Define "Safe"

I read today this phrase from The Global Canvas by Bill Taylor and Bill Hoke : “Danger will increasingly threaten the global Christian mission movement, so we need a theology and practice of suffering, persecution and martyrdom”. Wow! When's the last time you heard a sermon on those things? But it is something I have been thinking more about. Maybe it's in part because of the reaction of Canadian Christians concerning our being here (is it really SAFE to be in the Congo?) or to coming here themselves even for a short period of time. When did “safety” become the number one determining value as to whether we do something or not? We have met some personnel with Doctors without Borders and certainly not everyone within that organization would call themselves Christians. But here they are, many serving the Congolese people who have gone through and continue to go through terrible atrocities particularly in the eastern part of the country. They put themselves in harm's way because of a greater cause. So what do we really believe about suffering or persecution or martyrdom? Is it really just for other Christians? And how would our belief or theology affect our practice, our way of living and what and where we would be willing to go for Jesus' sake and for this world's sake?  I recognize within myself the deadening effect that comfort, ease, abundance, and security have on my own soul and pray that God will help me take the necessary steps of "counting all as loss for the sake of the gospel".