Finding Joy in the Simple Things

During our mission trips to Jamaica, one of our favorite things to watch in George’s Plain has been the local kids.

When we first arrived, we watched them find so much joy in the simplest things. Sticks became toys. They made kites out of whatever they could find. Then we brought out bubbles, coloring supplies and beads, and their minds exploded! Something so simple to us was completely new and exciting to them.

Before long, 30+ kids were regularly showing up at our base just to play.

George’s Plain is a vibrant community of about 2,500 people, but there is a significant lack of a safe place to play for the children. One of the moms, Sandra, told us that before we came, she had never allowed her children to play outside of their yard because she was afraid for their safety.

That really stuck with us.

Because today, her kids are part of the dozens who come to our base any chance they get. What started with simple bubbles and beads has blossomed into a ministry where kids gather safely, parents find peace of mind, and discipleship relationships are being built.

A Vision for a Permanent Community Space

So we started asking – what if we could make this permanent?

We have the land, we’ve already prepped and leveled the ground, laid the maul and seeded the grass. And now comes the really fun part:

We want to build a pirate ship playground!

The total cost of the project is $10,000, and we’ve already had $3,500 given toward it. That means we have $6,500 left to go.

From Disaster Relief to Lasting Hope

Our team arrived to provide disaster relief after Hurricane Melissa, but long-term presence in a community changes how you view local needs. Eventually, it’s not just about what was lost in the storm. You start dreaming with people about what could be here next.

For these kids, one of those dreams is pretty simple: a safe place to play.

Would you give? Would you help us build it?

Partner with Adventures Relief today and let’s build these kids a safe place to play and grow together!

Read this update on our blog →

“Before this short-term mission trip, I knew who God was, but I don’t think I fully understood what it meant to live out my faith every day.“

At the end of the week, one of our volunteers shared those words as she reflected on everything God had done in her life.

Serving Beyond Borders: Missions in Jamaica

She had come to Jamaica expecting to help rebuild homes and serve families. Instead, somewhere between the roofing projects, shared meals, worship, and conversations with homeowners, God began rebuilding something in her.

Growing up, church wasn’t a consistent part of her life. But throughout the week, she experienced Jesus in a way she never had before. She discovered that Christian missions aren’t simply about traveling somewhere far away. They’re about loving the person standing right in front of you.

Whether she was handing out groceries, sitting with veterans, encouraging teammates, or simply listening to someone’s story, she realized that God often works through ordinary conversations and simple acts of kindness.

Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone

She admitted that stepping outside her comfort zone wasn’t easy. Praying out loud, talking with strangers, and serving people she had just met felt intimidating. But over and over again, God met her there, giving her the courage to take the next step.

By the end of the week, she wasn’t just taking home memories of roofs repaired.

She was taking home a stronger faith, a deeper prayer life, and a greater confidence to trust Jesus wherever He leads.

Perhaps she said it best herself:

“I realized I don’t have to have everything figured out because He is in control and always has me in His hands.”

The Impact of Adventures Relief

That’s why we believe so deeply in the mission of Adventures Relief and our disaster relief operations.

Yes, homes are repaired. Communities recover. Practical needs are met.

But week after week, we also watch God transform hearts in both the people we serve and the volunteers who simply say yes.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God could use one week to change your perspective, strengthen your faith, or deepen your walk with Him, we’d love to invite you to come and see for yourself.

And if you’re not able to join us, you can still be part of the story through your generosity. Every gift equips volunteers for disaster relief, supports local leaders, and reminds families recovering from Hurricane Melissa that they have not been forgotten.

Thank you for helping rebuild homes, strengthen communities, and share the hope of Jesus.

Read this update on our blog →

When Hurricane Melissa tore through western Jamaica, Kayon watched the roof over her family’s home disappear—leaving them in urgent need of disaster relief.

Like many homeowners, she couldn’t afford to replace it. So she did what she could.

