Missionary boot camp helps servants avoid violence

USA (MNN) — Less than a month ago two Bible translators were murdered. One year ago, short-term missionary workers were killed by insurgents as they tried to help people in Iraq. It appears violence is increasing against Christians serving Christ, and organizations are doing something about it.

Strategic World Impact’s Kevin Turner says, “In 1998 an interesting development took place. For the first time ever more missionaries and humanitarian aid Christian workers were killed in their line of service than United Nations peace keepers were. And, since that time it’s rising drastically.”

That’s why SWI has been offering Disaster Assistance Response Training, or DART. Turner says this type of training is important to anyone traveling overseas. He describes what’s covered in the training. “Anti-terrorism, how do you keep yourself safe, what do you do when you’re in hotels if you’re being cased. I mean, all of these various things that real world short-term teams (and) missionaries need to know about today.”

But, it also deals with tragic issues, says Turner. “What do you do if you are taken hostage? What do you do if a family member or some of your close friends are taken hostage? Then once you survive that, because we teach you how to survive during an internment, but also then what do you for re-entry?”

Turner says this training sounds war-like because we are in a war. “We’re in a war where we don’t struggle against flesh and blood, but what we do know that Jesus uses human beings to publish and spread abroad the Good News. And, (it’s) the same way with Satan. He uses individuals that are willing to be committed to his message and to bring harm destruction and death.”

The next DART training is being offered in June and the slots are filling up fast. Click on the link above to get connected.