Armed Mission

I recently was invited to advise organizers of a school mission trip to Eagle Pass, Texas about safety issues on the border. Before I could explain that Eagle Pass has one of the lowest crime rates in Texas (four robberies, no homicides, no sexual assaults for an entire year)I listened in stunned disbelief of their plans.

The owner of a security company donated its services and will provide plain clothes armed guards on a Catholic Mission Trip for 7th through 12th grade children! The security company owner explained that they will have a "crash vehicle" ready to crash into any vehicles attempting to harm or kidnap the children on this mission and although they 'will not brandish their weapons' they will be ready.

In my opinion, any mission trip for children that includes armed personnel is probalbly not a good idea. However, before I could give voice to that concern I learend that the pastor already approved of the plan for armed men on this school mission trip. A school official later told me that since the school has armed guards on the school property, this seemed like a reasonable decision.

Another concern the mission organizers have (beyond kidnapped children, gunfire and crash vehicles) is the attemps by the students to buy or bring alcohol on the mission trip. This has been a problem in the past.

The mission organizers plan no meeting with the participants prior to the trip to instill the meaning of mission, the spirit of mission or the mission plans. At best, this seems like a poorly organized class trip where the students will offer a vacation bible school (without any training) and they will repair some damaged rooftops for the poor.

I explained how safe I regard Eagle Pass and that no mission group has ever been harmed in Eagle Pass, however I was so stunned by the idea of guns on a mission trip that I was not at my best.