The peace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each one of you, to do His will.
On March 4th the Lord allowed us to return from our travels to Israel amidst the first days of the war with Iran. While preparing for this journey, I felt very strongly that it would be truly special, possibly even the most special of all the trips we have taken to Israel to date, due to the itinerary that had we had arranged with the tour company; to begin with, we were to be hosted for the very first time within the Old City of Jerusalem, just a five minute walk to the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter.
This longing for Israel did not arise in a vacuum. It was sown into us long ago by a man of God whose love for the Jewish people and the land of Israel, my grandfather, of blessed memory, Pastor Efraim Valverde Sr. He imparted to us, through both word and example, the sacred calling to love and bless God’s people and God’s land. That teaching has shaped the very DNA of these journeys. Every time we set foot in the Holy Land, we’ve carried the inheritance he passed down to us.
Our previous tour, scheduled for 2024, was canceled due to the tragic terrorism of October 7, 2023. The newly “Spiritual Journey to the Holy Land” was scheduled to depart on February 22, 2026, and return on March 6, 2026. There was great excitement and anticipation surrounding this trip, especially in the days leading up to the departure date. February 22 arrived, and while we were about to travel to the airport, I received notice from the airline that our flight had been canceled due to technical issues; we were assigned a new flight for the following day, February 23. We were saddened to lose a day of our time in Israel. Nevertheless, we were also relieved that the travel in totality had not been canceled.
We landed in the Holy Land at 3:00 AM on Wednesday, February 25th. We experienced a very special time in the city of “Joppa”, where Jonah attempted to flee from the Lord’s call (Jonah 1:3), the very same city where the Apostle Peter, by the Power of God, raised Tabitha from the dead and where he received a special vision (Acts 9 and 10). From “Joppa”, we traveled to Caesarea Maritima, where the Apostle Peter was led (due to the vision) to visit Cornelius the centurion, the first Gentile to be converted (Acts 10). From there, we proceeded to “Megiddo” (Judges 4–5) and then to “Mount Carmel” (I Kings 18:19), where the prophet Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal. At each location, we shared a special time of spiritual reflection and a time of seeking the Lord. We arrived to spend three nights at Kibbutz Lavi in northern Israel, in the Galilee region.
The following day, we traveled to “the other side” of Galilee, the “region of the Gadarenes”, where the Lord delivered the man possessed by the “legion of unclean spirits” (Mark 5:1–20). From there, we ascended to the Golan Heights and Tel Dan. Next, we visited “Caesarea Philippi” (Matthew 16:13), where the Apostle Peter declared the revelation he had received regarding the visible Image of the Invisible God. It was also there that the Lord declared: “and upon this Rock”, which “Rock” is the Lord Jesus Himself and the revelation of His identity (Ephesians 2:20), upon the which He would begin to build (Acts 2:37) His “Church”. Furthermore, “Caesarea Philippi” the very place that, in those days, was believed to be the gates of hell, gates against which the Lord issued a challenge, making it known that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (His Church)” (Matthew 16:18). “It” is the Church, founded and built upon the “Chief Cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20), that is the Truth declared through revelation regarding the identity of the Son (Image of Invisible God, II Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:15) of God, the Lord Jesus. For He is not only “Christ” (the Anointed One), but He is also “the Son (visible Image) of God (invisible Spirit)” (John 1:34; Matthew 16:16); He is “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23); He is “God manifested” (I Timothy 3:16). Praise His unmatched Name! From here, we proceeded to Katzrin and visited an olive oil factory. During our dinner that evening, we received a special visit from Robert Ilatov, who subsequently shared with us the significance of our visit, as well as the unique role and work we share with the people of Israel; he expressed his appreciation and love for us, and we, in turn, expressed ours to him.
On the third day, we arrived at the area where after the Lord Jesus had risen, He appeared to seven disciples beside the Sea of Galilee, where they experienced the miraculous catch of fish, and where the Lord also asked the Apostle Peter three times: “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-17). Afterward, we ascended the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11). Here, too, we experienced a very special time in the Word and in the Presence of the Lord. From there, we set out for “Capernaum”, where the Lord resided after leaving “Nazareth” (Matthew 4:13). It was from here that the Lord went forth to minister in the region of Galilee. In “Capernaum”, the Lord healed the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:5-15), and the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). Here, the Lord taught in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28), and it was in this very place that Peter, Andrew, James, and John were called by the Lord (Matthew 4:18-22).
