Sentinel Training - Mississippi Baptist Convention Board

A sharp increase in crimes against Americans abroad
has prompted the development of a training program
to help missions volunteers travel safely. David Dose,
President of Fort Sherman Academy and developer of
the Sentinel Training program, states, “We must
maintain a high level of vigilance because of continued
threats of violence against US citizens abroad.” He
believes his primary task is to prepare groups to do
what God has called them to do overseas in a safe and
proactive manner. Dose states, “...we don’t study
international travel risks to come up with excuses for
not going to where God has called us. We study the
risks to develop strategies that enable us to keep going
and to do the things we need to do. We talk in terms of
human strategies, but acknowledge that God is in
charge of what we do…..People equipped to make good
choices do come out of these situations with less harm
and damage. God is in charge, but we are called to be
wise and shrewd in doing our part.”
Sentinel Training
Safeguarding Mission Volunteers
in International Travel
Training Topics
 A faith-based perspective
 Tips for safe travel
 Minimizing personal harm to participants and
recipients of ministry
 Surviving criminal acts
 Avoiding/surviving hostage situations
 Maximizing personal survival and minimizing
exploitation
 Creating a sense of control in a chaotic
situation
 Responses to detention by officials
Dose said, “Increasing your personal security
knowledge will instill confidence while you travel amid
the risks and the threats that are out there, and help
you feel empowered to do what the Lord has called you
to do….utilizing training is as much a judicious
precaution as buying insurance — not to plan for the
accident, but rather to be prepared if and when it
happens.”
Ken Rhodes, Director
Missions Mobilization
Mississippi Baptist Convention Board
PO Box 530
Jackson, MS 39205
601.292.3398 or 800.748.1651, ext. 398
krhodes@mbcb.org
www.mbcb.org
A Faith-Focused Travel
Security Training
Program
Coursework and materials developed by
Fort Sherman Academy, Pinehurst, Idaho
The heart of the Mississippi Baptist Convention is
missions and sharing the Good News of Jesus. In
today’s world, travel safety is a significant concern.
The Missions’ departments (Missions Mobilization,
Men’s and Women’s Ministry and Collegiate Ministry)
of MBCB wants to assist volunteers in traveling
safely. Because we continue to be missional and
serve in the difficult areas, we must do our part in
preparing our people.
According to a 2009 article in Baptist Press, “Despite
increased security risks, Christian organizations show
a consistent annual increase of short-term volunteers
traveling abroad. A recent study of 2005 to 2006
shows the number of volunteers traveling abroad
increased 66 percent. Unfortunately, a 300 percent
increase in the number of incidents was reported in
the same time period, 110 of which were either
criminal or political in nature, and several of which
posed serious threats to individuals’ safety.”
In an effort to better prepare volunteers, we are
offering “Sentinel Training” to our churches,
associations, Baptist Student Unions and any other
groups that participate in mission activities. This is a
faith-based training that offers participants effective
and proven strategies for traveling safely.
In addition, the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board
is developing safety policies and procedures for
missions volunteers that will be effective in 2013.
Details of these policies will be available during the
training.
Training Formats
One-day format of 8 hours
(includes a 45-minute lunch break and two 15-minute
breaks)
Two-day format of 4 hours each day
(includes one 20-minute break during each 4-hour session)
Ideally, the one-day format will be offered from 8 to 4 on
a Saturday with a complimentary lunch and snacks and
the two-day format will be offered on a Friday evening
(5:30-9:30 p.m.) and Saturday morning (8 a.m. until 12
noon) with complimentary snacks.
Meet the Trainers

Kris Walters-Hattiesburg
is a member of Temple Baptist Church, Hattiesburg. He is the
Associate Director at the University of Southern Mississippi Baptist Student Union and has worked in college ministry for 17
years. Kris has sent students on international mission projects
through the Baptist Student Union and taken college students on
short term mission journeys to nine different countries.

Debbie Wiley-Tupelo
has been a member of First Baptist Church, Tupelo, for 33 years
and has been very involved with their missions programs. She
feels privileged to have seen some of the GA girls grow up to
serve with IMB in far-away places. She is a Medical Technologist,
but her true love is volunteering in the community. She has travel with mission teams on four continents, including several trips
to closed countries.
All instructors have been trained and certified by Fort
Sherman Academy.

Phillip Collins-Starkville
is a member of Sturgis Baptist Church and works as the Building
Maintenance Supervisor in the Department of Recreation Sports at
Mississippi State University. Phillip has led multiple teams to
Thailand in the past several years.

Tom Kilpatrick-Florence
attends Crossgates Baptist Church, Brandon. Tom served 36 years
as a Soil Scientist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service. He is now retired and spends time doing missions and
disaster relief. Tom has worked on agriculture and other mission
related projects in Central & South America, Africa and southeast
Asia.

Russell Mord-Sturgis
serves as the pastor of Sturgis Baptist Church. Missions Mobilization introduced Russell to mission work in southeast Asia in February 2006. Since then, he has led or helped to lead five teams to
northern Thailand as part of an ongoing strategic partnership with
International Mission Board personnel.
Schedule a Training
All training sessions are scheduled through Missions
Mobilization. Please contact us Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.—4:45 p.m. to schedule a training. You
may contact us at 601.292.3398 or by emailing
bbridges@mbcb.org.
Vicki Vance-Jackson
lives in Brandon and is a member of FBC, Jackson. She recently
retired after 28 years in education and is currently a contract
psychometrist at Summit Counseling. She completed an eight
month ISC term in Kenya as a teacher and has served with teams
in Peru, Honduras, and Japan in various capacities.
**host must provide overnight accommodations and two
meals for trainer for the 2-day option if the trainer must
travel more than 50 miles roundtrip per day
Cost
$45 per participant— fee covers honorarium & travel
expenses for the trainer and provides contingency
coverage to participants by Fort Sherman Academy.
Minimum of 20 participants is required for training.
Training fee is $900 if training less than 20 participants. Maximum number of participants is 70.


Linda Smith-Florence
is a member of Star Baptist Church and has been a medical transcriptionist for 25 years. She and her husband, Kirby, served with
the IMB in Odessa, Ukraine, for 4 years as volunteer coordinators
during the partnership with Mississippi Baptists. She has participated on volunteer teams to both Ukraine and China.
Disclaimer: The subject matter covered in this
course has been designed to provide beneficial
information for short-term volunteer missionaries.
It is provided with the understanding that the
Mississippi Baptist Convention Board and its
instructors/employees are not engaged (employed)
to render professional security advice or specific
security services.
Each participant in short-term missions is responsible for his/her own actions and acknowledges the
inherent risks involved thereof, including, but not
limited to death, detainment, captivity, illness,
and/or injury.