Pilgrims pray during quarantine

Jerusalem, March 8: A group of Christian pilgrims from Alabama is turning to prayer and positive thinking as they cope with an open-ended Covid-19 quarantine, confined to their West Bank hotel rooms while they wait for clearance to return to the United States. Chris Bell, the lead pastor at the 3Circle Church in Fairhope, Ala., said his 13-member group arrived last week for what was supposed to be a dream-ofa-lifetime trip to the Holy Land. But after two days of touring Jerusalem and Bethlehem, they were notified that they might have been exposed to the virus after a group of Greek tourists staying in the same hotel had tested positive.

They have been instructed by local authorities to remain in their hotel indefinitely. “We’re really sad that things turned out the way they did,” Bell said. “It’s not a great situation, but we’re trying to make the best of it.” He said the group is made up of church staff and spouses, and for almost everyone, it was their first time in the Holy Land. He said this familiarity and shared faith, along with generosity from the hotel and the local community, has helped them get through the ordeal. He said the group is confined to one floor of the hotel.

Each morning, he said people put on gloves and masks and meet in the hallway to pray together. They also have reading materials and Wi-Fi, allowing them to read the news, stream movies and remain in contact with the outside world.