Risks always have a decision-making factor built in, and decision making always includes risk. Risks worth taking are complex. Your circumstances change constantly, and unknown factors loom in the dark. Individuals, organizations, and churches repeatedly face the need to make risky decisions with long-term consequences.

The following factors are worth considering regarding evacuations:

Decision Making Is Highly Individual

The decision to stay or to go will be different for each family, individual, and team. So many factors need to be considered. It is impossible to make a one-size-fits-all decision.

A decision can only be based on what you know currently. Things keep changing. The current decision might look wise/unwise in hindsight. Yet right now, all you have is current knowledge and your own perspective. Be gracious with yourself.

For organizations or churches: It is important to hear the opinion of the person(s) on the ground. Remember to ask both partners in the case of couples/families! If a decision is made for a person, with no co-determination, it will affect the processing afterwards, the ongoing relationship between leadership and the individual, and future opportunities in the country. Only decide over a person’s head if they are currently unable to make decisions themselves.

What Does the Holy Spirit Say?

The safest place is in the center of God’s will. It is hard to hear God’s voice above the internal and external voices and alarms, but this should be the first place we run to. God knows the complete picture. His kingdom is secure and you, as part of that kingdom, are in a secure place in his presence. Ask the Spirit to lead and guide you.

Geographical Considerations

How far is the danger from you? It might be more dangerous in a city or a village—depending on the targets and where the tension epicenter is. Regional conflict, gang fighting, war, and terrorism all have a target and a goal. Natural disasters also have a danger zone. Understanding this will help determine what is safe.

Note: Not all people in a country of concern are in immediate danger. On the other hand, internally displaced people flock to safe areas and can make a safe place dangerous.

Another level of consideration is your accommodation. Look at quality of foundations, doors, locks, and windows. How high and secure are the fences? Which story do you live on? Is the actual building safe and secure? Are there secure places in the vicinity (like bomb shelters, friends’ houses, etc.), if needed? How did recent events impact the safety of the building? Are the neighborhood and its people safe?

Also, check the probability for the quality and quantity of water, food supplies, heating, and electricity to deteriorate. This, together with anticipated or unexpected extreme weather conditions, might be a bigger safety factor than the actual looming danger.

Safety and Security Concerns

Determine if there is a potential or perceived life threat. Check existing contingency plans for validity in the current circumstances. This includes having more than one “safe place” within range in case your situation changes suddenly and drastically.

Note: Thinking of safety concerns, you also need to think not only about your safety but also about the local people. If your being there puts someone else at risk, it might be best to leave.

Communication

Check if your usual communication and information channels are still working and have an alternative if these fail. Make sure that all parties inside and outside know about the alternatives. Check if the next-of-kin information on file is still valid.

Have a plan of action if communication fails completely and make sure all involved know about this plan (place of meeting, alerts, expectations, etc.).

Family (or Personal) Circumstances

Each individual family member is important (including the children). If one suffers, all suffer.

Physical health: The need for regular medication or hospitalization and the consequences of a possible failing medical care system or electricity supply must be thought through carefully.

Serious mental health issues: Chronic depression, suicidal tendencies, schizophrenia, or anything else along these lines calls for immediate evacuation. The combination of mental health problems and trauma is dangerous for the individual and for those around them when risk is present.

Note: Traumatic incidents might create, in the immediate weeks afterwards, temporary physical, emotional, cognitive, and mental symptoms that feel like you’re turning crazy or deathly ill. This is normal, manageable, and reversible and not a reason to evacuate.

Other factors, like pregnancies, a struggling marriage, addictions, etc. can also influence a decision. Pregnancies: If your embassy withdraws, getting a passport for your newborn might become impossible, which should influence your choice to leave or not.

Each family/team has an anchor person who supports everyone else. Even if some family members are ready to stay, if this person feels the load of responsibility is too heavy to carry, it is wise to leave.

Think through possible losses when staying and going. How do they add up in the current situation? Leaving might mean never again seeing the things you leave behind—including opportunities. Staying might mean losing them (or other things) as well.

Our personal history plays a role, too. Previous traumatic experiences might make you currently more resilient or more vulnerable. How trauma has been processed and the possibility of being triggered needs to be considered.

Other parts of our stories, like aging parents, special needs children, etc., might play a major role in our decision making.

Social Support System

A functioning social support system is one of the most important resilience factors. Some of this can happen remotely, but others must be close for practical support, a hug, or a safe place. Being together when all communication breaks down makes it more bearable. Make sure to have an emergency contact list with people who need to be informed when you are in trouble, and people who can support you when things get rough (don’t forget time zone differences).

Consider how your choice to leave or stay influences those you support. If you do carry responsibility for others who cannot leave with you, who can take your place in caring for them? Remember: Not all people you feel responsible for are your responsibility.

If your social support system is leaving, reconsider if you want to stay. If you choose to stay, make sure you have a new support system in place. Isolation makes experiences more traumatic.

