We are reprinting this article by Matt Maszczak, Vice President of Select International Tours, with their permission.
Behind the Scenes: Finding Faith in the Face of Crisis
The day started like any other Saturday, until the buzz of my phone sliced through the 7 AM silence. It was Edita, the President of Select International Tours. Four words: “Turn on the news.” I knew instantly. We had 500 pilgrims preparing to depart for the Holy Land, and military action had just shut down travel. Again!
While the East Coast was just waking up to the alarming headlines, our team was already in motion, connecting with our partners on the ground in Israel. The relief of confirming their safety was quickly followed by a striking realization: unlike COVID-19 or the October 7 attacks, our contacts saw these new events not as a setback; but as a difficult, necessary step toward a safer, more stable future. They were optimistic. With no groups currently in the region, all our focus immediately pivoted to upcoming departures.
What happened next was a powerful testament to the deep faith of our group leaders: they were overwhelmingly supportive. Less than 24 hours after the crisis began, the first scheduled priest convened his pilgrims. Together, they decided to proceed with the April trip unless travel was absolutely impossible. The next three group leaders echoed this resolve, a steady refusal to let fear take root.
When we arrived at the office on Monday morning, our staff was fully engaged, braced for panic, but instead, we were met with an unexpected calm. Most pilgrims set to depart in April and May had reasonable questions, which were answered with care and reassurance. We shared the conviction that our Lord is in control, even amid the most unsettling uncertainty.
While part of our team fielded these calls, others plunged into critical, hour-by-hour discussions with overseas partners, the State Department, airlines, and the countless services that weave our pilgrimages together. This task of information gathering and planning is inherently time-consuming, but after six years of recent crises and 38 years of overall experience, one truth has been proven repeatedly: rash decisions in the face of global events are almost always the wrong ones.
Every single one of our trusted contacts agreed: This is not the time to make big changes. This is the time to wait, see, and trust. They believe this military action will be short-lived, that life in Israel will return to normal, and travel will resume in no time.
One of the core benefits of selecting Select International Tours for your pilgrimage is the ability to rely on our extensive experience and established network. This ensures that all decisions are grounded in real-time information, moving beyond conjecture or reactive decisions.
Today’s news cycle makes waiting difficult. Headlines are designed to keep us anxious. But pilgrimage has never been about certainty. In times like these, we reflect on the medieval pilgrims who set out for the Holy Land or Rome with very little expectation of returning. Their journey was a difficult, serious commitment. By contrast, modern pilgrimages are often approached with an expectation of comfort and certainty. Have we lost something in that approach?
While assessing risk is necessary—and Select International will never knowingly expose anyone to danger—we must guard against allowing fear to dictate our lives. For now, we continue to monitor events, stay closely connected with our partners, and pray together. God is in control, He loves us deeply, and He’s waiting to meet us on pilgrimage, regardless of where we ultimately go to meet Him.
You can find out more about Select International Tours here.