Jamaica Missions Trip 2026

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-31

[00:00:06]In October of 2025, Hurricane Melissa hit the island of Jamaica. It left widespread destruction across the whole island.

[00:00:17]Melissa was the strongest recorded hurricane to strike Jamaica, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.

[00:00:24]The category 5 hurricane had winds of up to 190 mph and claimed the lives of over 45 people.

[00:00:34]Due to the widespread destruction and loss of life, the name Melissa was retired by the World Meteorological Organization in March of 2026.

[00:00:45]It will never again be used as an Atlantic tropical cyclone name.

[00:00:51]6 months later, the island is transitioning from emergency relief to long-term reconstruction.

[00:00:58]Although recovery remains slow and challenging for many, recovery is happening.

[00:01:07]This is where Loving Hands Ministry in conjunction with Mission Discovery step in. in January. Uh people were talking about the damage in Jamaica from the hurricane and and uh somehow I ended up talking to Nathan about are you guys thinking of going down there? They said they were going to have a look in January. He said, "Why don't you come with us?"

[00:01:40]And I knew that would be the end of me, but That was the beginning.

[00:01:48]Driving through the mountain to the deaf school. We just happened to lay eyes on this church and I said, "I wonder if we could put a roof on that church."

[00:01:57]That instigated with them looking into it further because they had used that church for Bible school and the kids would go there.

[00:02:07]God provided a team as I made that that uh need known.

[00:02:16]And that's how I know that God's working is I see other people join in.

[00:02:25]Eden Holiness Christian Church had its roof ripped off by Hurricane Melissa.

[00:02:36]After spending 6 months covered with just tarps, we were there to hopefully change that for them.

[00:02:45]After arriving the first day and checking the roof out, it didn't take too long for our team to come up with a game plan and jump into action.

[00:02:56]I've affectionately come to call this trip the Matthew 14:17 missions trip.

[00:03:04]In Matthew 14:17, you see how Jesus fed the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.

[00:03:14]Materials were supposed to be delivered to our job site before we even arrived.

[00:03:21]But as we got there on Monday, there was zero materials that were needed to do the job.

[00:03:27]And at that moment, we weren't even sure if we'd be able to give them a roof at all while we were there. But God continued to show up and provide materials exactly when we needed them.

[00:03:39]And before we knew it, the metal was going up on the roof, and we were accomplishing what we were there to do.

[00:03:48]Even after the metal finally arrived, we learned that it wasn't the dimensions we originally thought it was, and we were short. We thought we would not have enough metal to finish the roof. We tried ordering more metal, but was told it wouldn't get there until at least June.

[00:04:07]It was easy to become discouraged, thinking there was no way that we could possibly put a complete roof on for them.

[00:04:17]But God continued to show up even when we doubted.

[00:04:25]After checking out several different avenues of trying to locate this metal and constantly being told that there was none available and it would take months to get there, there was one worker at the local hardware place that had remembered a special order had been made months ago and never picked up. They weren't sure exactly what kind of metal it was, but that it was metal for roofing and said that we could go and check it out.

[00:04:54]Not only was it the exact same type of metal that we were using, but there was more than enough for us to finish the job that we had.

[00:05:04]It's pretty amazing when you think about it, how we can get frustrated, disappointed, discouraged so easily, and yet the Lord still shows up. He did that for us on this trip. He was there long before we even arrived in Jamaica to make sure we had what we needed to get this church roof done.

[00:05:27]Although the hard physical work is done, the work of praying for our brothers and sisters in Jamaica should never end.

[00:05:37]Hi, my name is Pastor Anarie Bert Winter and I'm the pastor of the Eden Oldness Christian Church right here in Jamaica.

[00:05:50]pray for more members, persons to be saved so that they'll come in and fellowship because it's so important for us to fellowship together. So that's one thing um for increase in membership, increase in also our belief, faith, they said um faith as a mustard seed can move mountain but the disciples would ask for increase in faith. So we are also asking that you you know pray for us that our faith will be increased and that we will be strengthened in the inner man that we'll continue to do this work for the Lord >> probably humble >> I would say serve >> the first thing that comes to my mind is love >> service >> commitment say blessed >> sacrifice >> I'd say blessed >> is there a word that combines fun and hard say the biggest thing is everybody has something to bring to the table. He blesses us all with uh different talents.

[00:06:55]>> Just learn a little more that how grateful he is in providing this trip that he said for the materials and stuff. I think he's a great provider.

[00:07:06]how you can look at one situation or one event that's happening and you only have your perspective of it, but just sitting here and doing these interviews with everybody is super neat to see how God is working through each person sometimes differently. I can't say it's something that I've learned, but it's something that's being reinforced and that it's uh how God provides things when we need it, not necessarily when we want.

[00:07:39]I'd probably say the biggest thing I've learned this trip is that God can use anybody. Jesus was showing himself more clearly to me through those who would be called into the margins. And so I think feels like there's an invitation for me to go back home and approach the margins in a much more meaningful way. Probably what everyone said that he's a provider.

[00:08:09]I mean the first day was pretty discouraging and uh by the third day we had everything we needed.

[00:08:19]So that was encouraging.

[00:08:21]>> This week I felt like I learned a lot about how God speaks to us um and how God speaks differently to people.

[00:08:33]>> I think it's kind of like the reaffirmation that he'll meet you wherever you show up. So you see the breakthroughs on a daily basis.

[00:08:44]He just never stops teaching us something new. It's interesting how uh God brings us all together and moves our hands for a collective purpose uh to help people.

[00:08:58]>> I think at the heart of going on a short-term missions trip, there is a challenge.

[00:09:04]How will we live our lives in a way that is about missions once we return home?

[00:09:11]I feel like it's about what you do with the choices that you make each and every day and what you do with the things God has entrusted you with. And how do you live your life so that it has meaning for the kingdom of God?

[00:09:29]It really is all about love and service.