Safety in Travel

MLScapino

New member
Nov 3, 2003
2
0
0
Hello all! I have signed up for a Missionary trip this summer to the Dominican Republic and my Mom is very concerned. She keeps telling my that it is a very dangerous place and the bad thigns happen there. I continue to insist that i have not ever heard anything bad about the trips. Has anyone had any bad experiences with the travel there or heard any bad stories?
 

ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
4,837
0
0
No Problem

Tourists are rarely harmed, robbed, mugged, killed or similar. Use common sense. Now if you were a MISSIONARY, well then there's trouble, they boil them in big pots like carrots.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Apparently missionaries have gone soft. I can remember when they went into dangerous areas in to do their work. In fact, I had an uncle and aunt who were missionaries in China for many, many years. They stayed on the job for as long as they could during WWII, even though subject to great hardship, abuse, and threat of imprisionment or worse because they were Americans.

If your mother wants you to have a cushy assignment, tell her the Dominican Republic is the best place for you to be.
 

andy a

Bronze
Feb 23, 2002
532
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Remember what happened to missionaries in Hawaii.

When Captain Cook discovered it the sailors thought it was paradise. Many of them spent the next 10 years trying to get back. When they finally made it, they found that the girls that had welcomed them before had changed their ways and were no longer available.

They searched for the reason, and found that missionaries had moved in before they got back.

They rounded up the missionaries and hanged them.
 

lhtown

Member
Jan 8, 2002
377
0
16
The missionary speaks

A missionary trip "safe"? Really, the answer to your question depends partly on what type of trip you are on. Be aware that you are indeed leaving your home country! Some areas of the DR suffer from more problems than others. Basic hygiene and handwashing(take a bottle of hand sanitizer) are important particularly for those going into poor areas. If you are worried about the "natives" eating you alive- don't- they will always cook you first as was mentioned above. I have noticed that American missionaries and other expats seem to suffer from relatively few health problems while those on short missions trips seem to be more prone to stomach problems and other things. It seems that often enough, they bring the problem with them from the states and share it around while they are here. The short answer- be very careful what you eat, drink, where you brush your teeth, etc., stay out of the sun or use sunscreen, use mosquito repellent if needed, keep hydrated (very important), bring your camera, smile, and have fun. Oh, and do try to be respectful and help people. Missionary trips are inherently more problematic than trips to tourist areas for several reasons. Usually, you will be working in poor areas with substandard conditions, often a significant amount of travel is involved, often you will have a hectic schedule and not stay hydrated leading to a much greater likelihood of stomach problems.
BTW, if you really are on a missions trip, I have to assume that you are a Christian. Just how big is your God anyway? Besides, what is the worst that could happen? Die and go to heaven? Ooooh scary. See Prov. 3:5,6.
 

Tony C

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
2,262
2
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www.sfmreport.com
The only safety concern in the DR is the lack of protection from Christian missionaries for the Dominican People.
Why don't you stay home and mess up people from where you come from?
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
3,562
298
83
I don't hold myself out as a Bible or Koran thumper and the place of worship would probably collapse if I entered it. However, I am open minded to missionary trips and advise you will be safe and welcome here. A former co-worker of mine would spend two weeks of his vacation time each year arriving with a church sponsored group to build schools and clinics in the campo. He enjoyed it and so did the beneficiaries. Regards, PJT