In the days after the storm, Kayon walked through the debris collecting damaged sheets of zinc that had been scattered across the community. She salvaged what she could find and began rebuilding her roof with her own hands. It wasn’t perfect, and it certainly wasn’t enough to fully protect her home, but it was all she had.

By the time our World Race and short-term mission teams met her, most of the roof had already been pieced back together through determination, creativity, and sheer perseverance. Only a small section remained unrepaired, leaving her home vulnerable every time the rain returned.

As we worked alongside her, Kayon shared stories from the night Hurricane Melissa struck. Stories of injury, loss, and lives forever changed. It became clear that the storm had taken more than roofs. It had left behind fear, grief, and wounds that many families are still carrying today.

Beyond the Zinc: Restoring Hope through Disaster Relief

When the final repairs were completed, I realized the greatest change wasn’t the roof overhead.

It was Kayon.

The weight of the storm no longer seemed to define her. There was still work to do. There were still challenges ahead. But there was also something new. Hope.

Not because every problem had disappeared, but because healing was underway.

She knew she had not been forgotten.

The Impact of Short-Term Missions in Jamaica

The longer we serve in Jamaica, the more we’re reminded that recovery is about far more than construction. Roofs matter, but the real work often happens in conversations, prayers, and relationships. It happens when someone realizes they are not facing the future alone.

That’s what our short-term mission volunteers do every week during disaster relief in Jamaica missions.

And that’s why stories like Kayon’s continue to matter.

Pray

Pray for Kayon and the many families throughout western Jamaica who are still recovering from Hurricane Melissa. Pray for continued healing from the trauma, loss, and fear left behind by the storm, and pray that they would know they have not been forgotten.

Give

Your generosity supports Christian disaster relief efforts, allowing us to come alongside families like Kayon’s as they rebuild their homes and their lives. Every gift helps provide materials, support local recovery efforts, and create opportunities to share the hope of Jesus with homeowners throughout the community.

Would you consider making a gift today to help families continue moving forward?

Go

If you’ve ever wondered whether a week of service can make a difference, the answer is yes.

Join a mission trip to Jamaica and serve alongside families like Kayon’s. You’ll help repair roofs, build meaningful relationships, and become part of the healing taking place across western Jamaica.

Thank you for helping bring hope, healing, and restoration to families recovering from Hurricane Melissa.

Read this update on our blog →

His name is Big Foot.

Like many nicknames in Jamaica, everyone seems to know him by it.

Big Foot works as a garbage collector. Day after day, he collects things other people no longer want.

But where most people see trash, Big Foot sees possibility.

When he invited us to visit his home, he proudly showed us around. Much of his house had once been discarded by someone else. Materials that had been thrown away, forgotten, or abandoned had been salvaged, repurposed, and given a second life.

What others considered useless had become shelter.

What others overlooked had become home.

Then we stepped into the kitchen.

Finding Beauty in the Brokenness

Standing in the middle of the room was a large tree trunk.

Not as decoration.

As a support beam.

The zinc roof above had begun to sag, and the structure had weakened to the point that a tree trunk was helping hold everything together. Gaps in the roof allowed rainwater to pour inside whenever storms passed through.

And yet, what struck us most wasn’t the condition of Big Foot’s house.

It was his generosity.

Before we left, he insisted on sharing what he had. He handed us coconuts he had collected along his route. Then he walked into his yard, gathered armfuls of guavas from his tree, and sent our team away with more fruit than we could carry.

The man whose roof leaks when it rains was the one giving to us.

The man whose home is held together by ingenuity and determination was the one showing our mission team what true generosity looks like.

The Heart of God in Jamaica

As we spent more time with Big Foot, we learned that he is raising children on his own. Next door lives his brother, who is also a single father. Both men are doing everything they can to provide stability for their families after the mothers of their children left.

Every day they work. Every day they provide. Every day they press forward beneath roofs that desperately need repair.

