The pastor of Church in the Park in Perry says 11 missionaries, including his wife, "sheltered in place" for two days at a clinic in Haiti UPDATE (5 P.M.) The group is back on U.S. soil. According to Kersey, they arrived at the Fort Lauderdale airport around 5 p.m. Monday. Kersey says they will travel back to Central Georgia by car and they are expected to be back in Perry by Tuesday morning. "If you've ever considered mission work, or helping someone that's not as well off as you are, please don't let what has happened this last week stop you from doing good. This was very unfortunate, but there's still good that needs to be done in our world and even here locally. So please don't let this story prevent you from acting and doing the right thing in our community and our world," said Kersey. PHOTOS | Hartwell missionaries find themselves stranded in Haiti by civil unrest 1/7 2/7 3/7 4/7 5/7 6/7 7/7 1 / 7 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Eleven missionaries from 'Church in the Park' in Perry have been trying to get home from Haiti since Friday night. Violent civil unrest over increased gas prices forced the main road to the international airport to close, keeping the group stranded. Pastor Jordan Kersey says his wife is among the 11 church members stuck in Haiti. The other 10 people range in age from 13-years-old to mid 40s. "This whole time they've been at the orphanage slash clinic loving on babies as they're getting nursed back to health," says Kersey. Kersey says he spoke to his wife Friday night, who was "shaken up," but trying to be strong. Then Kersey says the internet "went down" and it was difficult to get in touch with his group for about two days. According to Kersey, the group was instructed by the U.S. Embassy to "shelter in place." They stayed at a children's clinic where there were over 30 kids in the building. "A lot of rioting started taking place, they were burning buildings, burning cars," says Kersey. Kersey says he was able to re-book flights for all 11 people and as of Monday morning the group had made it to the airport. The group is expected to fly out around 1:30 p.m. Monday, but Kersey says "he'll believe it when he sees it." There are now three days worth of travelers trying to get out of the Haiti airport and even more people trying to flee as a hurricane makes its way towards the Caribbean country.<doc-sep>(CNN) — A number of US missionary groups are stranded in Haiti after protesters took to the streets following a fuel price hike ordered by the government. One group described burning barricades preventing them from reaching the airport in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The US Embassy in Haiti warned its citizens Saturday to stay inside amid continued demonstrations in Port-au-Prince and a northern city. Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant on Saturday announced a temporary stop to the price increases and appealed for calm. Prices for gasoline were to rise 38% while diesel prices were to go up 47% and kerosene 51%, the Haitian daily newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrations broke out over fuel price hikes, since suspended. Burning barricades A youth group from Bradenton, Florida, that was scheduled to return from a missionary trip in Haiti is stranded until at least Monday, Executive Pastor Dewayne McFarlin said. The group from Bradenton’s Woodland Community Church left Neply, Haiti, early Saturday for a 3 p.m. flight from Port-au-Prince International Airport, McFarlin said. Only a few miles into the approximately 30-mile journey, the group, which includes middle school- and high school-age children, encountered individuals demanding payment for access to the roadway, according to McFarlin. They talked their way past the roadblock, but elected to turn around when they came to second group of individuals who had erected a blockade of burning tires on the road, McFarlin says. A local colleague of McFarlin’s was riding on a motorcycle a few miles ahead of the missionary group’s bus. The friend called him to say that the road ahead was filled with similar impromptu “checkpoints,” McFarlin said. “They weren’t government or police,” McFarlin says. “Just people taking advantage of the situation.” The group returned to Neply but McFarlin said he thinks they won’t get out until Monday at the earliest. “They were on a bus with the owners of the mission, the leaders, our adults, three armed guards. And they just kept getting stopped by road blocks and people asking for money. And that’s when they decided that, at that point, it was just … it wasn’t worth it, to try to make it to the airport,” Jill Kramer, the parent of one of the teens told CNN affiliate WFLA. