Difficult scenario decision, but potentially very real

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NickEllis

NickEllis

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Here is a scenario I have had to think hard about for the past five years or so. A little background: my family is very international, folks and siblings live in Brazil, grew up there myself. My fiance has spent the past year in Tanzania, and will be there for a bit longer.

After all the kidnappings in Brazil and other places in south america, I admittedly started to get a bit edge. About that time my kid brother was then mugged and beat up, and the police told my folks they couldn't help as they were on strike, but to "find him and kill him, you'll do us all a favor." My best friend's cousin was kidnapped, escaped by killing his captors, and then executed with police help. After the fiance moved to Africa for mission work, things got even more personal. There are many many accounts of kidnapping, killing, and raping especially along the racial divides. During an aid trip to South Africa and Johannesburg, there were several kidnappings and gang rapings right in her neighborhood. Unfortunately, single white girls are often the target of such attacks. I pray every day for her safety.

Here is the question: suppose tomorrow one gets a call, say from a father in Brazil saying, "we need help, brother's been kidnapped." Or, in a similar iscenario, a loved one/fiance is kidnapped, and you know that little or no police intervention will be available. What do you do?

Most of us here are gun enthusiasts, but as for myself I am not trained for such work(scenes from "Man on Fire" come to mind furiously at this point), and while I speak several languages I don't speak Swahili. Nor do I have the contacts to get weapons into a place like east africa. What do you do? I would catch the next plane to Africa, in my example, but then what? Where does one even begin to start? Weapons acquisition, finding contacts, paying for information... raise money to buy mercenary help.....

The scene is not a pretty one, and I wouldn't want to even think about what would happen to my fiance in the process, but doing something is better then doing nothing. I have no illusions concerning my own skills in such matters. However, I would expect to use whatever resources I have to find and help my loved one, and in the case of her harm wipe the scum who touched her off the face of the earth, even at the greatest cost. In my situation, this is a reality that I wake up every day and face, praying it never happens.

[edited for spelling]
 
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Darth,

Ah, the problem with finding strong, confident, self-reliant women who will stand tall beside you in life is that they don't always do the "safe" thing. Believe me, we have had the conversation before. This isn't the kind of woman you "make" do anything, and for me I am glad. When you chose a life that is constantly international in nature, this is one of the dangers we face, like it or not. Neither she nor I will live secluded from such possibilities. Plus, I will certainly remain with family in similar, if not worse (knowing Brazil) circumstances, in the forseeable future.

However, I echo your sentiments.

Again, simply hypothetically, it could happen to anyone who has loved ones who travel overseas in certain areas.
 
I agree with Darth Ruger...

The mission work is a terrific way to be pro-active helping others but being pro-active should not exclude personal safety. I'd revisit other mission opportunities that exist and take an immediate and evasive U-turn. I cannot imagine my wife or kids in a situation of that nature that wouldn't have me beg / borrow or steal the money to get them outta there. I believe GOD helps those that help themselves (at whatever means exist), and she will be able to go on prospering and helping with mission works for a long long time if her life is not cut short. Thoughts and prayers .....
 
I think I would agree if there was a hotzone, clearly in harm's way, and a loved one was there. For example, if she were in Somalia, Etheopia, or lived in Johannesburg even, I would be urging immediate return, and even forcing the hand. I can see that eliciting exactly the kind of responce you are suggesting.

However, Tanzania is comparatively benign, and stable if you discount Zanzibar and its uprisings. Its more the possibility, like could happen anywhere, even in the US, but having the international complications with which to deal. That is why the scenario gets complex, because I think we would all feel like we should be doing something, but perhaps wouldn't know where to start. Kinda a SHTF, but with a twist and on a different level.
 
If she must stay;

Then have her watch Man On Fire 3 times a day. If she can't get a gun there, show her how to build one. Again, appeal to her sense of duty and mission work. . . she'll be around to do lots of that , , , contingent on self-preservation.
 
We did spend alot of time in the months before she left going over some basic self defense awareness, I snuck a couple loads of mace into her luggage (amazing what you can hide in a woman's "delicates"), and I make sure she carries it every time she leaves the house. She actually nailed some guy who snatched her purse and passport last month at the market, broke the guy's nose with a palm drive. Shaken up afterwards, but I'm proud of her presence of mind. So she is aware, and stays with groups of people. Never goes out at night, etc. I wish that access to firearms was more readily available there, but I guess we work with what we have.

Brazil is a very different scenario, and I feel at times as though its basically expected that you will have firearms stashed away for necessity, given the complete lack of police effectiveness. Plus, the Taurus plant is right down the road from my Dad's place, and the Real currency allows for some pretty good buying power with the dollar. I don't feel near as uncomfortable with their situation, even though honestly the possibilities there are more immediate, given the kidnapping culture that has sprung up in the past decade or so. But I would at least know the language, have readily available contacts, friends, weapons, etc.
 
Building a very accurate, reliable weapon is NOT as hard as one would think.


Beyond that, get them out of the situation ASAP

Good Luck
 
She arrives back Stateside July 27th, praise the Lord... trying not to count down the months.... weeks... days. Graduate school has helped wth the waiting. She is a good girl, and fearless in alot of ways.

One of the biggest points of fear/anger personally is a culture, throbbing with the affects of AIDS, which has customs teaching things like raping a virgin cures aids, and other horrendous views. :cuss: :barf: For that reason she has worn her ring on her left hand, with an additional band. Doesn't do alot for the anxiety, but like I said you can't live your life in fear, just have to prepare and be constantly aware of your circumstances.
 
thereisnospoon said:
Building a very accurate, reliable weapon is NOT as hard as one would think.
Click to expand...