During our short-term mission trips in Jamaica, we often encounter people who have every reason to become bitter, yet choose generosity. People who have experienced hardship, yet continue to open their homes. People whom the world might overlook, yet who reflect the heart of God.

Big Foot’s story reminds us that restoration begins with seeing value where others see none.

That is true of homes.

That is true of communities.

And that is certainly true of people.

The same God who specializes in redeeming broken things is still at work in Jamaica today. Through your prayers, financial support, and willingness to serve on a mission trip, we have the privilege of joining Him.

How You Can Be Involved

Pray

Pray for Big Foot, his children, his brother, and the many single parents throughout Jamaica who are working hard to provide for their families while recovering from Hurricane Melissa.

Give

Before we left, Big Foot gave us coconuts and guavas from his own property.

I’ve thought about that moment often.

The man with the least to give was the one teaching us about generosity.

Scripture tells us, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).

Generosity isn’t something we practice once we have abundance. We practice it because we trust God to provide.

Your generosity toward disaster relief efforts helps families like Big Foot’s rebuild their homes, but it also forms something deeper within us. It teaches us to live with open hands and reminds us that everything we have ultimately comes from God.

Would you consider making a gift today to help restore homes and strengthen families in Jamaica?

Go

Join a World Race or Semesters volunteer team to experience firsthand the resilience, faith, and generosity of the people we serve alongside in Jamaica.

Together, we are restoring roofs, strengthening families, and reminding people that they have not been forgotten.

Read this update on our blog →

Meeting Jerry: A Quiet Beginning

When our disaster relief team first met Jerry in Jamaica, he barely said a word.

We were providing hurricane relief, repairing the roof of his mother Sandy’s home after Hurricane Melissa devastated western Jamaica. Like many families across western Jamaica, they were trying to recover from a storm that had turned life upside down.

Jerry showed up to help.

He wasn’t very talkative. He rarely smiled. Most of the time, he kept to himself.

But he worked.

While volunteers climbed onto the roof, Jerry climbed right alongside them. He carried materials, followed directions, and quietly served from start to finish.

After that project, we made a point to stop and talk whenever we saw him. We encouraged him. We thanked him for serving. We invited him to help on other projects.

And every time, he said yes.

From Helper to Community Leader

One project became two. Two projects became ten.

Before long, Jerry was showing up even when his own family’s home wasn’t involved.

Today, Jerry is becoming part of our disaster relief team in Jamaica. He’s learning construction skills, helping repair homes throughout his community, and growing into someone who can one day help lead volunteers serving in Jamaica.

Recently, Jerry’s sister shared something that helped us understand just how significant this journey has been.

She told us that while Jerry knows many people, he has only ever had one close friend. For much of his life, he kept to himself and often found refuge in habits and choices that left him isolated.

But something has changed.

The man who once stood quietly on the edge of every conversation now laughs with volunteers. The man who rarely smiled now jokes with our team. Just yesterday, we watched him playing with neighborhood children and missionary kids alike, laughing as though he had known them his entire life.

One of the clearest reminders hangs around his neck.

A Symbol of Transformation

These days, Jerry wears a cross.

For him, it represents a promise fulfilled. A life transformed. A reminder that God sees him, knows him, and has a purpose for his life.

Beyond Roof Repairs: The Real Mission

When people hear about disaster recovery, they often think about roofs, lumber, and construction materials.

Those things matter.

But a repaired roof was never the end goal.

For Jerry, disaster relief work became an open door to relationship and spiritual transformation. And relationship became an open door to transformation.

As we continue our long-term disaster relief work in Jamaica, we’re watching God raise up local leaders from within the very communities we came to serve. Men and women who are discovering purpose, belonging, and hope while helping rebuild their neighbors’ homes.

Jerry is one of those leaders.

And his story is still being written.

Pray

Pray for Jerry as he continues growing in his faith, leadership, and purpose. Pray that God would surround him with godly friendships and continue shaping him into the man God created him to be.

