Adventist Church Mobilizes Relief Efforts in the Aftermath of Melissa’s Devastation

Seventh-day Adventist leaders across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are working to locate members, assess damages, and coordinate relief efforts after Hurricane Melissa tore through the islands from October 27 to 30. The storm toppled power lines, uprooted trees, flattened homes and buildings, flooded communities, and left at least 34 people dead. Church leaders confirmed that no deaths have been reported among Adventist members so far.

Situation in Jamaica

In Jamaica the hurricane’s impact was felt across the island, affecting hundreds of members who lost everything, said Everett Brown, president of the Jamaica Union Conference. He noted that several structures at Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville were also damaged by the storm. “We know people have lost their roofs, their farms, their livelihood,” Brown said. “Whatever resources we have, we want to pool them together to alleviate suffering and help people rebuild their lives.”

Glen Samuels, president of the West Jamaica Conference, described the destruction in St. Elizabeth Parish—the area hardest hit by winds reaching 186 miles (299 kilometers) per hour—as “a colossal, catastrophic disaster.”

“Eighty to 90 percent of buildings in St. Elizabeth have been affected, with nearly the entire area flattened,” Samuels said. “We know 100 of our 246 Adventist churches sustained total or partial damage.”

Floodwaters and knee-deep mud have made roads nearly impassable, complicating relief efforts, he said. Despite road closures, members from across Jamaica have mobilized to help, with two trucks loaded with food, lamps, and essential supplies traveling from Kingston to Montego Bay.

Brown added that before the hurricane struck, the church had already distributed food packages and emergency funds to its five conferences to ensure vulnerable members had access to food and water.

ADRA Response

David Poloche, director of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Inter-American Division, said that ADRA International and regional leaders coordinated response efforts before, during, and after the hurricane to ensure aid reached those most in need.

The initial response included food kits, personal hygiene kits, and home cleaning kits for 850 families, with plans underway to reach 4,500 additional families in the coming days.

“ADRA is sending an emergency response team to work alongside the local ADRA team in Jamaica to coordinate relief efforts in the coming days,” Poloche said.

In addition, ADRA is providing cash assistance to more than 350 families affected by flooding in the Santo Domingo area of the Dominican Republic, and to 230 families in Haiti.

Situation in Cuba

In Cuba, leaders are still trying to determine the status of members in the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Holguín, where the storm made landfall as a category 3 hurricane before weakening to a category 2. Reports indicate mudslides, destroyed homes, and entire neighborhoods underwater, said Aldo Pérez, president of the Cuban Union Conference.

“The situation is dire,” Pérez said. “Many communities are still inaccessible by road, with communication and electricity completely cut off.”

Entire towns were flooded as rivers overflowed, wiping out crops, homes, and infrastructure, he explained. Despite the widespread destruction, no deaths among church members have been reported.

Pérez credited God’s protection and the church’s nationwide prayer vigils—held throughout the night across the island as the storm made landfall on October 29—for the weakening of Hurricane Melissa’s intensity as it struck Cuba.

From the Del Amanecer Conference, which includes the Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo provinces, Adaias Lores, president of the conference, has been reaching out to pastors and members whose homes were destroyed or heavily affected by the hurricane.

“We know of several churches and crops that have been completely wiped out,” Lores said. “The greatest challenge right now is the lack of food, and we are doing everything we can to help those most affected.”

Adventist members have also reported extensive damage. “In Sagua de Tánamo the church roof was blown away, even after it was weighted down with sandbags,” Pérez explained. “In Mayarí the church was completely submerged when the rivers overflowed.”

Yoendris Verdecia, district pastor from Sagua de Tánamo in the Holguín province, described scenes of widespread devastation and flooding in which nearly the entire low-lying section of the town remains under water. He reported that more than 6,000 homes were flooded, and many families have lost everything.

“This is devastating,” Verdecia said. “There are no words to describe what we’re seeing. People are stranded on upper floors,” he added.

While there has been severe material loss, Verdecia expressed gratitude that no church members lost their lives. Many believers have taken shelter in the church building or in safer homes, and the local Adventist community has mobilized to clean debris and prepare hot meals for neighbors.

Situation in Haiti

In southern Haiti church leaders are assessing the extent of the damage after the storm destroyed two churches, damaged several Adventist schools, and affected dozens of member homes—including those of three pastors—as well as crops on church properties.

Prayer and Support

“We are deeply concerned about the devastation in Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti. The impact has been immense,” said Abner De los Santos, president of the Inter-American Division (IAD).

Before, during, and after the storm, leaders and staff at the IAD headquarters in Miami, Florida, United States, united in prayer, asking for God’s protection over the territories in Melissa’s path.

De los Santos said the division’s emergency response measures had already been activated before the storm made landfall. “Plans were in motion across all three territories, and we will continue to monitor the situation and ensure an effective response for both our members and the wider community,” he said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.