Wisdom - 'robber-proofing' yourself in the mission-field

I often read in the newspaper of people being robbed in poor countries. I’ve been on hundreds of mission trips in poor countries, often lived for prolonged periods in city slums, and rural kampongs, slept on crowded long-distance overnight buses and ferry-boats – and have only been pick-pocketed once. That happened in the early days of my mission travels in Kenya about 25 years ago, when I was pick-pocketed in a crowded bus in downtown Nairobi. Thankfully, I have learned some useful lessons since them.

I deserved to be pick-pocketed because I stood out like a tourist in that bus. I dressed like a tourist and carried a bag that tourists carried. And most of all, I had all my money and credit cards in my wallet in my coat pocket – and made it easy for the crook. Thankfully, my passport and ticket was in another pocket. I advertised myself and “asked” for trouble, so I got trouble!

Crooks too have “work-standards.” They don’t usually rob poor people because it is not worth their while to do so. So do your best to look “unworthy” to be robbed. So when you are on a real mission trip, leave your fancy branded clothes, sunglasses, watch, camera, hand-phone and carry-bag at home.

Frankly, for most of us it takes more effort to look poor than to look fancy. I have a 30 year-old carry-bag that I use for trips to really poor areas. The original strap is broken, so the present strap is a different shade of blue from the bag. My hand-phone looks ancient and big enough to hit the crook with. Even when I bought a new camera recently, I asked for a bulky un-sleek looking one! No self-respecting crook would want to rob a guy who carries such a bag, phone and camera!

Since, the Kenya incident, I have stopped making it convenient to take all my money in “one package”. I now spread my valuables around in different pockets. Also, I also wear pants and shirts with deep, hard-to-pick pockets. I’ve stopped cooperating with crooks!

Have you noticed that the rich foreigners who are reported to be robbed in other countries usually look like nice targets for greedy robbers? Are our missionaries who tell of how they were robbed and harassed on the mission-field really different from these folks?

Yes, we need to pray for God’s protection whenever we go on the field, but we also need to be “wise as serpents” on the mission-field! We must do our best and then trust God to do the rest!