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators have set-up impromptu barricades. Pastor Jeff McCauley told WFLA he stressed that the group was conscious that it had a purpose for being in Haiti. “Continue to let our people, if we can’t get through to them, know that we’re safe and that their continued prayers are appreciated. “We know that we’re not here by accident. We know that God has us here for a reason, for a few extra days to make that clear. Maybe it’s so that you can share that with people, McCauley told the station. The Glade Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, also has a number of members on the missionary team, which was organized by the non-profit organization myLIFEspeaks. “The Woodland Community Church and The Glade Church team and myLIFEspeaks staff are safe on our campus in the village of Neply, Haiti and Neply is the peaceful, welcoming place we have always known it to be. Today, team members are helping with Children’s Church, playing soccer, and relaxing at a nearby pool,” myLIFEspeaks said in a Facebook post Sunday. Hello from Haiti! Today we are thankful for a community of family and friends that is covering us in so much prayer. We... Posted by my LIFE speaks on Sunday, July 8, 2018 Waiting it out Jody Flowers – the lead minister from Chapin United Methodist Church, in South Carolina – told CNN Sunday that 13 members of his church were supposed to leave Haiti on Saturday but their departure date was now uncertain. “We just don’t know when it’s gonna be safe for them to travel,” he said. “Other than just nerves, a little anxiety, they’re fine doing well, plenty of food and water.” Flowers said the group had participated in a week of service through Mission of Hope (MOH), a faith-based organization with headquarters in Texas and Haiti. MOH would decide when it was safe to travel to the airport, he said. MOH provides housing and transportation for volunteers who work on education projects, job fairs, and training for various trades in the country. A member of Flowers’ church earlier told an NBC affiliate that 160 people from American churches were waiting out the protests at MOH’s office in Titanyen, about 30 miles north of Port au Prince. MOH said on Facebook that the teams on its Haiti campus “have plenty of food, water, and security, as we continue to monitor the situation carefully.” “Mission of Hope is thankful for our friends and family in neighboring villages, who have been so encouraging and supportive,” it said. Please join our entire MOH family, both North American and Haitian, as we pray for a quick conclusion to these demonstrations.” Flowers expressed some sympathy for the protesters. “When you think about the fact that some Haitians make just $5 a week and the government wants to increase the price of gasoline by 38% that in and of itself points to the reason for the unrest,” he said. “Our hearts are just broken for the people out there and we’re just thankful for our group, which has a lot of love and hope and a desire to help out however they can.” Canceled flights An estimated 120 American and 100 Haitian guests are staying in a Port-au-Prince hotel where demonstrators earlier tried to set fire to the hotel and get past security, said Stacy Librandi Bourne, an emergency medical professional from HERO Client Rescue who is at the Oasis Hotel. After the Prime Minister announced a temporary stop to the price increases the situation calmed down, she said. US officials told tourists and missionaries to shelter in place. “Do not attempt to travel at this time. Avoid protests and any large gathering of people. Do not attempt to drive through roadblocks,” a State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs official said. There are no reports of US citizens in Haiti being injured, the embassy said. American Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines said Saturday they have canceled flights to Haiti. American spokesman Curtis Blessing said the airline canceled seven flights and will re-evaluate the situation Sunday. Spirit said it will resume service as soon as possible. CNN’s Steve Almasy and Keith Allen contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Image 1 of 4 ▼ A group of missionaries from the Woodland Community Church in Bradenton is temporarily stranded in Haiti amid riots over the government raising fuel prices. The group, about 30 members, left for Haiti last Saturday. Their families are remaining positive, saying their is no reason to panic. "My husband and kids are doing great," said church member Lynn McFarlin. "Both of my daughters are there too, they're all good, neither of them want to come home." According to a Facebook post from My Life Speaks, a religious organization working with U.S.