With all the headlines concerning the fighting in Iran, people are naturally wondering about travel to the Middle East.
We realize how difficult it must be to decide whether to travel now or postpone your trip. Tell someone that you are traveling to the Middle East and you will likely get a highly negative response.
Back in the 1990″s when we were traveling to Medjugorje in the midst of the war in Bosnia & Herzegovina, we heard them all: “don’t you know there is a war going on there?”…… “are you crazy?”.…. etc. etc. But the reality was different….yes, there was a war going on, but thousands of pilgrims visited during those days and did not come to harm…the fighting was close, but Medjugorje was spared.
How odd it was to sit outside in a cafe having a cappuccino while the folks back home thought we were hiding out in a foxhole. So, while we don’t minimize the dangers in travel, neither do we wish to blow it out of proportion.
We are sharing this email from Select International Tours that they sent to those getting ready to travel to the Middle East.
Fellow Pilgrims,
The events in the Middle East have been difficult to watch; we’re sure you agree. This is especially true when we consider the real toll that these military actions have on the people living there. Thankfully, all of our friends and partners in the Holy Land are safe. The staff at Select International Tours are praying for peace, and we hope that you are praying along with us. We especially remember our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living in the affected areas. May God watch over them and keep them safe.
As you might imagine, the last few days have been a whirlwind of activity in our office. We have had countless meetings with people much closer to the events than we are. We have spoken with partners in the affected region, friends in the State Department, group leaders, and pilgrims…the list goes on. In all these meetings, the overwhelming sentiment has been hope: hope that this will be short-lived and pave the way for a safer region in the future. This is what we are praying for.
We will never send pilgrims into harm’s way, and thankfully, we have no groups in the Holy Land at this time.
Our next group to the Holy Land is scheduled to depart the first week of April. The priest leading the group met with the pilgrims last weekend, and together they decided to go, if travel is possible at that time. Likewise, three other groups are planning to depart in May, and the group leaders are committed to traveling unless circumstances prevent them. Their faith and dedication are inspiring and uplifting to us as we wade through all the challenges.
We understand that it is easy to give way to fear when the news cycle is constantly broadcasting the worst, but in this time of Lent, let us remember, in the midst of our earthly struggles, we look ahead to Easter. As we prepare our hearts, let’s pray together for an end to violence and place our hope in the Resurrection.
“O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!”
Sincerely,
Edita Krunic
President of Select International Tours