Mission Trip Cancelled as Airports Close

Lebanon: Targets are unpredictable.

The plan for this Christmas was for my wife Nancy and I to fly into Beirut, Lebanon and stay for two days to visit sites of Christmas programs. We then planned to fly to Amman, Jordan and visit for two days before visiting Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Even with the ongoing war the plan was still feasible, that is until the war moved into Lebanon. As Israeli troops and Hezbollah clash, there is a toll on civilian infrastructure. Several airlines, including the one we booked, suspended all flights in and out of Beirut.

Because of the fear of an air war between Israel and Iran that could occur over Jordanian airspace, several commercial airlines also cancelled flights into Amman, Jordan.

In addition, the U.S. State Department has now advised American citizens to leave Jordan and Israel. Americans were earlier advised to leave Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s greatest presence is in Lebanon’s south. As a result, Israel has bombed the ancient city of Tyre and the area around it.

On our last trip to Lebanon, we visited Tyre because it is the only place in Lebanon in which Jesus is believed to have preached.

We also visited Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church outside of Tyre where it is claimed Mary stayed while Jesus preached in the city.

Israel ordered civilians to leave the red area in the map before it was bombed to hit Hezbollah targets. On our visit to Tyre we were at the Hippodrome to the east of the bombing, and at the Crusader cathedral which is to the west of the area bombed.

I am illustrating this to show the difficulties we now face with the Christmas program. Areas we thought events could be held in may have to be evacuated. I will continue updating with any changes made to our Christmas programs this year.