This brings back memories.....and a bit of fear.
My 19 year old granddaughter is going to Indonesia next week for a two week visit. She is a beautiful, blue-eyed blonde, headed off for a Christian mission. I'm really worried about this trip. I tried to convince her to dye her hair and wear brown contact lenses. She just laughs at me and says her faith will sustain her. I guess I'm just an anxious Granny.
When you are young, death or danger is a concept not yet realized.
There's nothing I can say that can comfort you.
To not be fearful is sheer stupidity.
A healthy fear, not a paranoid slinking fear is a useful
survival tool.
I am a born-again Christian.
The Lord loves me.
I love Him.
If He called me on a mission I would go.
He has not.
He has used me and continues to use me
in other ways.
It could be your granddaughter has been
called by the Lord. If so, it is a blessing.
Christians have a very good concept of
Eternal life. Maybe she is thinking of that
vs. what can happen to her here and now
on earth.
I take it your granddaughter may not be internet
savvy. If by chance she does know how to
use the internet; she may want to look at:
http://www.persecution.org
http://www.persecution.org/newsite/
http://www.persecution.org/newsite/countrynews.php?newscode=316&PHPSESSID=7ee4d2d4dabda70b6e5c8d2c3a7af70e
http://www.persecution.com
http://www.assistnews.net
http://www.freerepublic.com (The Threat Matrix)
http://www.truthusa.com/911.html
http://travel.state.gov/travel/wwc1.html
http://travel.state.gov/travel/indonesia_warning.html
i THINK your concerns are well founded.
However, all of us are going to have to walk our faith in such regards as such hazards are going to be on every corner, in every neighborhood.
It does depend to a large degree on where she is going to be and how she's going to do her 'missions' thing.
Relationship building and sharing is one thing.
Standing on some street corners handing out Christian tracts in some sections of Indonesia would be a very short exercise on the way to suicidal martyrdom for Christ. And, to some degree, it would be so, in any section of Indonesia depending on which Jihadi's were driving by with whatever tools for destruction.
And, blind, immature idealism is not automatically equal to Holy Spirit guidance and discernment. BUT NEITHER IS CAUTIOUS ELDERLY PROTECTIONISM.
I would strongly encourage her to stick close to the resident missionaries and pastors there and to obey their guidelines strictly. Of course, given that some of them are probably on some Jihadi's targeting list--that could be a mixed risk sort of option.
I suppose one MIGHT have RELATIVE degrees of safety putting thin, one page tracts in selected volumes in a public library.
But, LIFE is a risk. Life there as a Christian is a bigger risk.
But these days, life in NYC is a big risk.
If she is prayerful and truly led of God, then, it's His choice as to how God wants to spend her. If HE chooses to have her closer to Him in some tangible/existential sense--great for her--our loss. But HE is well able to protect her in the worst areas of Indonesia AS LONG AS SHE IS FOLLOWING HIS STILL SMALL VOICE RATHER CLOSELY AND DOING WHAT SHE CAN TO LIVE AND WALK IN HIS WILL.
On that score, sleeping in her bed in granny's house IF it were out of the will of God would be MORE dangerous.
And, certainly granny's fervent prayers will have a big impact on her ministry and safety.
imho, of course.