ST. JAMES, Jamaica — March concludes a long season of hurricane relief in Jamaica for the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief team. 

On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa scarred Jamaica with catastrophic winds and torrential rain, making landfall as a Category 5 hurricane. It will forever be known as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded to hit the island. 

For locals, hurricanes are a common reality on the 154-mile-long island, but historically, most storms pass nearby without making a direct hit like Melissa did. 

Despite the widespread devastation, residents immediately began picking up the pieces and rebuilding. Florida Baptists were among the first on the scene, offering a helping hand. 

By November 1, Florida Baptists were already on the ground assessing damage and making long-term relief plans. 

In total, Florida Baptist Disaster Relief (FBDR) served 15 weeks on the island, deploying more than 150 volunteers in smaller teams to meet the unique needs of the response. David Coggins, FBDR director, shared some of the logistical differences compared to typical disaster responses. 

“Most of the volunteers had to be comfortable getting on a roof because most of the work involved replacing or rebuilding roofs,” said Coggins. “We usually begin by working with homeowners, but in partnership with the Jamaica Baptist Union, the plan was to help churches restore their roofs so they could resume ministering to their communities.” 

Many of the churches serve as central hubs for their communities, giving teams opportunities to serve and minister alongside local believers each day. 

“Helping the church gave the community hope,” said Matt Stickel, Send Relief coordinator. “The church is very important to these communities, and assisting pastors with their buildings freed them to focus on their congregations.” 

The overall effort included disaster relief teams from several states with Florida and Tennessee taking the lead as established partners in the Caribbean. Send Relief helped coordinate the efforts by assigning Matt and Sue Stickel as coordinators for the cooperative response. 

“As Send Relief coordinators, we were responsible for selecting projects that fit within Send Relief’s scope,” Stickel explained. “We secured lodging for teams, ordered necessary materials, and ensured each team had the tools and supplies they needed throughout their stay.” 

Over the multi-month effort, 24 properties were rebuilt or restored, including 11 churches, four schools, eight homes, and one camp. The primary focus was roofing—repairing or completely replacing damaged roofs. 

“The cooperative effort between different states worked well. Every team brought its own unique skills and strengths,” Stickel said. “It was truly amazing to see God bring them all together to accomplish the work.” 

Stickel also shared comments from Kenroy Wilson, pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Jamaica, expressing his gratitude for the teams who helped restore his church. 

Below is a letter written by Pastor Wilson to the general secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union, which served as the primary connection between Southern Baptist relief teams and local churches. 

Letter from Pastor Kenroy Wilson

Dear Reverend Riley, 

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On behalf of the leadership and congregation of the Salter’s Hill Circuit of Baptist Churches, I wish to express our deepest gratitude for the partnership extended to us through the Florida and Tennessee Baptist family. As you are aware, our circuit suffered severe damage as a result of Hurricane Melissa. I humbly outline below the extent of the damage sustained: 

Manse: The old manse was completely destroyed, and the current manse lost the roof over its living room. 
Salter’s Hill Church: A portion of the roof was lost. 
Providence Church: The entire roof, along with furniture and equipment, was destroyed. 

Schools:

• Salter’s Hill Basic – lost a portion of its roof  
• Crooked Spring Basic – lost a portion of its roof  
• Sunderland Basic – lost its entire roof  
• John’s Hall Primary – the main building was destroyed  
• Lottery Primary and Infant – roof of the main building damaged  

Through the gracious partnership of our brothers and sisters in the unions mentioned, I am pleased to report the following progress: 

• The roof of Salter’s Hill Basic School has been successfully restored  
• The living room roof of the manse has been repaired  
• At Providence Church, the education center and bathrooms have been covered, debris has been removed, and both the sanctuary and old manse have been cleaned  

All of this was accomplished at no expense to us. Additionally, we received a contribution of USD $1,500 from our Florida Baptist family to assist in the recovery process. 

We are profoundly grateful for this support, especially as we have been unable to worship at Lottery Church for three weeks due to limited space. 

We extend heartfelt thanks to the Jamaica Baptist Union for facilitating this partnership, and we ask that our formal gratitude be conveyed to Brother Matt and his wife, Sue. We look forward, with humility and hope, to deepening these relationships in the future. 

Yours respectfully, 
Kenroy Wilson 
Pastor, Salter’s Hill Circuit of Baptist Churches 

Months after one of the worst storms in Jamaica’s history, Pastor Wilson’s letter reflects the lasting impact of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief teams. 

Through the faithful giving of Florida Baptist churches to the Cooperative Program, FBDR continues to make a difference in Florida and around the world—bringing hope to communities in their greatest times of need. 

The mission of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and Recovery Ministries is to “make a difference” in times of disaster by connecting Florida Baptist churches and associations with people and communities impacted by disaster, responding with help, healing, and hope that demonstrates and shares the love of Christ. 

For more information about FBDR, visit flbaptist.org.