Crosswalk Headlines: Christian News

American Church Groups Stranded in War-Torn Israel

American Church Groups Stranded in War-Torn Israel

The world continues to watch the scene unfold in Israel as war continues to wage. Communications are coming out of the warzone from many around the world who are stranded in Israel, as flights from major airlines have been canceled. Several American church groups are currently stranded, hoping and waiting to arrive home safely soon. Among them is Arizona Pastor Kane Adkins. When asked what has been scariest in the last 24 hours, Pastor Kane Adkins responded, “Without a doubt, you never know where something is going to fall …when you are feeling the buildings around you shake as things were landing and alarms were going off was surreal.”

He and his family have been stuck in Israel since the conflict began. Adkins told a news reporter, “Airport has been really overwhelmed, overrun, thousands and thousands of people delayed there. The airline that we're associated with tried to get us rebooked. Looks like they're trying to get us back out on Wednesday.”

Dallas Pastor Reverend George Mason told CNS News Texas.com, “I'm in the kind of eye of the storm, so there's an eery quiet that I would say exists in West Jerusalem and just down the road, no more than 40 miles, is a horrendous scene of the human massacre and carnage taking place," said Mason. "Some of the most inhumane acts of war are going on." His interfaith organization, Faith Commons, has 30 people as part of their now-canceled tour. "We started hearing loud booms, rockets that were probably being intercepted by the Iron Dome," Mason said. "Sirens would go off, and we would need to move to shelter rooms here in the hotel."

A church group from Daphne stuck in Israel. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Flew to Israel from Alabama. He continued his prayer segment from miles away with a Facebook Live video. “Hopefully, by Thursday, everyone will be home,” Reverend Thack Dyson said, “we very much appreciate all your prayers and support. We are safe right now …”

According to Chad Petri with WKRG News Channel 5, the church’s group of 18 tourists were in Tel Aviv when the violence broke out Saturday. “Currently, they have moved North,” Petri reported, “out of range of the heaviest fighting.”

Florida Pastor Zach Terry of First Baptist Church Fernandina Beach asked for prayers of safety in a message on Facebook he sent out to let his church know they were safe and away from danger at the current time.

Several additional churches around the nation have members traveling in Israel right now, including First Baptist Knoxville, Holy Cross Church of West Fargo, and Shades Mountain Baptist Church. So far, they, too, are safe. As the fighting continues, many in the states are worried about friends and family members in the conflict-ridden Israel. There have been casualties from countries around the world as a result of the Hamas attack and retaliation from Israel. We continue to pray for everyone impacted by the terror ensuing on all sides.

Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Amir Levy / Stringer

Video Courtesy: NBC News via YouTube

Meg BucherMeg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.