Give

When Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, Jerry needed a roof.

What none of us knew at the time was that God was using that roof repair to begin restoring something much deeper.

Your generosity helps create opportunities for local leaders like Jerry to be discipled, equipped, and empowered through our ongoing disaster relief and community development work, serving long after short-term mission teams return home. It allows us to remain present, build relationships, invest in communities, and walk alongside the men and women God is calling into leadership.

If Jerry’s story encouraged you, would you consider making a gift today?

Go

Join our disaster relief team in Jamaica and serve alongside transformed community leaders like Jerry. You’ll help repair homes, build meaningful relationships, and witness firsthand how God uses simple acts of service to transform lives.

Thank you for helping us remain until the mission is completed.

Read this update on our blog →

Sometimes God’s provision shows up in ways we could never plan.

One of our Adventures Relief team leaders in Jamaica woke up early one morning after a vivid dream. In it, she saw a green pickup truck and felt prompted by the Lord to pray for the man who owned it.

She could have dismissed it.

Instead, she obeyed.

She shared the dream with another member of our team, and together they began walking through George’s Plain looking for the truck.

Before long, they found it.

The very truck from her dream.

After asking around, they found the owner and introduced themselves. His name was Dougie. That day, they prayed with him and began getting to know him.

At the time, they had no idea why God had led them to him. They only knew they were being obedient.

Finding the Perfect Partner for Recovery Work

As our disaster relief work continued in Jamaica, a critical need began to emerge. We needed someone trustworthy and dependable. Someone who knew the community. Someone who could help transport building materials to homeowners whose roofs were being repaired.

Then God connected the dots.

The man our team had been led to pray for became the very person who would help meet that need.

Today, Dougie serves as our primary delivery driver for the Jamaica recovery effort. Day after day, he helps make sure roofing materials arrive where they are needed so families can move one step closer to recovery.

But he has become more than a driver.

Dougie has become a friend and a valued part of what God is doing in George’s Plain.

Looking back, we can see God’s fingerprints all over the story. A dream became a prayer. A prayer became a relationship. And that relationship became part of the restoration God is bringing to this community.

We keep seeing this in Jamaica.

Disaster recovery is about far more than repairing roofs. Before homes are restored, people must be known. Before communities are rebuilt, trust must be established.

The relationships being formed today are becoming the foundation for the work God wants to do tomorrow.

How You Can Join God’s Work in Jamaica

Thank you for helping make disaster relief stories like this possible in Jamaica and beyond. Because of your prayers, generosity, and willingness to go, families are receiving help, homes are being repaired, and relationships are being built that point people toward Jesus.

Give

Your generosity does more than purchase materials and fund projects. It creates opportunities for people like Dougie.

When God connected our team with Dougie, we had no idea that one simple act of obedience would lead to a meaningful role in the recovery effort. Today, your giving allows us to employ him, invest in him, and bridge the gap between his willingness to say yes and God’s provision for his needs.

Every gift helps us maintain our disaster relief presence in Jamaica, repair hurricane-damaged homes, build lasting relationships, and create opportunities for local leaders like Dougie to become part of the restoration taking place in their own communities.

Would you prayerfully consider making a gift today or becoming a recurring ministry partner?

Pray

Pray for Dougie and the many local leaders and community members stepping into meaningful roles throughout the recovery effort. Pray for wisdom, safety, and continued opportunities to build relationships that reflect the love of Christ.

Go

Join our disaster relief efforts in Jamaica. Come serve alongside local leaders like Dougie and experience firsthand how God is working through ordinary people to bring restoration and hope.

One act of obedience.

One relationship.

One roof at a time.

Read this update on our blog →

A Chance Encounter After Hurricane Melissa

Months ago, one of our volunteers, Beverly, noticed a young woman sitting alone outside a damaged shop in George’s Plain.

She wore a red dress. She was very pregnant. And she looked defeated.