Sites, sources, literature, etc? I would be interested to know. I have looked into nonconventional munitions and have talked alot with her about how everything is a potential weapon, but never addressed manufacturing something for herself. Don't know if I could convince her to go that far either, especially since she works in a lot of high police/military zones which would can her tail if she got made. Otherwise, we are already planning for her carry weapon and license as soon as she gets back; and I think a trip to Gun Site or something comparable would be a nice first year trip together.

Edited to say that was my 100 post.
 
That's another nine months. I'd call that more than "a bit longer". When you said that, I was thinking another month or so.

I'll look at it by putting myself in your shoes...
If she won't come home, and I think there's a serious threat of this happening to her, there's another option. It might mess up things here for me, like with my job, but I have to weigh my priorities.

If it were my wife, I'd make immediate plans for an extended leave of absence. If my boss didn't like it, then I'd quit. I can always find another job later. I'd go there as soon as possible. I'd either convert my money first or have it done there, whichever is better. I wouldn't tell her I'm coming, so she can't argue. I'd just show up on her doorstep with a big, loving, s#it-eatin' grin on my face and tell her that I love her and miss her so much that I can't bear to be apart from her for another minute, so I decided to turn my life into an adventure of love and go be with the woman of my dreams, to help her with her mission work that's so important to her and to have the adventure of a lifetime that we'll be able to look back on with fondness as we grow old together. She'd be flattered beyond belief and her love for me would grow by leaps and bounds.

What I wouldn't tell her is that I couldn't care less about her damn mission work and I'm really there to be her bodyguard. I wouldn't worry about the language, there will be people there that speak English, and I'd pick up the local lingo pretty quick with help from my wife. As I fit in with my new life as her helper, I would immediately begin to survey my surroundings. As I work, I would discreetly examine the work and living areas, thinking about how security could be improved, what could be fortified to at least slow down an intruder. I'd go over possible scenarios in my mind, how an attack might happen, how somone might break in. I would have escape routes already plotted out in my mind from every building, every room in every building, to get out in the event of an invasion/assault.

I would spend some time getting friendly with the locals, learn if there are any surrounding areas where some sort of camping might be done, or even just a place to take a peaceful walk. Surrounding woods, hills, etc. I would take my wife to these places in our spare time for a little 'romantic getaway' for a few hours, while at the same time making a note of the location, direction, and distance from my work/living place, in order to have some safe refuge to evac to and hide out for a while in case of some sort of rioting/racial/political disturbance. I would casually acquire things and put together a kit of things needed to live in this secret hideaway for at least a few days, water, food, sleeping bags, toilet paper, medicine, etc, and have it all in some sort of duffel bag under the bed, ready to grab and go if it became necessary.

I would examine household items I might not otherwise consider that could be used for weapons in an emergency. Pens and pencils jabbed into the face (especially the eye) can deter an attacker who gets too close, at least long enough to allow you to grab you girl, your bag, and get out. How about that table lamp? Slam it into the attacker's head and knock him into next week. Lots of things can be used for weapons. I'd let my imagination conjure up all sorts of wicked things to do to an attacker. Stash some knives around where you can get one fast. I would also acquire more weapons. A good size stick, like the size and weight of a baseball bat, would be ideal. Maybe I could get some machetes there. One in each hand would make an attacker think twice. I would improvise weapons. It doesn't necessarily have to be a gun. Lots of other types of weapons can be improvised and hidden on your person.

Once I got friendly with the locals, I might innocently bring up the subject of guns, how they're so prevalent in the U.S. I'd ask if it's the same there. No? No one has any guns? Oh, some people do? Where do they get them? Oh, really... Isn't that interesting? Hey, did you see that beautiful sunrise this morning...? (Note to self: Akbar two blocks down the street sells guns for the right price.)

I would get creative with it. I would use my wits to figure things out. My wife would love me for devoting myself to her personal cause, and I would have everything figured out, acquired, in place, rehearsed in my mind, planned out, and ready if the S really does HTF. When her tour is up, we'd be on our way back to the States, and on the flight home I'd be thinking about my whole experience there and start writing a book about exactly how I went about it, and how anyone with the proper mind-set can prepare themselves for living in a dangerous country. Publish the book and become a famous author and make lots of money, get the girl, and save the world.

That's what I would do.
 
Gaiudo...You understand that when you live a international life as you and your fiance has decided there will be some risk involved. This is part of what we take on and understand when we chose this type of life. We do have some options as to the amount of risk we want to take, but there will always be some risk when you are in a different culture then one you have grown up in and know well. Most of mine was in Asian countries. I learned early on no matter how much I thought I understood a culture, I would never understand or comprehend it as well as a local that grew up there.

I understand you need to protect your fiance and need to go to her defense/rescue. But you will be in a country that you do not know the customs, langage or people and have few friends. You have to except that there will be little you can do. It will make you feel helpless and impotent and completely useless. You can go there and try and find some local that may be willing to help you. If they can or not may be another thing. In most depressed countries unless you have a large amount of money to put up for a reward for the capture of the perpetrator or know high ranking goverment officals, chances of finding them will be about nil.

Kind of like backpacking in bear country. Chances of anything happening are slim but there. You can only do the things you can to make yourself safe. If a bear did get you what are the chances of your nonhiking, nonhunting family going into the woods and finding the right bear? They would want their revenge but, most likely, would not be able to get it.

It seems you and your fiance has cover a lot of the bases as far as her learning to look out for herself. Just keep that up and enjoy the experiences and adventures an international life can give you.
 
Gaiudo said:
... to get weapons into a place like east africa.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Why would you import weapons to a place where aks are more common than water. Getting the hardware is going to the least of you problems. Id say there is plenty of old comblock goodies and its buyers market...:evil:
 
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