Two Treasure Coast women are back home in Florida after a 10-day mission trip to Israel turned into a life-altering experience when conflict broke out while they were overseas.
Jen Reyneri, a restaurant owner of The Grove in Hobe Sound, and Holly MacPherson from Fort Pierce were among a group of faith leaders who arrived in Israel on Feb. 25. Just three days later, the situation escalated.
WATCH BELOW: Local women recount escaping Israel
"While we were in the meeting room. The bombs, sirens started going off on our phones, the phone alerts started going off and we were all like, what?" Reyneri said.
MacPherson said the group knew the risks before they left. The mission trip was with the nonprofit organization Eagles' Wings Tour, and more than 115 women from around the world participated.
"We knew that things were possible to have happen, but still felt the draw and need to go," MacPherson said.
As an extraction plan was put in place, their phones alerted them at least a dozen times. Reyneri described the moment the alerts began flooding in.
"It was jolting. I just think the sound alone, especially with all those women, all the phones going off all at once," Reyneri said.
The women say they felt buildings shake and had to seek shelter multiple times. At times, the uncertainty was so constant that Reyneri and MacPherson said many were even hesitant to shower or cook out of fear an alert would come in.
"Unnerving. I've never been in a bomb shelter before," MacPherson said. "What we ended up doing was just praising and worshipping."
The women spoke with WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache and said they were supposed to meet Israel's president during the tour. But even through the chaos, the group found moments of joy — singing happy birthday to one of the women in the bomb shelter and sharing coffee and sweets together in faith.
Although the trip didn't go as planned, both women say their faith was stronger than their fear.
"It was so moving. You know, it could've been so terrifying, and it was so peaceful," Reyneri said.
The group evacuated by bus to Egypt, then flew from London back to Florida.
Reyneri reflected on returning home.
"When we come back to America, and we deal with our first world problems, and our challenges and our emails that don't go through — I think just to be able to go back to the sense of peace that God is in control. … It's forever changed me," Reyneri said.
According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 32,000 Americans have safely returned to the U.S. from the Middle East.
Both women say they are praying for a swift resolution to the conflict.
"We're definitely praying for peace in the Middle East, in Jerusalem," MacPherson said. "And that the situation gets swiftly ended."
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