So I finally broke down and watched The Hunger Games (actually I was desperately waiting to watch it).  I must confess that I haven't read the books so this is solely based on the movie.  If you haven't seen it or been living in a deserted island and never heard of it, The Hunger Games is a movie based on a book (of the same name) by Suzanne Collins.  It is about a nation that is recovering from a civil war where 12 of it's "districts" rebelled against the nation and are now having to face their punishment. Every year 1 boy and 1 girl from each of the districts are "chosen" in a selection process called the Reaping. These "chosen" few are then prepped for the Hunger Games.  There can only be one victor and this is only achieved by killing all the other participants.  

As I was watching this film I was reminded of films such as Spartacus and Gladiator, even Gamer. It was very reminiscent of the games of the old Roman Empire back in Julius Caesar days and before.  For entertainment, those less fortunate were forced to fight against each other while thousands stood by & cheered them on. The "tributes" were paraded in front of the wealthy in hopes of securing sponsors who would send medicine and other supplies to you during the "game".  

I was reading through some of my earlier communications via email. These were updates sent many years ago when I first started as a missionary.  It was quite nice walking down memory lane and I enjoyed seeing my passion for all the things God was doing in my life and to remember those things again.  

One email I sent was about loneliness and how it can be very lonely out here, even though I am constantly surrounded by fellow missionaries and those that we minister to.  As I was reading through it, I realized how some things had changed but others have stayed the same.  The feeling of loneliness still lingers and pops his head up every now and then.  But as I was reading I was also amazed at the God-given idea to not "waller" (for you southerners) in my pity but to realize that others are struggling with that as well and what better way to deal with my own discouragement than to encourage others.  Here is a snipit of that email:  

"Something I have now missed for the past 2 years is the annual Mentone Junior High Fall retreat with Metro Church in Birmingham.  This has been going on now for the past 17 years and up until last year, I had only missed one.  This has always been such a HUGE spiritual renewing time for me.  One of the things that has blessed me 

As we wind down our Mission Adventures season for the year I was asked by our President & CEO to compare our numbers for the past 2 years.  Unfortunately our numbers have gone down over the last few years and I was also challeneged to come up with a few reasons as to why and what we can do to change this declining trend. 

I looked at the teams that we have returning as well as the new teams we have been partnering with.  I took into consideration the teams that have told me that they only go on International trips every other year. I also looked at the teams that showed interest in the beginning but changed their minds.  In asking the reason for the decision to go elsewhere, the number 1 answer was safety.  Still? I thought. We have proven time & again that what we are doing in Mexico is safer than heading to downtown LA but for some reason people are still afraid to travel to Mexico.  They hear Tijuana and immediately think they are going into the war zone.  This, however, is not true. 

 A friend, David Stone (CEO of First Rate, Inc), recently posted on his facebook page the following statement:  "The most dangerous place on earth? Libya? Syria? Mexico? Afghanistan? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 32,885 people died in traffic crashes in 2010 in the United States (latest figures available), including an estimated 10,228 people who died in drunk driving crashes, accounting for 31% of all traffic deaths last year." 

Another family of friends, John & Jane Ray, have travelled all over the world.  I've even heard tales of them jumping from moving trains with toddlers strapped to their backs as well as ministering in actual literal war zones as missionaries with YWAM.  They wrote a blog several years ago about this very topic (can't find the actual blog right now, sorry). They recounted stories of their early days as missionaries leading groups into questionable areas of the world and how God protected them because He had sent them.  They also talked about the loss of their daughter, Olivia, who, at the age of 10, was struck by a car while walking across the street.  She was on her way to a track & field event at the University of Arkansas just a few blocks from her house. As they were preparing to come to Ensenada to build a house in Olivia's honor (through Olivia's Basket) the question on everyone's mind was is that really safe?  They pondered this question and again came to the same conclusion as before, the only safe place is in the will of God. Olivia was in a safe place in her neighborhood yet because of the actions and choices of another person was taken from this world. This could have happend anywhere at anytime. We don't understand why this kind of thing happens but we can take comfort that God "makes all things new" & "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." There has been good to come out of Olivia's death; awareness of crosswalk safety, families coming together to build homes for underprivileged around the world, and so many lives changed forever because of her life.

Here is the conclusion I have come up with regarding the issue of safety.  God has given each of us common sense, granted some more than others. When traveling to a new place, find out about the area. We tend to trust locals on their opinions of where to go and where not to go. They live there, they know. In the same way, as a missionary with YWAM, we live in Tijuana and Ensenada. We know where to go and where not to. At the same time, there has to be a sense of walking by faith, knowing that God will take care of you if He is sending you. And if something happens, it happens.  We can't walk around allowing fear to control our lives because we will miss out on all the wonders the Lord wants to show us and all the lives He wants us to impact.

My mom once said that God saved me from death on numerous occasions when I was first born and that she had given me up to Him. When He is done with me on this Earth He will take me, there is nothing she can do about it.  Of course this doesn't stop her from worrying about me whenever she hears "Mexico" on the news, haha.

Have there been times where you have gone somewhere or done something that people tried to talk you out of because of fear of safety? What did you do? Have there been times where you felt you were supposed to go somewhere but talked yourself out of it because of that same fear?  I'd love to hear your experiences.