Safety

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A letter from the Director

October 2008

Many people, including the staff and board of Baja Bible School, have been praying that God will guide the students He wants to this school. With the recent negative news about Tijuana this letter will give you insight into the current situation and help you weigh the factors to be considered when you decide whether or not to live in this city for six-months.

First, a little about who I am. I have been blessed to live in Tijuana for over 5 years. As I was preparing for marriage a few years ago, I had to pray and think through bringing my wife to this city and that we may very well raise a family here. After talking through safety issues with other missionaries who have experience living & working in Tijuana, I came to the conclusion that the safest place to be is where God puts me, and He has put me here. Often my wife and I go for walks in the morning or evening and I can honestly say that I have never been directly attacked or felt targeted. (We are intentional about where we walk and at what hours). On the other hand, I have had incidents in Portland, OR and San Diego, CA where I have been verbally attacked and have had to “run” away to avoid a fight. Understanding the city of Tijuana and that ultimately our Father is the only One who can keep us safe is why we have chosen to live here.

Baja Bible School has hosted approximately 40 groups of all ages since March 2005. Up-to-date, we haven’t had any incidents that have affected the safety of our groups. Baja Bible School and other ministries in Tijuana feel comfortable hosting these groups. Caravan Ministries, whom I was able to work with my first 2 years here, hosts over two thousand high school aged kids a year. They have been in Tijuana eighteen years and despite the current events continue to have an intern staff (who live in Tijuana full-time, from 3-mos to 2-years) and host groups.

As you consider visiting or living in this city, please remember that the news you hear is often exaggerated. The events spoken of have happened but do not reflect what is happening in the entire city. There is a drug war going on and as a result, there is a strong presence of Mexican military and federal police to help control the situation. They are actively searching out weapons and drug runners. Please pray with us that they will be successful in their mission. The U.S. Department of State has posted an explanation of the situation that I feel is accurate and you may find helpful (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html). Their advice for travelers in Mexico is sound. Here is a selection from their posting:

“U.S. citizens are urged to be especially alert to safety and security concerns when visiting the border region. While Mexican citizens overwhelmingly are the victims of these crimes, this uncertain security situation poses risks for U.S. citizens as well.  Thousands of U.S. citizens cross the border safely each day, exercising common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours.  It is strongly recommended that travelers avoid areas where prostitution and drug dealing occur. Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles, particularly in border areas including Nuevo Laredo, Matamoros, and Tijuana.  There is no evidence, however, that U.S. citizens are targeted because of their nationality”.

Baja Bible School follows the recommendations suggested by the U.S. government and also has these precautions in place:

1. Our campus is walled-in and our full-time security guard lives on site.

2. We live in a neighborhood where we are known to be a ministry and have a reputation for helping others, not participating in illegal activities.

3. We know Tijuana well and avoid areas known to be unsafe. Students will not be allowed to travel alone, and most outings will be done in groups of 3 or more.

Currently, as far as my fellow ministry partners and I know, religious groups are not targeted for violence. The drug gangs are targeting each other and the police who are fighting against them. The worst-case scenario would involve being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Large cities in the U.S. and the rest of the world carry the same risk. I cannot guarantee our safety, but we will educate our students and avoid areas known to be dangerous.

Lord willing, for many years students will come to Baja Bible School and grow in the Lord and learn about the world. We often pray as a staff that many of our neighbors will learn about Christ Jesus, our King and hope in life, from the staff and students.

I hope this helps give a little perspective from someone who lives in Tijuana. Once again may God bless you with wisdom, and guide you’re decision whether or not to be a student at Baja Bible School.

In His grip,

Ryan Sorensen

Director, Baja Bible School