-based church groups in Haiti, the team is safe - located away from the areas where riots were taking place. However, those riots closed the airport, so the team's scheduled flight back to the states was canceled. "They were supposed to leave Saturday but the airport was barricaded off," said McFarlin. In the meantime, the missionaries are trying to enjoy their extended stay. "A bunch of students started cheering because while they knew that the country wasn't necessarily in the best of shape, the knew they were going to get to stay and continue to play, and worship, and play soccer," said Jeff McCauley, communications director for the church. The demonstrations began after Haiti's Commerce Ministry and Economic Ministry issued a joint statement announcing an increase of as much as 51 percent for gasoline, diesel, and kerosene Friday. Government officials agreed to reduce subsidies for fuel in February as part of an assistance package with the International Monetary Fund. The agreement also included increased spending on social services and infrastructure and improved tax collection in an effort to modernize the economy of one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere. After widespread violence broke out, the Haitian government suspended its fuel price hike Saturday. Before the reversal, a journalist from The Associated Press reported seeing several hundred people attack a Best Western Premiere hotel in Petion-Ville, one of the capital's wealthiest neighborhoods. Guests were forced to remain inside as rocks were hurled through windows around 10 a.m. local time. Security manned the building, but rioters shattered the main entrance before moving to another hotel. No injuries or deaths were reported during Saturday's incidents, but at least three people were killed Friday as protesters used burning tires and barricades to block major streets. At one point they attempted to set a gas station on fire but were held off by police. Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
American Airlines, JetBlue and Spirit Airlines have all canceled flights to Haiti, and the U.S. Embassy is urging Americans to stay put and not try to reach the airport unless they know their flight is leaving. Cornerstone Covenant Church missionary Bekah Soots, from Hudson, told WSOC they missed their initial flight and were concerned about safety after being unable to pass through local roadblocks. “[Protesters] built barricades out of metal, and they were setting tires on fire in the middle of the road,” Soots said. The team spent hours at a church before they were finally able to get to the airport. Members of the Cornerstone Covenant Church are expected to arrive in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday night. They said, Saturday night was the worst. HAITI| “When we heard gun shots we dropped immediately to the ground. Everyone was screaming and crying. People started passing guns to civilians. We thought the 10 men were about to break in and rob us, kill us, and start a fire.”@wsoctv pic.twitter.com/Bv1AwUI1Cc — Stephanie Tinoco (@STinocoWSOC9) July 9, 2018 “We heard gunshots start and they were very close,” said Peek. “At this point, we all dropped immediately to the ground. We’re all on our hands and knees. Everyone’s screaming, everyone’s crying.” Peek said guns were handed out to civilians for protection. “People started passing out guns to civilians because we thought the (men) were about to break in and rob us, kill us, start a fire. We had no idea,” she said. NEW| A missionary just sent me this video of what it looks like in Haiti. He says at one point his team had to hide in a tiny room because 10 me with guns were trying to break into the compound they are staying in @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/IAX6762TKj — Stephanie Tinoco (@STinocoWSOC9) July 9, 2018 The local missionaries said the Haitian people they are staying with are risking their lives to protect them. “The people here where we're staying having been nothing short of amazing,” said Peek. Volunteers from North Albemarle Baptist Church in Haiti. Credit: North Albemarle Credit: North Albemarle Church officials at North Albemarle Baptist Church in Stanly County, North Carolina said they are keeping in touch with families still in Haiti. The church took a team of 10 adults and two minors to Haiti, about 45 minutes from Port-au-Prince. 10 adults and two minors with North Albemarle Baptist Church in North Carolina are currently in Haiti as local protests have erupted into violence over rising gas prices. Brad Lynch, the church’s pastor, said the group is safe and hopeful to return home by the end of the week. Lynch said his team is staying in an orphanage and the conditions nearby are horrifying. “There have been rampant protests in the street, and with that, they have set up barricades in the roads with burning tires,” Lynch said. “There are also civilians who have armed themselves and are standing guard at those barricades charging money for people to pass by, so there's a real concern about safety.” Pastor describes conditions in Haiti. He told me: “Protestors have set up barricades in the roads with burning tires. Some civilians have armed theselves, standing guard at those barricades charging money for people to pass by. There’s a real concern about safety." @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/XcWtm1n8Mf — Stephanie Tinoco (@STinocoWSOC9) July 8, 2018 He said his team is running low on food, clean water and fuel for their generator. The church is working with locals to get supplies to them. Missionaries also sent WSOC video of boulders and tires engulfed in flames. “They literally have tires surrounding the perimeter of the airport currently on fire,” Peek said. “I really love Haiti, but I'm scared for my life.”