ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — The Portmore-based House of Transformation Worship Centre has stepped in to assist residents of Trelawny who were affected by Hurricane Melissa.

Lead Pastor Keron Francis said the church’s outreach effort was born out of compassion after seeing the devastation in sections of Jamaica.

“When we looked at the devastation and the impact that the hurricane had on our nation and all people that were displaced and the condition under which they were living, you know, it [prompted] something within us, within me that we needed to take action,” Francis said.

He explained that the church quickly rallied members locally and abroad to gather essential supplies for distribution.

“We looked at what the needs of the people were at that moment, being that the shops were destroyed, the supermarket was destroyed, the homes were destroyed … and so, we responded by trying to get at least the most basic necessities that any human being needs to live,” Francis shared.

“ In that moment we got as much as we could from members as well as other persons outside of Jamaica, who are also members. And we just went in and we blessed as many people as we could,” he continued.

When asked why the group chose to assist Trelawny, Francis said reports on social media and in the news highlighted that the parish had not received as much attention as others that were also badly hit.

“So just based on what was happening in the social media space as well as on the news, many persons from Trelawny were saying that, you know, most of their attention is going towards St Elizabeth and Westmoreland and they too have been severely affected,” he explained “and so just looking at what was being said in the social spaces, we decided that, okay, we are going to respond to the plea of those folks on that side of the island.”

Francis shared that they donated a range of relief items including tarpaulins, food packages, clothing, water, and inflatable beds.

The group travelled to Trelawny with about 30 volunteers, including a doctor, Dr Nastascia Wade-Saddler, who provided medical care where necessary.

“She came on board with us because she said that she believed that the people are also in need of some amount of medical treatment. So she came on, she administered medical care where necessary,” Francis said.

The church also partnered with the Weeping Woman Foundation, led by Evangelist Shadae Graham-Clarke, whose team joined the effort on the ground.

Evangelist Shadae Graham-Clarke

In addition to distributing food and supplies, the volunteers also prepared and served cooked meals.

“ We fried chicken, we stewed chicken with rice and peas with the vegetables and so we did not just give them the dry stuff, we also gave them a warm meal,” he said.

Hot lunches for residents of Trelawney

Francis noted that while there were displaced residents, the extent of the damage in Trelawny was not as widespread as in other parishes, particularly the west.

“The persons were displaced but in an isolated extent, you know, a one house here, a one house there, but it’s not a wide-scale devastation like we would have witnessed in Westmoreland and St Elizabeth,” he shared.

Reflecting on the church’s role in times of crisis, Francis emphasised the importance of faith-based organisations stepping up to help.

“The church plays such a vital role in any country. The church is somewhere where people tend to look for because we are supposed to be a beacon of light in any area that we are positioned or situated,” he shared.

He added that the initiative was the church’s way of showing compassion in action.

“Our response was for the people to hear we love you, we see what you are going through and we want to help you,” Francis said.