Samaritan’s Purse continues to serve communities across southwest Jamaica following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on 28 October as a catastrophic Category 5 storm—the strongest ever to strike the island. Much of Jamaica remains without power, and many communities are still cut off due to damaged roads and bridges.
“Hurricane Melissa hammered a path of destruction across Jamaica, severely damaging homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. Please pray for those who have lost so much and for our teams as we go in Jesus’ Name,” said Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse.
Our Emergency Field Hospital opened on 5 November in Black River, where the local hospital was destroyed. The facility features 30 inpatient beds, an operating room, ICU, emergency room, obstetric ward, laboratory, pharmacy, and blood bank. Combined with our mobile medical units—transported by helicopter into hard-to-reach areas—we have treated more than 1,400 patients, many with broken bones and infected wounds that went untreated after the storm.
We have also delivered more than 500,000 pounds of emergency aid through multiple airlifts, including clean water systems, shelter materials, solar lights, water filters, hygiene kits, and hundreds of Bibles.
With Black River Hospital roofless, windowless, and without power, many residents have nowhere to turn except the Samaritan’s Purse Emergency Field Hospital. Our mobile medical units travel into isolated communities where no care is otherwise available.
The parking lot of the damaged Black River Hospital has become a central distribution point for relief. Here, one of our DART members, Peter Iannelli, met Davia Graham, a local nurse who lost her home.
“It is still so unreal… Every day you sleep and try to pray it’s a bad dream,” Davia said. “Honestly, it gives me a new perspective to life… So many earthly things that used to matter don’t mean anything to me.”
Iannelli sees God opening doors for ministry: “This is an opportunity that does not last long to share God’s love… When the time comes when you’re in need, all the walls come down.”
Five community water systems—including a reverse osmosis desalination unit—are now providing thousands of litres of clean water each day. Alongside water, Samaritan’s Purse has served nearly 9,000 families so far with shelter tarps, hygiene kits, solar lights, and water filters.
A key part of our response is our collaboration with local churches, many already connected to us through Operation Christmas Child and past disaster responses. These churches are travelling house to house in isolated communities, delivering supplies and praying with families in Jesus’ Name.
One of these partners, Pastor Erroll Bennett, said, “Even if people have money, they could not buy anything… All around us are desperate people in need. We are thanking Samaritan’s Purse for stepping in and sharing the love of God with the people.”
As he prepared to deliver tarps and hygiene kits, he added, “Tonight, someone will sleep without water soaking them when it rains… Today hope will be brought to people [because they know] there are people who care, that there is still a God who provides.”
Pastor Bennett and other leaders began preparing even before the storm hit, and in the aftermath they have served as the hands and feet of Jesus in many cut-off communities.
“Jamaica has more churches per square mile than anywhere else,” he said. “In this time of desperation, it is good for the church to be that source of hope. The church cares. The church can respond to the need.”
“This hurricane is one of those moments that is etched in our mind in Black River, pray that we will rise again, and that despite everything we know we have a God who cares. Pray that we will get through this moment by drawing closer to God.”
