“Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild, and we will do so even better than before,” declared Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, as communities braced for the worst ahead of the storm’s landfall.

When the Category 5 hurricane struck on October 28, 2025, approximately 90,000 families in western Jamaica were directly affected, said the country's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

More than 120,000 buildings lost their roofs, leaving countless homes exposed or uninhabitable. In the days following the storm, hundreds of communities remained cut off by landslides and flooding. More than 180 shelters remained open, housing roughly 2,487 people.

In the immediate aftermath, aid began pouring in from all corners of the world. Among those were Canadian members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. At the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada (SDACC) office, staff collected much-needed items and arranged to have barrels sent directly to Jamaica.

In the Ontario Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, President Jakov Bibulović, Secretary Emile Maxi, and Treasurer Virene Meikle released a joint video statement calling on congregations to pray, show support, and contribute to relief efforts.

“As followers of Christ, we are called to bear each other’s burdens,” Bibulović said. The message shared dates for a special conference-wide offering to support those devastated by the storm.

Local congregations also answered the call. In addition to offerings, churches gathered clothing, non-perishable food, hygiene supplies, and other essential items. In the Ottawa region, for example, members established five community drop-off locations, where they sorted and forwarded the collected goods for shipment from the Port of Montreal to Kingston, Jamaica.

At the same, ADRA Canada mobilized. The agency collected over CAD$38,000 (about US$27,360) in donations from Canadian supporters. ADRA’s Jamaican counterpart had activated a National Emergency Management Plan even before Melissa made landfall, ensuring food kits and supplies were ready for distribution.

By mid-November, ADRA Canada reported that funding helped ADRA Jamaica and local Adventist networks deliver emergency food, water, hygiene kits, and shelter materials as well as restore some critical infrastructure.

In western Jamaica, affected communities began receiving emergency food bags and hot meals in parishes such as Westmoreland, St. James, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, and Trelawny.

Still, as houses are repaired and roads cleared, many families remain displaced or live in makeshift shelters, agricultural losses are substantial, and entire communities struggle with disrupted infrastructure. With Jamaica only beginning its long road to recovery, the need for ongoing support is urgent regional and Adventist leaders say.

The original article was published in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada's news magazine, The Canadian Adventist Messenger.