"For Your Safety"

My company arranged a driver to take me to work each night. When he arrives at the hotel to pick me up, the hotel staff calls me to let me know he is here. It usually takes me a few minutes after the call to actually go downstairs. They make him park in a designated area until I arrive. Each morning when he drops me off at the hotel, the security guards stop him at the gate. One of the guards slides a long black pole underneath the car. Another guard asks for the keys and opens the trunk. I went downstairs one night, and they alerted him that I was ready so he could drive up to the front. While I was waiting, I asked the hotel guy about the long pole underneath the car. I already thought I knew what it was, but I asked anyway for confirmation. He said it was a mirror. I asked, “What is the mirror for?” He replied in an ominous tone, “For your safety.” I’m sure my mother finds that reassuring.

That does not make me feel safer. In fact, it heightens my awareness of security concerns. I’m surprised they don’t have bomb-sniffing dogs. It reminds me of the time I visited a church in Brooklyn. At the end of the sermon, the pastor called everyone up for prayer and told the ladies they should bring their purses with them for safety. That immediately raised a red flag for me. It made me think that theft must be fairly common in that church for the pastor to say that from the pulpit. How common are hotel incidents?

I was very sleepy the first night the driver picked me up from work, but I forced myself to stay awake. I decided that I would not sleep in the car, because I need to be alert to what is happening around me at all times. I don’t want to wake up and find myself in a strange/dangerous place. I can now identify landmarks and signs on the route from/to the hotel. There is a Pfizer facility protected by a gate on the way to the hotel. There’s also a sports stadium nearby, probably for cricket. I am always observant of my surroundings, but I am even more observant now. Women traveling alone must take many precautions, especially when you don’t speak or understand the local language. I have an international card that was issued to me for medical emergencies and other security concerns. They will also make arrangements for an emergency evacuation, if needed. Hopefully, it won’t be necessary.

Several people asked me how my mother felt about me traveling to India. Her biggest concern is my safety no matter where I am. All she or I can do is plead the blood of Jesus to protect me and keep me from all danger.

On a lighter note...
My friend recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and she took wonderful pictures of her journey on the way up. There’s one picture of a goat that she titled, “our friend curry”. That picture was so funny that I wanted to take a picture of an Indian “curry”. As my driver was turning into the hotel this morning, a herd of goats was walking toward us. It was such an unusual site. I have no idea where they were going at 4am. I asked the driver to stop while I took a picture. The car was literally at an angle in the hotel driveway, partially blocking the road. All of the security guards were crowded around the front of the car, probably wondering why it stopped so suddenly and preparing to confront the driver. I took a couple of pictures of these goats out for a stroll. Unfortunately, the pictures did not come out clearly.