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A couple from Liberty, Missouri, is back home safe after a four-day journey out of Israel.
Bill and Tina Litster hurried to escape after the initial missile attacks.
“It was two good friends, a bunch of little miracles and the grace of God that got us out of there,” Bill Litster said. “The things you feel, the things you think and experience in that moment — amazing, interesting, I don’t know how to describe it.”
Bill Litster was invited by his colleague to speak at a work conference in Israel.
His wife tagged along, hoping it would turn into a memorable trip — little did they know, “unforgettable” would be an understatement.
The couple woke up Saturday morning to sounds of sirens and explosions.
Just the night before, they had stayed up until midnight enjoying a Shabbat dinner with their close friends.
A call from a close friend in the Israel Defense Forces would begin their long journey back home.
“We immediately started calling the airlines trying to get our tickets changed," Bill Litster said. "The airlines at that point didn’t even know what was going on. I was holding my phone up ‘Do you hear that?’”
The Litsters finally booked a flight back to the U.S., but it was quickly canceled.
After getting word that there are a few flights available to Dubai, the couple headed to the airport amid the high and dangerous traffic.
“I mean, there’s thousands of people in there right trying to get out," Bill Litster said. "Announcement comes over — it’s in Hebrew — we don’t understand what she’s saying, but as soon as she’s done, chaos breaks out. People start running and scrambling and those ropes where people line up are all tipping over and then we hear the explosions. And the airport’s under attack while we’re there.”
After another night at their hotel in Tel Aviv due to a canceled flight to Dubai, they ended up traveling North for cover and stayed at their tour guide’s home.
With the help of their guide, they were able to secure an escape route through Jordan to Dubai on Monday.
“He agreed to drive us to Jordan, and we drove through the little corridor between the West Bank and the Golan Heights," Bill Litster said. "There’s a little passage there through Armageddon."
After hours of security and issues with their Visas, they landed in Chicago.
“If I think about what I actually wanted out of it — of course I didn’t want to be in the beginning of a war zone — but I did want understanding of the people and the politics, and boy did we get it,” Tina Litster said.
The Litsters are back to safety, grateful for the new friends who helped along the way.
But since being back, they have been ruminating each day about the purpose of their visit. Having experienced all this, now what?
“What I have come to the conclusion of is, I needed to for myself, and perhaps help other people, put on a face on this conflict,” Tina Litster said.
And for Bill Litster, a message from the wife of his friend serving in war sums it all up.
“She just asked us — please tell people about your experience so they understand who we are,” he said.
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