Hurricane Melissa had left deep scars throughout this Jamaican community, and many families were simply trying to make it through another day.

Something about this young woman caught Beverly’s attention.

Instead of walking past, she stopped.

Her name was Lizzan. As they talked, Beverly shared about the hope found in Jesus. Before they parted ways, Lizzan prayed to receive Christ.

Then we never saw her again.

Weeks turned into months. Life and ministry continued. Roofs were repaired. Volunteer teams came and went. But every now and then, we wondered what had happened to Lizzan.

Months Later: A Beautiful Reunion

Then this past week, we saw her.

She was sitting beside a homeowner whose roof Adventures Relief had repaired. And this time, she wasn’t alone.

In her arms was a beautiful baby boy.

The woman we first met sitting alone outside a damaged building now greeted us with a smile.

As I stood there talking with her, I couldn’t help but think about how much had changed.

A healthy baby boy.

A repaired roof.

New relationships.

Hope where there had once been despair.

Beyond Building Repairs: God’s Greater Work

Moments like these remind us that restoration is about more than buildings.

Adventures in Missions came to Jamaica for hurricane relief work to help repair homes damaged by Hurricane Melissa, but God is doing something bigger than construction projects. He is restoring people, rebuilding communities, and drawing people to Himself.

Because you prayed, we were there.

Because you gave, volunteers could come and serve.

Because someone stopped, Lizzan heard about Jesus.

Thank you for being part of that story.

Pray

Please pray for Lizzan and her baby boy. Pray that her decision to follow Jesus would continue to grow into a lifelong relationship with Him and that her son would one day know that same hope.

Pray also for the many people throughout western Jamaica who, like Lizzan, need someone willing to stop, listen, and share the love of Christ.

Give

Every roof our disaster relief teams repair creates an opportunity to build a relationship. Every volunteer team we host creates opportunities for conversations like the one Beverly had with Lizzan.

Your generosity doesn’t simply provide roofing materials. It allows us to remain present long enough to share the hope of Jesus, disciple people, and walk alongside families as they rebuild their lives.

Will you help us stay?

Go

Beverly almost walked past that day.

Instead, she stopped.

What if God wants to use your willingness to stop for someone else?

Join a short-term mission trip to Jamaica. You’ll participate in hurricane relief work, help repair homes, serve alongside local Jamaican leaders, and witness firsthand how God is restoring both physical structures and human hearts.

Because of your prayers, generosity, and willingness to go, hope is being rebuilt one family, one roof, and one relationship at a time.

Read this update on our blog →

A Simple Problem Leads to an Unexpected Discovery

During our Jamaica hurricane relief mission, we had a problem at our volunteer base one afternoon.

We ran out of matches.

Not exactly the kind of crisis that makes the evening news, but important enough when you’re trying to keep meals going and a volunteer base running.

So we walked across the street to see Rudolph, a local man whose soup hut has become a familiar gathering place for our team. While we were talking with Rudolph, a woman named Joy overheard our predicament. Without hesitation, she offered to help.

“I know someone who might have matches.”

Joy immediately left what she was doing and walked us down the road to a small home shop owned by a woman named Tina. When we arrived, we learned Tina was in the middle of taking a bath.

Most people would have told us to come back later.

Not Tina.

Within moments, she wrapped herself in a towel, stepped away from what she was doing, opened her shop, and made sure we got what we needed.

The problem was solved. We left with matches, but we also left with something more.

We left with a reminder.

Learning About True Generosity in Jamaica

Again and again, we encounter this kind of generosity in George’s Plain. Joy didn’t know us. Tina didn’t owe us anything. Yet both interrupted their day to help a group of strangers solve a simple problem.

The world often looks at communities affected by natural disasters like this and assumes people have little to offer. Many families in George’s Plain are still recovering from Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact. Roofs remain damaged. Resources are limited. Daily life can be difficult.