From “Capernaum”, we departed to board a boat, modeled after those from the Lord’s time, on the Sea of Galilee. We shared a special time in the Word and in the presence of the Lord; we sang the hymn “Master of Galilee” and songs of Zion with joy and dancing. We concluded the day’s journey by visiting an ancient synagogue in Migdal.
On the fourth day, we departed from Kibbutz Lavi, where we had enjoyed excellent meals and headed toward our next destination: Jerusalem. Along the way, we stopped at Masada, a Herodian fortress built by Herod the Great that overlooks the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert, the site of the Jewish revolt and resistance between 66 and 73 AD. Masada stands as a symbol of the Jewish people’s courage and resilience. From there, we descended to the Dead Sea, where many of us experienced the sensation of floating in the water, which is one-third salt. From the Dead Sea, we set off in haste toward Jerusalem! This same day, Shabbat began, and we had an appointment with Rabbi Chaim Eisen to visit the Western Wall for prayer, followed by dinner and a time of Bible study with the Rabbi. The moment we had been longing for finally arrived: We reached our destination, Jerusalem! What joy, what delight! We entered Jerusalem by bus, and at that very moment, we began to sing “Blessed Jerusalem” with great enthusiasm.
We entered through the Zion Gate, filled with anticipation for the days we would spend in “the City of the Great King” (Matthew 5:35). We arrived at our hotel, and as soon as everyone had settled in, we set out immediately for the Western Wall. There, we poured out our hearts in the Presence of the Lord. Afterward, we returned to the hotel for dinner and a study session with Rabbi Chaim and his wife.
Later, we went out to the Wall once again to pray, unaware that the very next day, everything was about to change. On the morning of Saturday, February 28, some of us set out at dawn for the Wall to pray, unaware that it would be our last time there. After praying, we returned to the hotel for breakfast; then, at 8:00 a.m., we left the hotel heading toward the sites of October 7, the border zone with Gaza. However, just fifteen minutes after we had departed, the cell phones of both the driver and the guide suddenly began to alert of incoming missiles; the driver immediately pulled the bus over to the side of the road and turned back toward the hotel.
Upon arriving at the hotel, we were instructed to head immediately to the ground floor, to the bomb shelter (a library). By that time, sirens were wailing throughout the region of Jerusalem. We all entered the shelter without truly understanding what was actually happening. Everything was silent when suddenly we began to hear explosions and feel the shockwaves from the ballistic missiles being intercepted. As we were all gathered together, I began singing the hymn “Indeleble”, and the group joined in and the room was filled with the peaceful Presence of the Lord. Rabbi Chaim arrived shortly thereafter and shared the Word of God with the group, during this time I was communicating with the tour agency coordinator. I was informed that it was necessary to leave Israel immediately, either via Cairo, Egypt, or through Jordan, as all airports in Israel had been closed. This exchange regarding our departure lasted over two hours as we discussed the options available at that moment, without knowing how the situation would unfold. On this first day, it was reported that Israel had been attacked by Iran with at least 35 missiles launched in 25 waves of attacks.
I shared with the group what I had been told regarding the need to leave Israel immediately that very night, but we decided to wait until Monday to see how things would unfold. That day, for close to eight hours, the entire group stayed in the bomb shelter. Whenever the sirens sounded, announcing an approaching missile attack we sang Psalm 121, and a calm from the Lord’s Presence filled the room. During those eight hours, I also spoke to the group about reading and reflecting on Psalms 27 and 91.
That afternoon, before dinner, we left the shelter, and for a time, no missiles. That afternoon, the hotel staff shared with us how our reaction to the situation had brought them strength, calm, and encouragement. That night, we received word that the situation was poised to escalate over the next 24 hours and that exit route options were diminishing.
