Many of you may be familiar with the work our group, Good News Jamaica, has been doing in Jamaica for the past few decades. Our first trip to the island was in the mid-1980s, so we have known many families there for almost 40 years. It is painful to see the devastation that Hurricane Melissa wreaked on the island, and especially heartbreaking to see the suffering it brought to those we know and love. Every single family or individual we have communicated with has damage to their home and/or property, much of it catastrophic with some families losing their entire house and all of their belongings, some losing their crops, their fruit trees, their chicken coops with all their livestock, some have also lost their livelihood with businesses closed for who knows how long…the level of destruction is hard to take in. It will take many of these families not just months but years to recover what they have lost from Melissa, the worst hurricane in Jamaica’s history.

While the largest part of our Good News Jamaica relief efforts are being sent directly to the church in Montego Bay through Maxwell James, the senior minister there, I am hearing from many on the south side of the island that are more isolated and don’t have easy access to those funds. While Maxwell is overwhelmed trying to assess needs in and around Montego Bay, I am collecting funds primarily for families in the southern parishes of Westmoreland, St Elizabeth and Manchester that were the hardest hit regions and more difficult to get aid to. I have heard from many American friends wanting to help, so have decided to set up this gofundme to make it easier to contribute and also provides a simple way that you can share donation info with others who want to help. Every single dollar donated will go directly to the families/individuals we know personally who have been affected by the hurricane with destruction to their home, belongings and/or loss of income. I am in frequent communication with the other members of our GoodNewsJamaica team to keep track of where funds have already been sent and help determine how the proceeds raised in this particular fundraiser can be used most effectively. Thank you so much for your compassion and the love-in-action you are showing to our brothers and sisters in Jamaica. Please continue to keep them in your prayers as they navigate the difficult road ahead.