And yet, some of the most generous people we have ever met live here.

Their generosity isn’t measured by what they possess. We see it in the way they share their time, their knowledge, their relationships, and what little they have. They do it freely and without expectation.

Hurricane Recovery Work: More Than Just Rebuilding

As Adventures Relief serves communities affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, we are not only helping repair homes and churches through our disaster relief missions. We are also learning from the people we serve alongside. Through this short-term mission experience, they are teaching us what it means to love our neighbors. They are reminding us that generosity is not dependent on abundance. It is a posture of the heart.

The matches only cost a few dollars.

The lesson was priceless.

How You Can Practice Generosity Today

So before you move on with your day, consider this question: Where might God be inviting you to be generous today?

Perhaps it’s through prayer for disaster relief efforts. Perhaps it’s through serving someone around you or joining a mission trip. Maybe it’s through opening your home, sharing your skills, encouraging a friend, or supporting Adventures Relief’s hurricane recovery work happening in Jamaica.

Whatever your response may be, don’t miss the opportunity to practice generosity. Generosity is not something we do once we have enough. It is part of who we become as we follow Jesus.

If you would like to join us in the recovery effort in Jamaica, your support helps provide roofing materials, equip local volunteers, restore homes and churches, and remind families that they have not been forgotten.

Thank you for helping Adventures Relief remain in Jamaica until our hurricane recovery mission is completed.

Read this update on our blog →

Last week, as we walked the hillside property in Jamaica that now holds the Adventures Base, Brother Noble—the man who entrusted this land to our care—paused to tell us a parable.

He spoke of a single seed of corn.

“If you keep it safe in a drawer,” he said, “it may last for years. But it will never fulfill its purpose.”

A seed must be placed in the soil. It must surrender. It must die. And then—it multiplies. In that hidden place, it becomes something far greater than what was first planted.

Brother Noble believes this base is that seed. And he sees this moment as just the beginning.

For the past three weeks, we’ve stewarded that seed. We’ve stood in unfinished spaces, prayed over raw ground, and imagined what God might grow here. Bit by bit, a foundation has taken shape.

Today, the Jamaica Base is ready. It can house 32 volunteers. The kitchen works. There’s electricity, showers, toilets, and security. What was once just land is now a place of readiness—for restoration and hope.

And now, the story turns outward.

This week, a generous donor gave $50,000 toward the work in Jamaica. That gift reflects deep belief in what God is doing—and a bold willingness to invest in what’s next.

As we prepare to leave the island, we’re asking a simple question:
Can we match that generosity—together?

In March, we return to begin long-term recovery following Hurricane Melissa. What is given now will shape how prepared we are when teams arrive and the work intensifies.

Our goal is $300,000—to sustain the Jamaica Base and fund long-haul relief. Every gift given before we go helps move that vision forward.

Would you consider giving this week—investing in the growth of what God has begun?

[Give to the Jamaica Relief & Recovery Fund]

Thank you for standing with the people of Jamaica. The seed is in the soil. Roots are forming. And we believe the harvest will be abundant.

For more than 50 years, Ms. Myrtle James has lived in the same neighborhood. Though she has no immediate family, she’s never been truly alone. Her community knows her, loves her, and when Hurricane Melissa struck, they protected her.

As the storm raged, Ms. Myrtle and her neighbors took shelter in a nearby school. Water crept through the walls. Fear grew as winds howled and structures gave way. After the storm, neighbors returned to assess the damage and brought news to each family.

Ms. Myrtle’s home had been destroyed—her roof torn back like a tin can. Nothing was salvageable.

At 85 years old, with limited mobility and no home to return to, she could have given in to despair. But her faith held steady.

She thanks God for the breath in her lungs and the sun on her face. That, she says, is enough. Her joy hasn’t left her. Her love for Jesus still radiates hope.

