Mobilizing Hurricane Recovery Efforts in Jamaica and Haiti

by Jennifer Jones | Nov 19, 2025 | Emergency Response

When Hurricane Melissa touched down on Jamaica on Oct. 28 with 185 mph winds, and the next day on Haiti, bringing flooding, wiping out food and water sources, obliterating homes and causing a loss of life in both countries, World Hope International’s partners sprang into action to help deliver food, water and shelter.

Three weeks later, the situation is still dire as priorities shift daily from still needing food and water and shelter to medical care from region to region. “There is still so much need on the ground,” said World Hope President & CEO Jenn Petersen. “It is a challenge to get food and water to communities due to the current road quality. Our partners worked with the U.S. military to airlift food to hard-to-reach areas. Logistics has been the biggest challenge. They had to figure out how to feed more than 300,000 people.”

Some may wonder, with WHI’s limited resources, why serve these two countries when other Caribbean nations were impacted as well. The answer is, as it often is with World Hope’s ability to respond, because of existing partnerships already in place, allowing us to mobilize quickly.

In Jamaica, we already have a significant presence through our close ties with The Wesleyan Church. There are several church communities in Eastern, Northern and Western Jamaica, including the Caribbean Wesleyan College in Westermoreland, Jamaica. According to Rev. Joel Cumberbatch, the General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Holiness Church of the Caribbean, “most of the buildings on campus have been badly damaged or completely destroyed.” The church on the campus, Torrington Wesleyan, lost its entire roof and significant damage was sustained by local grocery stores and houses. Church members also lost roofs and cars and in some cases, entire houses. Food shortages were immediate as grocery stores were also destroyed.

“Undoubtedly, we would need the collective and united support of our Caribbean and international brothers and sisters and partners, in order to undertake the onerous task of the maintenance of reasonable and comfortable existence in some instances, ‘clean up,’ and rebuilding,” he said.

In the near future, church volunteers will be needed to help rebuild churches, schools and homes, said Jenn. But at the moment, the supplies are scarce and many roads still impassable.

In Haiti, where World Hope already has a presence, especially through its work with La Gonâve Wesleyan Hospital, The Wesleyan Church and schools in Haiti, we were immediately able to fund food and hygiene kits for 40 families. WHI Country Director for Haiti, David-Kensley Saintil, said the encouraging news that World Hope-supported La Gonâve Wesleyan Hospital was not damaged in the hurricane. However, one of our partner schools, located in one of the hardest-hit areas — Petit-Goave — was hit hard, and World Hope teams are supplying that area with supplies.  In addition, the homes of Wesleyan Church-connected pastors and workers were lost as well.   

The Wesleyan Church quickly announced through this article that it has partnered with World Hope to help with relief efforts, with World Hope taking the lead as donations come in. World Hope is working with several partners, including Haiti Air Ambulance, MEDIC Corps and LIFT Non-Profit Logistics, to deliver emergency aid, medical support and other critical resources. As of mid-November, in Jamaica 89,920 pounds of food and 2,871 cases of water and 465 hygiene kits had been processed through a distribution hub in Montego Bay and sent out to impacted communities.

“This is what we mean when we say we must be ready to act swiftly to bring hope in hard places,” said Jenn. “The flooding in Haiti and Jamaica has left so many families to fend for themselves without basic needs, such as food and water or any type of dry living conditions.” In addition to those critical resources that they lack, so many small pockets of communities lost all communication, leaving them feeling helpless and alone.

Nearly three weeks later, large parts of Jamaica and Haiti are still without a communication network so that the full damage can be assessed. We are still gathering information on how many are still in a dire situation.

World Hope needs your help to let our friends and neighbors in Haiti and Jamaica know that they are not alone. As a Christian organization, we know it is our duty to care for the stranger, the hurting, the most vulnerable among us.

Today, Jamaica and Haiti are STILL indeed in a hard place. If you are able, please help us reach them with food and water, medicine, and the message of hope by giving to The Hope Fund.