Hey, guys! If you have seen the news in the last hour or so, you have probably heard about the 7 commuter trains in Bombay that were attacked by terrorists. In addition, if you have seen the footage or read the reports, you have probably begun to ask yourself, "So... are we still going?" And if you've allowed yourself to go one step further than that, you've probably asked, "do i still WANT to go?" Well, in light of that, please let me outline a few things:
First, you need to know that despite the general perception :-) we are not looking to be kamikaze missionaries. We are not "just looking" for trouble. We gather no delight in sending our people to places where the risk factor is unnecessary or high just so that we can have cool stories to tell or look like we laugh in the face of danger. In my experience, that's not really bravery anyway; it's just most often times foolishness.
So here's the deal. If there is reasonable suspicion that you would be in danger before leaving, or if the situation "heats up" in the regions where you will be travelling, we will simply pull the plug. Period. We will reschedule, divert support finances, reconfigure logistics, or do whatever is necessary to ensure that your safety is absolutely the highest priority, and we will do so without any reservation whatsoever.
Second, the above is also true once you arrive in-country. If, for whatever reason, we or our TBL partners begin to suspect that you are anything other than 100% safe, we will again simply pull the plug. We will have you on an airplane (first choice) in less than 24 hours, or residing comfortably in the US Consulate in Chennai in that same amount of time or less. Our TBL friends are better than the best bodyguards you can buy, and have always been absolutely A-grade in keeping us out of harm's way. If something should erupt that required immediate extraction, know that we will simply put those plans into play and have you on your way home.
Third, please note that Tamilnadu seldom sees this type of terrorist activity. The reason why the north tends to see it more than the south is that there are much higher concentrations of fanatical/fundamentalist Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus who believe that violence is the only way to achieve their ends, and so these types of actions are not uncommon there. In the south, however, pretty much everyone is a Hindu, and lives relatively at peace with one another. That's not to say that Tamilnadu doesn't have it's own set of problems, but rather just that they don't tend to struggle with religious tension among fanatical and violent groups the way that the north does. Also, it looks like at this point that the people responsible for the blasts may have been associated with Kashmir guerillas. Kashmir is supposedly one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It is the location of the mythical fortress of Shangri-La and is the source of much of the beauty and mythology in many southeast asian cultures. For the last few decades, however, it has struggled for independence from India, and because of it's rich sources for natural and other resources, India has not "let it go". As a result, Kashmir militant rebels pretty much have turned the lush countryside into a warzone, and what is arguably one of the most inviting places on earth has become a place that no one (not even foreign CNN correspondents) who values their life will visit. The blast in Bombay is most likely just an extension of this conflict, and Bombay was probably selected because, like most militant extremists, the goal is visibility, and Bombay is the "western corporate" center for industry (particularly technology) in India. By bombing Bombay, they acquire the attention of the international media as well as wealthy Western corporations, and thus think that they further their agendas. Such was probably not targetted toward westerners, however, nor was it most likely planned by Al-Queda or related anti-American groups. In fact, most likely quite the opposite. I actually spoke with a Kashmiran shop owner in Chennai last time who invited me to his home. I smiled and said, "Uh.. isn't that kind of dangerous?" He just laughed and said, "Only if you're in the Indian army! Actually, we LOVE Americans!"
Fourth, at this point, we do not believe that there is a compelling enough reason to cancel either team (August or Oct/Nov). We are planning on moving forward just as we have been. That said, if you are uncomfortable with continuing to proceed, or believe that your safety is in question or in danger in any fashion and do not wish to continue as part of your current team, please let us know asap and we will plan accordingly.
Finally, please note that this is simply another indicator as to the reason why we are going in the first place. India despretely needs the love of God and people to bring it to them. Poverty, disease, war and oppression of a variety of sorts have ripped the people to shreds for more than six millenia, and only the light of Christ can bring the Kingdom that God intended from "Unga to Inga" in that place. Please remember to pray that God would supernaturally engineer this tragedy to opening doors for His people to shine amidst the tragedy and be the people of God when there appears to be no hope left among the masses.
Shinken!
-samurai jack
Sending off the GCC August 2006 India Team
