The sounds were undeniable, yet utterly bewildering. A cacophony of shouts, heavy footsteps, and a distinct thrumming, as if some unseen force was charging down the hallway directly outside my hotel room door. My heart immediately lurched into a frantic rhythm, pounding against my ribs. What was this? A nightmare? A sudden emergency? An attack?
Months earlier, my family and I had embarked on a spiritual journey to Israel, accompanying respected religious leaders from our church. This particular night, however, transformed that sacred experience into a chilling test of faith and resilience. As the unseen commotion intensified, I instinctively held my breath, slowly turning in the pitch-black room. My eyes strained to discern the forms of my daughters in the twin bed beside mine, hoping to see if they, too, were stirred by the profound sense of alarm that was now consuming me.
A Paradox of Calm: Navigating Fear in a Foreign Land
To my immense relief, and yet also a strange bewilderment, my two young daughters lay sound asleep. Their mouths were slightly agape, covers tucked snugly under their chins, completely oblivious to the chaos that seemed to be engulfing our hotel in the heart of Israel. Or at least, so it sounded from my isolated perspective within the confines of our room.
For two weeks, as our group traveled extensively across Jordan, Israel, and along the borders of neighboring countries, my husband Cade and I had been separated each night. No hotel room, it seemed, was large enough to comfortably accommodate our family of five. This logistical necessity meant the boys slept in one room, and the girls, including myself, in another. In that moment of perceived danger, this arrangement amplified my sense of vulnerability and responsibility. I felt a crushing weight to protect my daughters, yet simultaneously, I was frozen in fear, utterly confused by the unfolding events, and paradoxically, experiencing an unexpected sense of calm.
It wouldn’t be accurate to describe my internal state as “peace,” not in the conventional sense, but there was an undeniable undercurrent of calm that persisted as the terrifying noise outside our door ebbed and flowed over the course of several long hours. Each surge of sound brought a fresh wave of adrenaline, yet the calm held. I dared not step out of our room, not even to peer cautiously down the hallway towards Cade’s room. The thought of exposing myself and, by extension, my three young daughters, who, though together, were essentially alone, made them an obvious and terrifying target.
My attempts to text Cade were futile; messages simply wouldn’t go through, leaving me feeling even more isolated and helpless. Then, a sudden, deafening explosion ripped through the air, vibrating through the very structure of the building. My eyes instinctively glued themselves to the ceiling, a silent, desperate prayer escaping my lips. In that moment, suspended between fear and a strange tranquility, I wrestled with the unknown, clinging to a hope that transcended my immediate circumstances.
Unveiling the Truth: A Night of Vigilance and Protection
The dawn that followed felt like a release from a prolonged nightmare. As morning broke, our entire tour group slowly began to emerge from their rooms, each person carrying their own tale of the terrifying night. Stories were shared, confirming our collective confusion and fear. Guests had made desperate, unanswered phone calls to the front desk, only to find that hotel workers had abandoned their posts. Imagine the profound isolation felt by a group of foreigners, none of whom spoke the local language, left without any means to seek help or understand the unfolding events.
Unbeknownst to me, my husband Cade had a front-row seat to the entire ordeal. While I lay paralyzed by fear in our room, he had spent the entire night awake, vigilant, and ready. He carefully slipped his camera between the curtains of his window, capturing fleeting images and videos of the harrowing events outside. He stood guard, listening intently, and watching over those he loved, including his family who remained hidden away in their separate rooms. Cade’s silent vigil was a profound act of courage and protection.
It was only then, as the full picture emerged through Cade’s account and the snippets gathered from others, that the true nature of the “attack” became clear. This wasn’t an internal hotel incident, but a violent confrontation on the road just outside. What we had heard was a late-night surprise attack involving a barricade, escalating into an intense gunfight, punctuated by a powerful explosion, and eventually quelled by the arrival of armored vehicles. The sounds that had haunted my night were real, tangible threats, and the knowledge of their true origin brought both a sobering relief and a renewed sense of the dangers inherent in global travel.
Beyond Personal Fear: Empathy, Faith, and Leadership in Times of Crisis
I will likely never know the full extent of what transpired that night, or if anyone tragically lost their life. Yet, the profound ache I carry stems from the realization that my single, fearful night in a secure hotel room pales in stark comparison to the continuous suffering and turmoil endured by countless individuals in that region, and indeed, across the world, on a daily basis. My brief experience, while terrifying, was fleeting; their reality is an enduring struggle for peace and safety.
What gives me solace, however, is the memory of steadfast leadership. That same night, another man, a revered leader within our church group, also walked the halls. He watched, he prayed, and he stood ready, a silent guardian prepared to protect those under his care. These acts of selfless vigilance underscored a profound truth: in the crucible of danger, there are individuals we can trust, leaders whose counsel we can heed, and who bravely stand as a bulwark between us and harm. Looking to truth, and to those who embody it, may not always prevent danger from occurring. However, it undeniably provides an invaluable source of guidance, spiritual peace, and, yes, even a tangible sense of protection.
A Global Call to Action: The Enduring Need for Peacemakers
In no other period in human history have we felt such an urgent, overwhelming need for individuals willing to stand upon watchtowers, to observe with clarity, and to walk through what often feel like abandoned halls, offering hope and vigilance. My heart has been utterly shattered to witness a place I recently explored, discovered, and grew to love, transformed into a theater of war and strife. It simply isn’t right. It isn’t fair. Yet, it’s crucial to understand that this conflict isn’t merely “them” versus “us”; it is a challenge that implicates all of humanity. In these trying times, our collective response must be one of unity and spiritual conviction: We need prayers. We need Christ. And, perhaps most profoundly, we desperately need each other.
If you find yourself confused tonight, lying awake, staring up at your ceiling, wondering about the bewildering events unfolding “out there” in the world, may I extend to you the same peace I clung to during my terrifying night? It is a peace that transcends understanding, rooted in a divine presence. Consider this profound truth: Christ walks our halls, metaphorically and spiritually. He stands at the windows of our lives, observing, understanding, and protecting. He reaches out individually to those inside and outside His dwelling place, for we are all His children, equally deserving of His boundless love and peace.
I encourage you to search for the powerful message of “peacemakers needed” by @russellmnelson. Let us all, individually and collectively, gather in fervent prayer for those who are enduring far more than a single night of fear—for those whose lives are shaped by ongoing conflict and hardship. Together, through faith and compassion, we can strive to be the peacemakers a wounded world so desperately requires. #peacemakersneeded
