MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The conflict in Israel is impacting those from the Mid-South, including those who have made it back stateside safely and others who are still trying to come home.
Reverend Kenneth Whalum described the past weekend in Israel as surreal. The Cordova pastor traveled there to experience the culture and see his son Kameron perform with Bruno Mars. What he did not plan for was needing to escape a nation suddenly engulfed in deadly attacks.
Reverend Whalum said his first thought after returning to the United States was, “Did my son get out?”
What began as a trip of a lifetime to Israel ended with sirens for the pastor.
“Nobody knew how it was going to end,” said Whalum. “I kept thanking God in advance, that was going to get us out.”
For 13 hours, the reverend waited on his flight, anxiously waiting to hear from his son Kameron.
Once he returned to the United States, Reverend Whalum learned his son made it to Greece safely, albeit without any luggage.
“Everything is still in place at the venue in Tel Aviv, if the venue hasn’t been destroyed,” said Whalum.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Diocese of Memphis is still praying for the safe return of Father Dexter Noblefranca. The Father and 43 other people were on a pilgrimage when the attack on Israel began.
“It’s really surreal. I personally never thought I would experience war,” said Noblefranca, “We just want to go home. Please pray for us because we are actually in the middle of that right now.”
Currently, the pilgrimage is safe in the Northern part of Israel as Noblefranca works to reunite with loved ones stateside, similar to the reunion made between Reverend Whalum and his son Sunday.
“I just thank God, man, that He got us out and I can tell this story,” said Whalum. “I hope that every father especially will express love to their children while they can, because you never know when you won’t be able to.”