On Sunday, March 1st, in the early hours of the morning, at around 1:40 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. sirens blared, and we were forced to leave our rooms and head to the bomb shelter. That Sunday, we ventured out into the Jewish neighborhood where we were ventured out only a few times, and on two occasions, we had to rush back upon hearing the sirens alerting of incoming ballistic missiles. First, we would receive an alert on our mobile phones, followed shortly by the sound of the sirens; after this we had a window of only 60 to 90 seconds to reach a safe location. That evening, we live-streamed the service we held at the hotel; however, right in the middle of the service, the sirens began to wail again, and we immediately relocated and continued in a room adjacent to the dining hall. On that day, missiles rained down, around 170 of them. At times, we could hear as many as 15 or 16 missiles in rapid succession, and we could feel the shockwaves from the explosions reverberating through the air.
On Monday, March 2, rumors were circulating that options for leaving the country via a route outside of Israel were becoming more limited. I even received reports that Americans were being assaulted on the streets of Egypt and Jordan. I began making inquiries with our airline to inquire the options that were available to us. They responded that there were none. I then became aware of a few airlines I had never heard of before, which offered limited availability during a five-day period via Taba, Egypt, located about 45 minutes from the southern Israeli border. Conducting research, and praying to seek the Lord’s guidance, we continued to make inquiries with the airline on which we had arrived, and with our tour operator, as well as with the newly found airline departing from Taba, Egypt.
This same day, we ventured out to walk with Rabbi Yehuda and his wife outside the Old City, heading toward the Golden Gate of the City of Jerusalem, which faces the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. After two days of being confined indoors, we shared a very special time together. From there, we walked past the Lion’s Gate, where Jerusalem police officers provided us with a rear escort, as we had to pass through the Muslim Quarter to return to our hotel. That night, we witnessed a miracle: only two flights remained available, and just one of them had enough capacity for 58 passengers. We immediately began preparing the passenger information to secure our tickets. Throughout that day, approximately 140 missiles were fired at Israel.
Tuesday, March 3rd, was a day when fewer ballistic missiles were launched. Rabbi Yehuda took us to an area near where we were staying, and we spent some special time exploring the entire Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. During this time, we had to seek shelter nearby in a courtyard within the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. That evening, at dinner, I received confirmation regarding the bus that would transport us to the Egyptian border; however, our flights had not yet been confirmed, as they were still being processed. It was that very evening that I informed the group that we would be departing the next morning at 3:00 a.m.
After dinner, many began to prepare for their departure. However, amidst the wartime situation, some did not wish to leave just yet. We were about to depart, which was what we had sought, yet at the same time, we felt a sense of sadness, for we were leaving Israel and leaving behind our Jewish brothers. We set out at midnight, making our way to the closest point from which the Wailing Wall was visible; we could not actually go there, as it had been closed since the very first day of the war. There, gazing from a distance, we prayed and wept.
In the early hours of that Wednesday, March 4th, we left Jerusalem a little after 3:00 a.m. with prayer, heavy hearts, and deep sorrow. About an hour into our journey along the Dead Sea, the driver received an alert and became visibly nervous; looking up through the large front window, he began speaking to himself in Hebrew as he pulled the bus over to the side of the road, turning off both the engine and the lights. He then told me that there were missiles in the air and possibly drones, seeking to attack vehicles. Most of the group was asleep. After approximately 20 minutes, we resumed our journey. The entire way, we were attempting to contact the airline representative handling our departure from Egypt, as they had not yet confirmed our flights, and I did not want us to enter Egypt without having those flights confirmed. As we approached the border, there was still no contact or confirmation. On my end, there was a sense of urgency. A problem arose with the credit card I had used to purchase tickets for the entire group to travel from Taba, Egypt, to Athens, Greece (since there was no direct flight to the United States, we had to fly to Athens first). Because the payment amount was substantial and due to the fact that I was outside the country, the card issuer blocked the transaction. By a miracle of the Lord, the airline did not cancel our flights, and I was able to use a different card to complete the payment; I was then simply waiting for confirmation. God bless Jr. Zeferino, who assisted me throughout this process. While all of this was unfolding, the rest of the group remained unaware of the situation.
