NOT HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Coudersport man who traveled to Israel still missing
By James Moate Endeavor News

Shown here walking on the beach at dusk with his father Tim, Chris Houghtaling is a man who loves the outdoors and would be content "wandering the countryside." He traveled to Israel last year and has not been heard from since.

Midge and Tim Houghtaling of Coudersport want just one thing for Christmas: their son Chris.

They haven't seen him for almost two years and haven't heard from the 29-year-old since before his arrival in Tel- Aviv, Israel, in February 2006. Passport records reflect his entry into that country, but there's no record of his departure.

Family members and friends can only speculate as to his whereabouts, even as their concerns deepen by the day.

They're comforted by their knowledge that Chris is selfsufficient, compassionate, and has long demonstrated an interest in the roots of Christianity.

"Even as a child he was a Bible reader," Tim Houghtaling said. "When you look at it that way, it makes sense that he would end up in Jerusalem. He was frequently discussing the Bible with his siblings and seemed to have an extensive knowledge of it, particularly the Old Testament."

Christmas time is the hardest time for family members of Chris Houghtaling. Now 29 years old, Chris has not contacted his family since he departed for Israel almost two years ago. Though he was only two when Chris left in February 2006, his nephew Wyatt still remembers Chris. Here, Chris helps Wyatt open gifts at his last Christmas while in the U.S.

Chris bought a round-trip ticket and was scheduled to leave Israel after a week.

More than a decade ago, his father traveled to Romania with a mission team. Chris told his parents that he would like to do that type of work in the future. It's another clue that provides some comfort to the family.

Additionally, Chris has shown a mechanical aptitude, having created products from wood, stone and metal. These skills could serve him well in Israel.

Midge and Tim doubt that any harm has come to Chris as the result of reckless living. They describe him as a soft-spoken, introspective nature-lover who only briefly flirted with "partying" as a teenager. After suffering a head injury in a car crash, Chris abstained from substance use.

He stands about five feet, three inches, weighing roughly 125 pounds. He has black hair and has worn it long. He frequently grows a beard.

Because he tans very well, Chris could likely "blend in" well in Israel, his father pointed.

Frustrated by the lack of progress in any official investigation, in mid-2006 Tim and Midge Houghtaling boarded a jet bound for Tel-Aviv in a desperate attempt to find their son. They distributed hundreds of flyers, in English and Hebrew.

They also made contacts with police, Interior Ministry, the U.S. Embassy and other potential sources of assistance, all to no avail.

The trip was eye-opening for a couple who knew little about the Israeli culture and the centuries-old tensions that plague the nation.

"There's a good chance that Chris didn't know what he was getting himself into," says Tim.

Immigration records revealed that Chris was questioned upon his arrival at Tel- Aviv because he "looked suspicious," due to the small amount of possessions he carried. He was admitted to the country without incident.

As far as his family is aware, Chris traveled alone. He was not believed to have a girlfriend or be in any kind of legal or financial trouble.

While the Houghtalings appreciate all efforts to find their son, they believe more could be done.

As an example, Tim said he was dumbfounded to discover that U.S. authorities couldn't locate Chris' car after learning that he flew to Tel-Aviv.

"I found Chris' car in the parking lot of the Buffalo Airport in about 20 minutes," Tim explained. "Police had been looking for it for several months."

He pointed out that it was only by luck that anyone discovered Chris had left the country. Even though he was registered as a missing person, no one had checked passport records until a "rookie cop" came across that critical information.

A search of Chris' car yielded literature on Christian organizations in Israel, confirming his parents' speculation about his motives. No one from any of those groups had any information about Chris.

Tim and Midge Houghtaling continue to monitor their son's bank account, which has remained dormant since his disappearance.

Because of his generous nature, it's possible that Chris has developed friendships in Israel and is content, the Houghtalings said.

"He's the kind who would give money to anyone that asked for it, as long as he had enough to survive on," his father remarked. "He'd rather put duct tape over his old shoes and give someone else money to buy shoes."

Chris has two brothers (Travis and Justin), three stepbrothers (Mark, Ken and Ray), and a sister (Shana).

Family members have posted two MySpace pages about Chris on the internet, one for each country.

They can only speculate as to his whereabouts as they enter another Christmas season not knowing.

"He loved backpacking and nature," his father said. "I can picture him roaming the countryside."

Midge Houghtaling believes that Chris may be content to be assimilated into the culture in Israel, but said it's also possible that he is in a situation where he is unable to communicate with his family.

"We believe very strongly that he is alive and that we will see him again," she added. "Still, it's very hard for everyone in the family and the pain of separation is the hardest to bear during the holidays."