A newlywed couple is safe as a large hurricane barrels down on the resort area they were honeymooning at. They say it's only thanks to God that they were able to get out just in the knick of time.

Lynette Loewen and her husband were honeymooning in Freeport, Bahamas. That area is expected to be hit the hardest by the Category 5 storm named Dorian. Loewen says at first it looked like they would not be able to leave and would have to ride the storm out in the Bahamas.

"We were stressed, high anxiety ... just scared," Loewen writes in a message to CHVN in describing the uncertainty of the situation. "The best way to describe it is that we felt like a squirrel in the middle of a road not knowing where to go! But also add that either side of the road isn’t home and we’re not sure what side is still better!"

The islands of the Bahamas are expected to be hit on Sunday with 240 km/h winds, torrential rains, and battered by heavy surf. People stuck on the islands are finding shelter in schools and churches.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says that "The Bahamas are going to get absolutely levelled by this thing because this thing's a strong storm. The Bahamas are flat. They got no defence to this storm and it's going to churn over there; it's going to dump perhaps two feet of rain on the Bahamas."

Got on the last flight out

Loewen says that they were able to get on the very last flight out of Freeport before the airport was closed.

She says that despite the impending storm and the destruction that will come with it, people were generous and caring. "People were so kind there to help us! One bought us dinner and another even paid for two nights in a hotel in Florida because she felt bad about our holiday," Loewen says.

"Everything was booked solid in Florida and through MANY prayers, doors have opened and we are safe and out of harm's way. This could not have happened if not for God’s intervention. It's hard to believe where we were walking just two days ago will not be there anymore," she says.

Pray for those who live there

Loewen is the Regional Manager of northwestern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan at Operation Christmas Child Canada, and recently moved from Winnipeg to Saskatchewan. She wants people to join them in praying for the people affected.

"Meanwhile we have been praying for our new friends as they are saying that it may be completely destroyed and that casualties could be high in numbers.

"Please pray for the Bahamas and Freeport specifically. The hurricane is headed straight there on Sunday and they say they expect total catastrophe. (There is a) high expectancy of fatalities ... it’s awful!" she wrote in an online post Saturday evening.

Loewen says the feeling was surreal as preparations were underway for a devastating storm in the midst of what seemed to be nice weather. "So you’re scared and preparing for disaster and meanwhile it’s sunny out. It’s a very unreal feeling and one I never want to feel again."