We’ve now heard from a few of our partners and friends across the island. While we are so grateful to report that they are safe, the damage they are facing is overwhelming.

Sid & His Family

Sid and his family are safe, but their home and belongings were not. Everything inside was destroyed by water damage. He was able to make it into town to briefly call, but the signal was poor and we couldn’t get more details. His area remains without power, and many rural roads have been completely washed away by mudslides.

Robin’s Nest Children’s Home

The main buildings still stand, but much of the campus has been battered by Hurricane Melissa.
The porch of the main house (green pod) was torn away
The roof of the preschool was destroyed
The chicken coop is gone
The playground was knocked down like a stack of Lincoln Logs
A newly built backstop and light fixtures behind the basketball hoop were twisted and crushed
Palm trees are down, windows are broken
The old church at the bottom of the hill was completely leveled

Widespread Power Outages

The image we shared shows what many are facing — vast darkness. The bright area in the bottom is Kingston. In contrast, the rest of the island, especially rural areas like where Sid lives, remains in the dark. Montego Bay is on the northwest coast. Starlink is being deployed in some areas to restore communication, but it is still very limited.

Please continue to hold our partners in your hearts and help us spread the word.

We’re still working to understand the best way forward and how we can help our partners recover. Your donation ensures we’re ready to respond as soon as a clear path emerges. 100% of funds go directly to our partners in Jamaica. Give today at: travelingwithapurpose.org