Verified answer

You are in a tough spot, with much to be said for all sides in the dispute.

When I was in college, my parents let me spend a summer in Israel, even paid for it. The Beirut hijacking happened while I was there. I don't think either of them slept well until I was back on U.S. soil, weeks later. I'm sure they wondered if they had done the right thing. It was the trip of a lifetime. Over 20 years later, I still think of it often.

You say this is a church group. Well, if your church is like mine, you've been taught to honor your father and your mother. Make your best case, but accept their decision with good cheer and obedience. It is harder for parents to risk a child than for a child to risk him or herself. That's because our parents love us more than we love ourselves.