NAD ACS Disaster Response Assessment Report – Jamaica

Photos by Robert Smith, AEC ACS Director

Hurricane Melissa, November 2025 Situation Report provided by W. Derrick Lea, NAD ACS Executive Director

Background

The North American Division Adventist Community Services (NAD ACS) has long served as the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church within the North American Division. Recently, our Disaster Response forces were asked by our brothers and sisters in the Inter-American Division to assist the people of Jamaica, who were struck by the devastating Hurricane Melissa on November 4, 2025.

While reports of winds nearing 200 mph and torrential rainfall across the island were alarming, they did not prepare us for the devastation we would witness firsthand during our assessment mission.

Initial Coordination

Our first point of contact was Inter-American Division Vice President Belvin Braham, who provided an overview of the dire conditions in Jamaica—limited water service, widespread food shortages, and inadequate shelter. Because he resides outside Jamaica, Dr. Braham connected us with Western Jamaica Conference President, Pastor Glenn O. Samuels, who confirmed that the needs within his territory were severe. He expressed deep appreciation for any assistance NAD ACS could provide.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, our team began assessing service gaps to determine where ACS could bring the most value. Through extensive dialogue, it became clear that housing recovery and rebuilding efforts were the most pressing needs, as thousands of homes had been destroyed or heavily damaged.

Mobilizing Support

Given our recent work developing Rebuild Teams across NAD, we saw a clear opportunity to activate these resources. A call for support went out to our conferences, and more than twelve Conferences responded, expressing readiness to deploy skilled contractors and volunteers to Jamaica.

An Assessment and Rebuild Team was assembled, including:

• Robert Smith, ACS Director, Allegheny East Conference

• Luis Biazotto, ACS Director, Georgia-Cumberland Conference

• Sean Paris, ACS Director, Chesapeake Conference

• Walter Harris, Rebuild Lead, Greater New York Conference

These individuals joined the NAD ACS leadership team to travel to Jamaica and conduct on-the-ground evaluations.

Field Assessment

The team arrived at Montego Bay Airport and immediately traveled in two vehicles to survey impacted areas in the southern and western regions. Due to road damage and debris, travel times were two to three times longer than usual, prompting us to split into two groups to cover more ground.

• Team 1 visited the Rose Hall area, where they witnessed residents lining up by the dozens to collect spring water—their only available source. Many homes had lost roofs entirely, and in some cases, entire structures had been swept away.

• Team 2 toured the Westmoreland area, observing extensive structural damage and hearing accounts from residents who described their homes trembling as the hurricane roared through.

That evening, both teams reconvened to share findings and plan the next day’s visits. Originally, the Black River region was on the itinerary, but the 3.5–4 hour travel distance made it impractical. Given the widespread damage already observed, the team chose to focus on        Rose Hall and Westmoreland, where needs were most immediate.

Findings and Early Observations

The second day of assessment revealed even greater levels of destruction. Churches lay heavily damaged, homes had collapsed into ravines and rivers, and landslides had further isolated entire communities. The scale of the crisis was beyond the capacity of any single organization to manage.

After intensive discussions, the assessment team concluded that ACS should concentrate on specific geographic zones where efforts could be clearly defined and sustained. The focus would be on housing reconstruction and repair, leveraging ACS’s emerging expertise in this area.

Next Steps

Upon returning to the Western Jamaica Conference Headquarters, the NAD ACS team met again with President Glenn Samuels and his leadership group. They had been independently exploring similar strategies—identifying a manageable area where they could focus recovery efforts with measurable impact.

Together, both teams agreed to continue refining this collaborative approach. The Assessment Team will develop a detailed Action Plan outlining project scope, priorities, and resource needs to share with NAD leadership and the participating Conferences in the coming days.

Conclusion

The destruction in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa is immense, yet the resolve of its people and the unity of the church in response is deeply inspiring. The NAD ACS team remains committed to walking alongside the Western Jamaica Conference and the Inter-American Division in the rebuilding process.

Further updates and coordination plans will be shared as soon as they are finalized.