When Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica on October 28, it left a trail of destruction and death across the island. The powerful Category 5 hurricane not only tore off roofs and flooded main streets but also toppled treasured historic churches that formed part of the Anglican diocese’s identity.
The Rt. Rev. Garth Minott, Bishop of Kingston in the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, described the damage of Hurricane Melissa as “unprecedented destruction, disaster in terms of our historic buildings. We have a situation where about 50 of our church buildings were destroyed or have significant damage, in terms of their roofs.”
Claudette Marshall, head of missions and ministry in the diocese, who is also coordinating the church’s disaster relief efforts, explained the extent of the havoc and desolation.
“The western side of the island is where most of the damage has happened, in the parishes of Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth and Trelawny. It’s like they have been wiped out.
“Churches have been destroyed,” Marshall said. “When I say destroyed, literally, flat on the ground. Structures that have stood for hundreds of years, nationally registered structures identified as national treasures, they have all been gone. The majority of them have lost roofs. Poles have fallen down on churches. It’s a lot of damage.”
She added that four churches stood little chance against the hurricane’s strong winds: St. John Anglican in Black River, the Locovia St. Thomas Anglican Church, St Luke’s Anglican Church in Balaclava, and St Thomas Anglican in Bluefields, Westmoreland.
Anglican-run schools were also not spared from the devastation, although neither she nor Minott could yet say how many were affected.
While the diocese mourns the loss of its treasured buildings, Minott said the focus is not yet on rebuilding, but rather on the faithful parishioners and the wider population of Jamaica.
“We can get to the church building and deal with that, that is its own trauma, but we can’t deal with that right now. We have to prioritize.”
He said there are around 300 churches on the island, but only about 30,000 active Anglicans, and most of these are over 60. Minott emphasized that their needs are urgent.
“Paying attention to people is important at this point. They have lost their roofs, some of their family members have died, and they have lost valuables. Just the passage of the hurricane itself was traumatic. For almost a week, people were waiting for this thing to pass, and the anxiety, it traumatized people deeply. And remember we’re coming out of COVID, where people were traumatized. So this is double trauma. What we have now is a whole nation that is traumatized.”
Minott said church members are also struggling to cope with death, both directly and indirectly linked to Hurricane Melissa. The island has so far reported 32 confirmed deaths.
“People died during the storm from heart attack, from stroke, and from other ailments. They are grieving the death of family members. Then there [are] the children who they have to help to cope, going through the trauma. Children grieve differently from us as adults. So we have to be helping our members to help their children and grandchildren.”
Compounding the emotional toll, Minott said, is that people are hungry. Marshall described the situation as critical.
“It’s just to get food out to people; this is the dire need, food and water.”
With roads still impassable from fallen trees and landslides, access to the few supermarkets that remain open is limited.
“Some people have no food and water. The church has children’s homes; we have children there, so we are moving out to help … Right now, it’s emergency supplies—food, water, and healthcare,” Marshall said.
Minott said the church’s outreach is focused on securing food, water, tents, medical supplies, and garbage bags to meet the needs of both members and other Jamaicans.
“We’re out in the cold now because there are no shelters available. Some of the shelters themselves were damaged. Tents will allow people to sleep and not be exposed to the elements, as well as tarpaulins for homes still standing but with roofs not in place.”
Churches United
The people of Jamaica and the Anglican Diocese are not alone. Bishop Claude Berkley said the Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago has mounted a relief effort, with parishes and their members asked to help Jamaicans through cash or other donations.
“Church members have come forward eagerly and with great sympathy for Jamaicans,” Berkley said.
He said a list of items needed to assist Jamaicans in getting back on their feet has been circulated to churches in Trinidad and Tobago, and once collected, the items will be shipped to the island along with construction materials. Berkley added that similar efforts are underway in other dioceses across the West Indies.
He said parishioners and people from all walks of life in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider region have been very generous.
Berkley also said prayers are being offered for the people of Jamaica.
“We have also had some prayer vigils for the various communities affected in Jamaica, especially the ones where churches have been destroyed.”
Anyone wishing to assist may ship items to the Diocese of Jamaica and The Cayman Islands, 2 Caledonia Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica, West Indies, or send funds to National Commercial Bank Jamaica Ltd., Account number 231525793 (J$), US$ Account number 236126528 in the name of the Diocesan Church Fund.
