Entering "Closed" Countries

Tips for short-termers in tough situations
By Steve Chism

Steve Chism has led several short-term teams to under-evangelized people in cities in Asia and the Middle East.

Some experts estimate that more than 60 percent of the world is closed to traditional missionaries. Perhaps closed is the wrong word. Closed implies that Christians are locked out with no way to get in a country to do Christ's work.

In fact, Christian workers are serving in these countries, many on a short-term basis. If you are privileged to join missionaries in such a restricted-access country, you need to know how to help, and not inadvertently ruin, the efforts of Christian workers there.

Before you go, find out as much as you can about restrictions in the country to which you are going. Every situation is unique and changing. Never assume that the place you're going is free of restrictions. Generally, there will be slightly different sets of restrictions for missionaries and national Christians. Get acquainted with both.

Restrictions on Missionaries
Some countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Myanmar (formerly Burma ), allow no open witness or service of any kind. Even so, some missionaries choose to witness and serve quietly in these countries without official permission. They usually try to carry on their work without ever being openly known as missionaries. In other countries, such as Ethiopia , India , and Thailand , missionaries often strive to work carefully within these regulations. Some choose to strategically push beyond the limits.

How to Work With Missionaries

• Don't assume missionaries want to be known by you. For them to keep a low profile means they sometimes keep a strategic distance from people who are co-laborers (such as you). If you do meet, it's often poor manners to ask about specifics of what they're doing. Let them choose what to tell you. Watch for signals that they would rather not say more.
• Expunge the word missionary from your vocabulary - even while you're talking with them. Use some terms very carefully. Red-flag words to avoid include convert, evangelism, mission, crusade, the Gospel, and many more.
• Trust the advice given you by your host missionaries. You may get conflicting counsel at times. That's often because the situation changes. Sometimes Christians disagree as to the most biblical and effective way to go. If you know that you're not going to follow instructions, most missionaries would greatly appreciate your distancing yourself from them, their converts, and their contacts.

Restriction on National Christians
Some national Christian groups are centuries-old minorities, known to be Christians by all. These Christians are usually allowed few freedoms to worship. They persist in gathering, despite stringent regulations and occasional surveillance.

In other countries, Christian gatherings may be officially disallowed or even fiercely opposed. Fellowships often continue secretly as house churches.

The Christians most vulnerable to official hostility and social pressure are new believers from dominant religions or in countries where it's actually considered a jail-worthy crime to convert to Christianity. A new believer may be a convert from a high Hindu caste or the son of a Muslim official. Each has unique pressures almost impossible for most short-termers to understand. Try anyway. They can ill afford to be brought into needless and dangerous confrontation with the dominant society because of your foolish mistakes.

Working With National Christians

• Don't assume that you're welcome to join in their gatherings. The nationals may feel obligated to invite you, even though they must endure the sometimes severe consequences of a conspicuous foreigner.
• Don't judge or be too eager to change things. Some of the practices may bother you. For example, Muslim converts may want to be baptized in secret. Or a church meeting may be billed as a birthday party. Most short-termers don't bring with them the needed experience to offer suggestions or changes to the situation. Your best option is to determine to serve and to follow instructions.
• Be careful about bringing Bibles and literature. They may be needed but may present an embarrassing situation if imported in an ill-advised way. Get counsel before you act as a self-appointed courier.

Before You Go

• Keep quiet. Use educated caution in announcing your trip to your church and community. Non-Christian visitors to your church can do serious damage. Home town newspapers sometimes can say too much. Explain the situation to your church leaders. Many short-termers are advised to be non-specific about their destination. Instead of saying Algeria, why not simply say you're headed for North Africa? If the Lord guides you to return to the country in the future for a longer term, you'll be glad that you worked to keep a low profile.
• Advise supporters and family. Help them understand that mail is often opened and read by authorities hostile to the Gospel. Make sure everyone grasps the serious ramifications of letters which mention missions or evangelism. Some people may not understand unless you specify which words or themes to omit from their letters. Help them understand why your letters must not tell of your evangelism.
• Pack carefully. Books and diaries which make your missionary purpose explicit may need to be left at home.

While in the Country

• Learn your identity so well that you can easily and honestly explain to anyone who you are and what you are doing. Be faithful to your identity. If you're a teacher, be a good one. If you're a student, study hard. If you're a tourist, then certainly do "touristy" things.
• Secret police are sometimes planted, pretending to be very eager seekers of truth. Work with your leadership in determining the motives of would-be converts. Be sure that you have the authority to welcome them to meetings or give them names and addresses of believers.
• Ask God for wisdom continually. Christ wants us to act with the wisdom of serpents while serving with the innocence of doves. Get wisdom from God. Keep close to Him. There's no other way to strike the balance of serpent and dove, make the hard decisions, do the work of God, and be at peace.
• Relax. Don't terrify yourself into some frenzy of covert activity. Be yourself. The whole point is to take care of basic security so you can carry on with the work. The situation is in God's hands. Give and serve and speak the Gospel. No true ministry worth doing is risk-free anyway. If you have taken basic precautions, you can leave the results to God.