JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After spending more than a week in the middle of the war in Israel, a church group from Fernandina Beach is finally making its way back to the states.
18 of the 54 members of First Baptist Fernandina Beach arrived in Jacksonville Sunday morning. Their flight was supposed to arrive Saturday night, but was delayed by more than an hour. One of the passengers says a little delay pales in comparison to some of the other hurdles they’ve been through the past week.
“I’ve just never loved landing in New York so much in my life," said Susan DeVane after landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport following a 12-hour flight from Jordan.
DeVane spent a week and a half in Israel and Jordan, with a full week of that during a war that broke out last weekend, on Oct. 7.
“I think the whole plane erupted in applause," said DeVane. "I just felt such grace and hopefulness and I was just so happy to be home.”
DeVane and the rest of the tour group was touring Galilee when they learned about the surprise attack on Israel. They were supposed to fly out of Tel Aviv Thursday, but after those flights were canceled, the group had to come up with a back up plan.
They had some help. Congressman Aaron Bean is a member of the church, and he teamed up with several lawmakers to create several options for getting them home.
“I just felt really blessed, I guess that’s just the best word, that there were so many people thinking about us and helping," said DeVane.
The group crossed into Jordan Tuesday, waiting several more days to get flights out.
DeVane says the cramped leg room on the 12-hour flight home didn’t even phase her, she’s just relieved to be back in the country.
“I just want to be a more gracious person after seeing what the people go through over there," said DeVane. "We were extremely nervous at times, and then we were able to leave it, but the people in Gaza and really all the cities over there, the sirens are still going off and they still have to fight that. We’re all praying for peace.”
As for the rest of the 36 members, DeVane says eight or so flew back to the states separate from the rest of the group the past few days, and the other half or so will spend Sunday flying back.
DeVane also told First Coast News that she'll probably be at the airport again Sunday night to welcome them back.