Over the weeks of reading the Christian Security Network e-Newsletter and listening to various Webinars, I have often noticed the phrase “Church security begins in the parking lot”.  The first time I heard this it caught me by surprise but after thinking a bit it made sense.  Stop things as far away from the door as possible for best results.  Once a person with unsavory intentions crosses the threshold it will be much harder to arrest the intensions of that person.

A few days ago I spent two weeks in Haiti and saw mission groups doing things that gave me serious pause.  I saw actions of volunteers we would never consider let alone tolerate in a US setting. Today I want to challenge the above phrase!  The risk is not external; we are generating the risk from within. Risk begins in the parking lot!  It has to be stopped.

On three occasions I observed mission groups traveling Haitian roads with potholes, cracks from the earthquake, detours around fallen bridges, in a back of open pickup trucks!  Not only in the back up open PU trucks but standing up.  In one case teens were riding on a luggage rack over the PU cab.

What were they thinking?  How can group leaders leave their good judgment in the Church parking lot?  How can something we would stop in a heartbeat in a church outing in the USA be acceptable on an International Mission trip?  In a place where road conditions are substandard, driving is chaotic, where vehicles are often poorly maintained.

Over the past years the statistics point to a shocking trend and development. The number one risk and threat to humanitarian workers is not bullets, kidnapping, it is road accidents.  Roughly 50% of humanitarian worker deaths happen on the road!  In my travels for Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), I often say the most dangerous thing I do each day is get into the vehicle!

As leaders who strive for safe and secure settings for ministry and mission, we must insist that groups leaving the parking lot use seat belts, etc.  We must especially insist on this once they leave the borders. 

If the trends are not reversed in about a decade traffic deaths will be the #1 cause of death in many poor countries.  Global annual traffic deaths kill more people that TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria combined!  Traffic crashes are also the #1 killer of 10-24 year olds. And never forget that 90% of traffic crashes are due to driver error.

There are many good resources to inform and equip you and your group leaders as they lead groups leaving our parking lots; below some of my favorites:

MAKE ROADS SAFE - The Campaign for Global Road Safety: www.makeroadssafe.org <http://www.makeroadssafe.org>

Association for Safe International Road Travel: www.asirt.org <http://www.asirt.org>

Sara's Wish Foundation: www.saraswish.org <http://www.saraswish.org>

Global Helmet Vaccine Initiative: www.helmetvaccine.org <http://www.helmetvaccine.org>

Ken Flemmer
Director for Agency Safety and Security
ADRA