TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A moment of rejoicing after returning back home from a mission trip in Peru... that left dozens of members of All Nation Church stranded.
"I was never afraid...I always had confidence that we were there for a mission and God had his hand on us."
Yvonne Dow says that confidence was her faith at work, after the Peruvian government stopped all travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The mission team of more than 25 was helping to fix local homes and churches.
The news of possibly not being able to return home when expected... shocking many on a trip like this for the first time.
"This is not how this its supposed to go, and not being able to finish the missions... like I really wanted to do that," Connor Dow said.
The safety risk increased with each day while the group desperately waited for an opportunity to go home.
The earliest they expected to get back April 1st... two weeks after they were supposed to leave.
But that all changed when people back home heard the news.
"Folks calling our senators and this reaching the highest level of government we were able to be on the first flight out... and we just thank God for that," said Senior Pastor Steve Dow.
Both governments worked together to get members of All Nations back as soon as possible.
Early Saturday they made it back on U.S. soil.
They credit their faith for getting them through moments of fear and danger.
"Faith isn't about know the end it's about having the courage to take the next step," Pastor Dow said.
The group was not able to complete their work because of the lock down.
They hope to return soon to Peru to finish the work they started.
