Help ACE Bring Hope to Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” It’s been a hard week for our staff on the ground, preparing for the storm as much as possible and waiting it out in uncertainty. For our team in St. Mary, the biggest impact of the storm was felt after the hurricane left the island, and the winds are still strong this morning.

We’ve heard from Marla and Althia, both safe and with some damage surrounding them. We have several trees down, some water leaks, handrails missing at the hotel, and roughly 10 solar panels that fell off. Four have been found, two damaged, and we are still searching for the other six. Thankfully, Starlink is still up, and we are able to start taking down the plywood and have those who stayed with us at the hotel and campus start to check on their own homes. There will be plenty of cleanup before us, especially within the community.

We are also still waiting to hear back from 90% of our staff due to connection losses. Please continue to pray that we find each staff member safe and sound. Pray that our damaged airports are repaired quickly, and finally, pray for the people of Cuba. The hurricane has hit the poorest part of nation, and their structures cannot endure this storm.

Thank you, ACE family, for enduring this storm with us and faithfully praying with us each day. Your prayers were felt and answered in incredible ways. We love you all. ❤️

In the midst of everything, one of our staff members, Bulla, ended up in the Port Maria Hospital last night after suffering a heart attack. While the timing is not ideal, he is in the best place he could be right now, resting comfortably and healing. Please pray for his recovery and peace over his family as the storm draws closer.

The weather has picked up, and Hurricane Melissa is now a category 5 storm, projected to make landfall tomorrow. We’ve had some electrical damages with all the surges, and our team on the ground is tired. Please add strength and supernatural rest for our staff to your prayer list.

We still don’t know what our biggest needs will be after the storm passes, but we know we will need some cleanup crews.

Tropical Storm Melissa has turned into a hurricane, Jamaican airports have closed, and we’ve done everything we can to prepare. We’ve taken up and stored all outdoor pipes and carefully closed up all of our beehive equipment. Our newly acquired and set-up aeroponic towers have been wrapped up to safely secure them and keep them from blowing away. All hoses were stowed away. And most of our smaller equipment, like our chocolate machines, have been unplugged and tied up with garbage bags. We’ve also moved the cows to higher ground. It’s meticulous work, but if it gives us a chance to protect our micro-businesses, initiatives, and ministry as a whole from costly damage, every extra measure we take is well worth it. 

Everyone has gone home to prepare for their families, excluding the group that’s staying with us at the hotel. Ms. Jones, who is pregnant, is here with her three children, spouse, and aunt because they live in an area known as Wilderness and are concerned the water will come up and wash their houses away. Robin and Sue are staying at the Campus House as well. We are so thankful that we still get to serve thanks to the Lord giving us the space. 

The rain is here, and the wind is starting to pick up. Keep praying for the safety and protection of our ministry and everyone here in Jamaica. The eye has now moved more towards the east end of Jamaica. We will still get plenty of wind and rain, but if it moves north, we will see less activity.

Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to stall close to Jamaica and form in the Caribbean soon. This storm seems similar to Hurricane Ivan from 2004, which completely devastated the island. Please partner with us in prayer that this storm will move south and spare Jamaica of this kind of devastation.