The Board of World Mission (BWM) has received a detailed report from the Provincial Board of the Jamaica and Cayman Islands Province of the Moravian Church following Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact on the island. The report included photos and brief initial assessments of a number of church-owned properties, the vast majority of which are located in the western parishes of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, which experienced some of the most severe destruction. While the report is extensive, it notes that some churches and church properties have not yet been assessed for potential damage.
According to the report, five church buildings have been destroyed: Carmel, Salem, Beaufort, Springfield, and Faith Moravian Church. In addition, 20 church-owned facilities, the majority of which are churches, but also manses and schools, have sustained severe damage, with roofs torn away and major structural losses. Damage among homes and community buildings is also extensive. The report noted that “it is feared that most, if not all, of the 36 congregations at the Central and Western District Conferences have sustained some level of damage.”
The Provincial Board has outlined a multi-step plan for the coming weeks and months, which includes addressing people’s immediate needs, offering pastoral and psychological care, continuing to coordinate assessments across affected areas, mobilizing local volunteer groups for cleanup and repair, and establishing the Moravian Church Jamaica and Cayman Islands (MCJCI) Disaster Response Fund. The BWM’s Moravian Disaster Response (MDR) has contributed an initial $10,000 to this fund. Additional support is greatly needed to meet the scale of destruction and to help our partners rebuild and build anew their places of worship, ministry, and community life.
We are aware of several fundraisers across the Worldwide Moravian Unity and ask that Moravians in North America respond to this disaster through BWM channels to help us facilitate a coordinated response. This also enables us to prepare for North American mission teams to assist with recovery efforts when the Moravian Church in Jamaica is ready to receive us.
We are also maintaining contact with partners and leaders in Cuba and Haiti, who were also impacted by this storm.
100% of donations received for our MDR Fund are directed toward providing relief for these disasters. You can support our disaster response efforts by giving online at MoravianMission.org/Give. Please designate your gift to “MDR.”
Please make checks payable to:
U.S. Donors: Board of World Mission, 1021 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Canadian Donors: Moravian Church in Canada, 600 Acadia Drive SE, Calgary, AB T2J 0B8. Interac e-Transfer donations may be sent to [email protected]. Include your name and address in the comments section of the transfer to receive tax receipts.
