It’s been about a month since Hurricane Melissa made a historic landfall on the beautiful island we all know and love. While many parishes on the west side of the nation felt the devastating impact, we were fortunate in St. Mary to receive minimal damage. A handful of homes from our community were blown away, and clean water and food can still be hard to come by, but all of our staff made it through alright, trees have been cleaned up, and power was restored after a couple of weeks. Praise Jesus!
Today, we are happy to say that Galina Breeze Hotel, Buccaneers Jerk & Juice Center, and ACE’s ministry as a whole are all back up and fully functioning again! Our aeroponic towers have been set up, and seeds have been planted, so we can prepare to reap our first harvest!
And it wouldn’t have been possible without our teams. Even in the midst of the clean-up chaos after the storm, dedicated teams have come down to volunteer and help us get back on our feet.
Yes, we are still able to host teams, and if anything, we could use your help now more than ever!
We know there may be fears, hesitations, and questions regarding the safety and experiences teams will have coming to Jamaica right now. So, to offer peace of mind, we asked Tina G. about her experience.
Tina came down with a team just days after the storm and shared this update from the ground:
“We had zero issues with transportation. Easy entry like before. All airports are receiving flights!
Ace is back up and running smoothly. When the power was off, we had the generator. But all power has been restored. Our water is filtered and clean. Rooms still get AC at night!
Some of the differences may be in food selection because some fruits and vegetables are scarce due to the hurricane. But the amount of food served has not changed! We may just eat more chicken and rice—but who complains about that???”
She also talked about how while the western parishes took the hardest hit, the ripple effects are still being felt island-wide. A head of cabbage has tripled in price. Clean water is very difficult to come by. And one elderly woman we visited asked how she could get on ACE’s food distribution list because her fruit trees that she depended on were stripped bare overnight, and she literally had nothing left to eat.
While life at ACE may feel normal again, we believe it may even be better than normal. Every team that comes right now is walking straight into some of the most meaningful ministry we’ve ever done, providing basic and urgent needs for people in our community who have been impacted by the storm.
Jamaica is resilient. Our ministry is resilient. And we are more than ready to welcome you with open arms. So if you have been wondering, “Is it safe? Is it too soon,” the answer from the teams on the ground is a resounding no, it’s not too soon. In fact, it’s exactly the right time to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Come see for yourself. Email our Stateside Office at office@acexperience.org or call 877-500-5768 for more information or to book a trip.
