Local church group stranded in Israel

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Several members of a local church group are in Israel right now for a religious tour through the Holy Land. They are currently stranded in what has become a very dangerous situation.

Linda Larsen talked to a woman whose mother, sister and nephew are on that trip that started out as a dream vacation and turned into their worst nightmare. While we were there, Michelle was able to get a call out to her sister in Israel. 

"Once the bombs had gone off in Jerusalem that's when the mood changed, and we need to get you out right away. At dinner time we all found out that the airlines we were on scheduled to go out on, they canceled out flights."

The group of 13 people from Pocatello’s Holy Spirit Catholic Community left last Wednesday for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. 

Michelle’s mother, sister and nephew are on that tour, and she tells us all week their travel agency has been telling them everything is fine, but just hours ago, the awful realization of how much danger they are really in when the travel agency essentially told them they are on their own.

"Just being told sorry you guy sare on your own. I can't imagine that. I can't imagine if that was my mom there by herself.Or my sister, or someone they don't know anything about the country. Or they don't know about electronics. What if they don't have the money to pay for that extra hotel. Are they going to put them on the street?"

Michelle says she is in constant contact with the group and is trying to help raise funds to help them get home. They do have some flights booked for Monday, but are concerned if the flight will even be there and if they will be able to get out.

We will have more on this story as it continues to develop.

If you want to help, there's a GoFundMe here.