Multiple Christian charity organizations are gearing up to deploy resources to Jamaica as the Caribbean island country faces the wrath of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that made landfall on Tuesday with winds of up to 180 miles per hour.
In a statement shared with The Christian Post on Monday, the Convoy of Hope announced it is coordinating with local partners and contacts to send “truckloads of essential supplies” to support survivors in the days ahead, including food, clean drinking water, hygiene kits, baby care items, and other necessities.
“Convoy of Hope is actively mobilizing resources and team members to meet the needs of the people of Jamaica,” said Convoy of Hope Spokesperson Ethan Forhetz. “This is a catastrophic storm, and so many people need our help. Convoy is committed to delivering hope to Jamaica as quickly as possible.”
There are several dangers posed by the storm, including up to 40 inches of rain, wind speeds exceeding 180 miles per hour and a storm surge of over 10 feet.
Citing the National Hurricane Center, Convoy of Hope fears Hurricane Melissa will cause “severe infrastructure damage” that could cut off communities. The most recent update from the National Hurricane Center detailed that the storm’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 185 miles per hour.
“We’re ready to help for the long haul,” Forhetz added. “Our goal is to stand with communities not only in the days after disaster strikes, but through the years of recovery that follow.”
Operation Blessing, the humanitarian arm of the Christian Broadcasting Network, announced that it was “preparing to deploy to assist affected communities as soon as conditions allow safe travel.”
The services Operation Blessing plans to provide include portable water purification systems, solar lanterns, and hygiene supplies. It signaled an intention to partner with local churches to distribute food, water and medical aid.
“Our hearts are with the people of Jamaica as they endure this devastating storm,” stated Operation Blessing Senior Director of Global Disaster Response Diego Traverso. “As soon as it is safe to do so, our teams will deploy to deliver clean water, emergency supplies, and other critical aid to help families begin the recovery process.”
The North Carolina-based Evangelical charity Samaritan’s Purse announced Tuesday that it is “already preparing to respond as needed — with disaster relief specialists, materials, and aircraft all on standby.”
In addition to urging supporters to “be in prayer for all those in the path of this major storm,” Samaritan’s Purse vowed to “help meet urgent needs related to shelter, water, hygiene, food, and medical issues” and stressed its “ability to deploy our Emergency Field Hospital.”
The projected path of Hurricane Melissa, as compiled by the National Hurricane Center, shows that it could take several days before conditions are safe enough for relief organizations to deploy to the region. The storm is expected to remain a major hurricane, with winds exceeding 110 miles per hour, through Wednesday morning.
Hurricane Melissa is forecasted to hover over the Caribbean islands, including Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Wednesday before heading north towards Bermuda on Thursday. By Friday, the storm is expected to continue moving out to sea, losing hurricane status on Saturday.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
