The day started like any other day, we all congregated in the classroom on the third floor and were ready for group devotion time. As soon as class was ready to start our teacher seemed less friendly than the previous days. He said that he was going to read our names off a list and we were to instantly leave the room without meandering, including leaving cell phones and cameras on the table. We met at the top of the stairs and were directed to follow him quickly without noise and without meandering. He led us down two flights of stairs to the basement, around some supplies to a small crudely constructed box with very little ventilation, no light and insisted that the 12 of us file inside. Thus the start of our simulated kidnapping and time in "The BOX".
As the simulation progressed and we took inventory of what others had brought with them we realized that we had 1/3 of a bottle of water to share amongst the 12 of us, a scarf, a couple of belts, a flashlight and one guy even brought his entire backpack. I don't remember anything of use being in there just that it took up valuable space on the floor of our box of captivity.
The first scenerio was read to us by our instructor, the life, joy and amusement was gone from his voice, he was serious, quick in his words and curt. We were told that there was a helicopter landing soon that would be able to take 5 people of our choice to freedom, but we would have only a few sparse minutes to decide whom would get to flee. Instantly we figured out that there were 5 amongst us that were mothers. So of course they would be the ones to depart. Well, one of the mothers, Katie said "I am older and have lived a full life, my children are grown and I would slow you all down." This caused a kink in our decision; instantly we were scrambling to figure out who would fill that last spot. We ended up picking numbers and I was the one that was expected to leave. We were hurried out of the box, pushed down into a squat like position and told to wait here. No longer than a minute had passed and our instructor was back telling us the helicopter was not coming and that we were to get back into the box. We really were pushed back into the box. I ended up at the back of the box and was trying to stand up straight to get acclimated again for what was ahead. I must have been standing up straight or something because the next time something was tossed on top of our new living quarters I was smacked on the head by a 2x4 and headache to come.
As this happened I found myself sinking down to the ground praying that GOD would get me out of this situation... It was an intense time, and you just don't know what you will do and the decisions that you will make until you are in this type of situation.
This event will be one marked in my memory in which we were challenged to examine ourselves when put under extreme stress and adversity. What type of character poured out of us when we were under such un-foreseen stresses.
For about the next hour of the simulation we were bombarded with loud gun and plane sounds and given specific decisions to make concerning our “simulated” situation. The 12 of us became more and more uncomfortable and the decisions we had to make had become more and more realistic and more and more emotional. From deciding as a group if we would take others into our midst that were possibly refugees, or could be the enemy infiltrating our hideout to which 4 individuals would be volunteered into the hands of our captors to be shot as examples.
The simulation was a memorable event and lesson bringing out many fears as well as tears concerning the “what if’s” of cross-cultural ministry. I am so blessed to have this time to learn about myself and the situations that I could face some day, mentally and spiritually preparing my heart the best that the Lord can.
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