Correspond Safely With Workers In Restricted Fields

Government agents routinely spy on postal correspondence, electronic communicationand telephone calls going in and out of some countries. Where you suspect that such is the case, follow these guidelines in your messages:

Topics to Avoid:

• Religion, politics, host country’s government.
• Missions, missionaries, evangelism, witnessing, conversions, support,raising finances, any other terms associated with the church.
• Christian organizations
• Questions about giving out tracks, Bibles, or using the Bible as a textbook.
• Letters sent on church or religious stationery.
• Church or missionary newsletters, sermon tapes, mission magazines, Bibles.
• The words “Muslim”, “Hindu”, “Buddhist”, “Unbeliever” or “Non-believer”.
• Information concerning believers in the country.
• “Writing between the lines”.  Anything that might seem to be a secret code could cause suspicion and misunderstandings. The government agents are not dummies.
  For example, writing “yarp” in place of “pray”.
• E-mails with big attachments.
• Group e-mail messages, unless they deal only with secular matters.

Do:

• Write about your personal life and everyday affairs.  Ask about your friend or family member’s job, studies, living conditions, vacations, etc.
• Be positive and uplifting.  An encouraging letter will make their day! Let them know you read their correspondence carefully and are genuinely concerned about them.
• Send postcards, special occasion cards, and calendars.
• Even though you cannot say all that you would like, please do write!