Finally, we reached the border, and the driver bade us farewell; however, we still had no confirmation regarding our flight tickets. From the moment the bus dropped us off at the Egyptian border, it took us nearly two hours to cross. The process of entering Egypt during wartime with a group of 58 people proved to be quite a challenge. Afterward, I called the tour company representative to ask who would be meeting us in Egypt, specifically, what he looked like and what the buses we would be boarding for our transfer to the airport looked like. The response was: “I don’t know what he looks like, nor do I know what the buses look like”. The only thing I had was the person’s name. Concerned by the possibility that someone might have stolen this individual’s identification in order to kidnap us, I called the tour company representative again and asked him to quiz the person who had met us in Egypt to verify that he possessed all the necessary information. Thank God, it was confirmed that he was indeed the right person.
We now met up with the two buses that would take us to the airport in Taba, Egypt, but there was still no confirmation of the flights. Ten minutes into our journey to the airport, we received confirmation of our flights, glory be to God! It was at that moment that I shared the miracle with everyone.
As we made our way to the airport, everyone on the bus was very quiet. We were in a foreign country, in a completely different environment; our drivers were very unwelcoming men. After 45 minutes traveling through the desert amidst a solitude that stretched as far as the eye could see there was a small regional airport which came into view in the distance. When we arrived, we found hundreds of people packed into this small airport. Upon entering, I asked an official: “Our flight departs at 3:15 PM; there are 58 of us. What time can we check in our luggage?”. It was 11:30 AM, and he replied: “Not until 1:30 PM”. I told him that wouldn’t leave us enough time. He then informed me that the airport would close at 6:00 PM, and that the final flight would depart at 5:00 PM due to an impending insurrection to halt all flights. Some people were angry that the Egyptian government had allowed Israel to evacuate American citizens from the Taba Airport in Egypt. The official warned me that the insurrection would descend upon the airport at sunset, and that anyone who missed their flight would not be permitted to remain on the premises, they would have to fend for themselves.
The airport was so overcrowded that our group was split up. During this time, we encountered a Jewish couple who were traveling to Mexico to care for their four-year-old daughter, who was very ill. My family ministered to them, and I was able to assist them with $700 toward their expenses; they left very grateful. During this waiting period, our flight was delayed and rescheduled to depart at 3:40 p.m., then at 4:15 p.m., and finally at 5:00 p.m. We were the very last flight to depart, taking off at 5:37 p.m. bound for Athens, Greece.
Upon arriving in Athens, I was able to confirm the flights for the entire group, except for my family and I. The entire group, except for my family and I, departed the following day in the morning for London, England, and finally for San Francisco, CA. My family and I had to remain in Athens until the next available flight, which was three days later, to then spend a night in London before departing for San Francisco, CA.
The Presence of the Lord and His guidance were with us from the beginning to the end of this Spiritual Journey in the Holy Land. There were many more experiences that I left out, but what I have written is intended to give you an idea of what we experienced during these days. And just as I sensed before the trip to Israel, so it was: this was the most special journey of all! The Lord changed the itinerary, and we learned many things through this unique experience. Our hearts and our love grew for our older brother, Israel. We returned carrying the very spiritual inheritance that my grandfather entrusted to us, to love and bless God’s people and God’s land is more alive in us now than ever before.
I’m also thankful for our dear Bro. Shlomo Hizak, founder of the AMI Center, of blessed memory and the amazing work he did and the very special doors the Lord used him to open for us. Also, I am thankful for the relationship with AMI staff and the blessing they have been to us. “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest…” (Isaiah 62:1).
As of the time of writing this article, nearly four weeks after departing Israel. The situation now has become more critical. The Lord is increasingly gathering the nations (Zechariah 14:2), to gather against Judah and Jerusalem in preparation for the final event (Zechariah 12:2): the Coming of the Lord. In these times, as we see that “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober (be of sound mind, that is, sane; spiritually alert: clear minded), and watch unto prayer” (I Peter 4:7), WE MUST DRAW NEAR TO THE LORD—the time is NOW!
God bless you.
Pastor Efraim Valverde III.
