hotel near Mombassa. I learned to be safe. I wore a seat belt to avoid traffic accidents, I listened to the news and avoided tourist gatherings and gatherings of large groups of Americans (especially those related to the US government). My children attended boarding schools and I knew that they had a plan for safety just like we will have for our trips. I did these things not because I like danger (I don't and avoid it). I felt a greater calling to be a witness of God's love in the world. I believe all Christians have this calling, not a calling to place oneself in danger. Your hosts will want you to be safe as well: they would not wish any harm to you.
I realize this message may not be enough for your parents. They love you and care for you and want to see your future safeguarded. But they may not have all the facts about where you are going. You might look at the map and see just how far you will be from the trouble spots of the world. Reassure them that you will be under close supervision (maybe more than you thought). |
|
International 