Calling/Ministry Opportunities

Being clear on your calling will help you to navigate your decisions. For one person, “calling” would clearly mean staying. For another, “calling” can also be lived out in another setting.

The current situation influences your ministry opportunities which might shrink, grow, or change in the given circumstances. Doors can open or close. Remote work might be possible or not. If ministry opportunities change, check if your abilities, personality, and skill set fit the changing opportunities. Also: If a team is needed for this, check if a team is staying. If not, you cannot replace a team.

Needs + Resources + Skills + Opportunities + Openness + My current spiritual walk with God + The place I am at emotionally = worth staying or not, regarding ministry.

Evacuation Options

Knowing about current evacuation routes is important. Know what your options are by plane, boat, car, and on foot. These options need to be realistic and based on facts, not speculation, social media, or grapevine news.

Practical matters: Border posts, visa requirements en route, roadblocks, functioning airports, roads and bridges, availability of tickets, gas or diesel, a taxi or vehicle, cash, and spiking costs because of the crisis need to be considered. And, how safe is your plan?

Note: This changes constantly. Research the details, but don’t study them extensively until evacuation is a real option since it is time and energy consuming

Factors Outside of the Situation

Reaching the end of commitment in the foreseeable future might make an early departure a logical option.

Dependent family members needing you financially, emotionally, or physically, is a consideration. Where is this person(s)? Can care be transferred? How does your decision influence them? Aging parents that might need support fall into this category.

Upcoming events, like the wedding of your own child in your home country also need to be considered (fly out while you can or decide to be willing to miss it, if you cannot leave later).

Educational needs of your children, including good internet or open schools, should be on your list. Do they have other needs that must be considered?

Expiration dates of passports and visas may take the decision out of your hands.

Again, there are no right or wrong answers, just a deliberate act of taking all factors into consideration and making deliberate choices.

Factors NOT to Take into Consideration

Expectations of the organization, family, the church, etc. are not reason enough to stay or go.

Pressure to act a certain way needs to be recognized and addressed. (How can you do it to your kids?!/ This is clearly God’s will ...). People, including myself, only have opinions. God alone has the full picture.

Jobs, money, and houses are part of the calculus. (Often workers don’t feel they have another option than staying. They might have invested all their savings and pension funds into a house in the country of service. Going home feels impossible.)

Is It Okay If Some Go and Some Stay?

It is always better to stay/go together, as far as possible. Mutual support through the crisis makes it more bearable. Sometimes changing realities can cause family members to be separated for months or years—which can be very tough.

However, in some cases, the decision to be separated for a time has been made. In case a family splits up, and one stays behind, both need to be at peace with the fact that they might be separated for longer than expected or never see one another again. Clear decisions need to be made to cover all eventualities, e.g., in the case of abduction, death, sickness, etc. Also, the parent leaving with the children needs to have written permission to make decisions on behalf of both parents for the children (full guardianship).

Children should not be left with the adult that stays in the danger zone. In case something might happen to this adult, the children would be left without a significant caregiver and will be doubly traumatized.

We Decided to Stay. When Should We Revisit Our Decision?

Things change. To constantly revisit the decision can be exhausting and counterproductive. Sit down, count the cost, and make the decision. Then live fully with that decision as if it were the only option. When new information surfaces that significantly changes the picture, sit down, revisit the decision, and make a new one. This should not happen more than once a day—ideally less—like weekly or monthly. Good sources for new information should be determined, such as monitoring agencies, government sources, local people who have inside information, and the organization’s crisis management team.

Remember: Fear is never a good advisor. If fear overwhelms you, don’t make the decision alone.

We Decided to Go

Start communicating and executing your plan immediately.

Consider going to an interim place first. It gives time and space to consider future options from a place of peace. It is an opportunity to rest, recuperate, and process. It creates space to watch developments in the crisis zone and the option of communicating with all role players without pressure. If the whole team evacuates to the same interim space, it also can be a place of mutual support from people who understand.

Going immediately home to family or church may be more difficult than you think. You might come back as the hero, which leads to expectations to perform in a time when you need space. You might need to move in with family or friends in small quarters and have high expectations. Even in the best of circumstances, this might be emotionally taxing—especially if the stay becomes longer than originally intended.

Finding practical solutions for schooling, housing, a job, etc. might take more energy and decision-making stamina than you currently have.

Well-meaning people may say hurtful things or be insensitive to your needs. The expectation to be happy to be back might not be your reality. It can lead to strained relationships with loved ones.

The emotional space you need might not be available for various reasons. You might be in shock, grieving or grappling with what is happening in your beloved country of service. You might also go through re-entry shock, feel like a failure, or struggle finding your way “back home,” which feels foreign.

In all these considerations, commit your ways to the Lord, for we only see in part. He has the full picture. He can and wants to be your guide.