Her neighbors have not left her either. Together with the New Testament Church of God and Adventures Relief, the community is rebuilding. The first Adventures in Missions team cleared the site last week. This week, a second team will begin construction on a new 16×24 home—one that will include something she has never had before: a bathroom and kitchen of her own.

This is more than a house. It’s a life being restored. It’s dignity returned to a woman who never lost her joy. It’s a community showing what it means to truly love your neighbor.

Stay tuned to see how you can get involved to help Ms. Myrtle.

This week, we are overwhelmed with gratitude.

In Jamaica, just two weeks after Hurricane Melissa made landfall and decimated large areas of the island, our community of prayer partners and generous donors has already given over $37,777—so close to our $40,000 goal!

Because of your generosity, our scout team was able to mobilize and bring medicine, first aid, batteries, and flashlights to communities that had not yet seen outside help. They also spent time listening, praying, and meeting with local pastors and families to see firsthand what help is most needed and determine which supplies we can pursue to rebuild churches and homes in the coming months.

They met mothers comforting children, pastors leading through heartbreak, and men determined to rebuild. With each small act—a hug, a stuffed animal, a prayer—hope was rekindled. Many residents shared that our team was the first to arrive since the storm. The damage is great, the needs are many, but the faith of the Jamaican people remains unshaken.

Meanwhile, in Western North Carolina, our team and volunteers from Low Country Community Church pressed forward through the season’s first snowfall. While snow brings joy to many, it also reminds us of the harsh winter ahead for families still rebuilding after Hurricane Helene.

Two more homes moved closer to completion this week, and our team worked diligently to winterize our basecamp, which is made up of campers with above-ground water lines. Our missionary families are preparing for winter in those same campers—pressing on with joy and resolve.

Even as temperatures drop, hope is rising. We’re preparing for our Thanksgiving and Christmas outreaches, where families will gather for food, gifts, and encouragement—a tangible reminder that they are not forgotten.

Together, we are watching the Kingdom move into chaos, bringing restoration from the mountains of North Carolina to the shores of Jamaica.

Thank you for your continued prayers, giving, and partnership.
Every gift, every prayer, every act of love—matters deeply.

Let’s keep bringing hope home and abroad.

We’re rejoicing today—our scout team has arrived safely in Jamaica!

Despite a few travel hurdles, all four men made it on time and hit the ground running. They’re there not to lead with answers, but to listen, learn, and love as they meet with local pastors and church leaders in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

This week, we met virtually with the Church of God pastoral network, which oversees more than 360 churches across the island. Their faith humbled us. Their resilience moved us.

• Over half of the churches in St. Elizabeth Parish have been completely destroyed.
• Half of the island remains without power, and many communities are still marooned—isolated by flooding and debris.

Even in exhaustion, these pastors lifted their hands in worship. One leader said something that captured the heart of the Church in Jamaica:

“Our walls may have fallen, but our worship has not. The Church will rise again—not because of wood and nails, but because Christ still reigns.”

Their words echo the very heartbeat of Adventures in Missions. We believe the Church is not confined by buildings—it’s carried by people who refuse to lose hope.

One of the greatest cries we heard was for temporary gathering spaces—safe places where families can come together, find refuge, receive prayer, and rebuild hope. In Jamaica, the Church has always been the first to respond and the last to leave. These spaces will help communities heal—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The Reality on the Ground

The scale of devastation is staggering.

• Over 90,000 families have been directly affected by Hurricane Melissa, many losing their homes, crops, and access to clean water overnight.
• Over 120,000 structures lost their roofs.
• 5 million tons of debris—nearly half a million truckloads—cover western Jamaica.
• Still, many communities remain in darkness.

Yet through it all, hope is not gone. The Church is standing strong, shining light into the darkest places.

Hear from one of our Jamaica ministry partners here.

How You Can Journey With Us

This is not just their story—it’s our story. Together, we can bring the love of Jesus to families who have lost everything.

PRAY – for the pastors and churches leading recovery, and for our team on the ground to have wisdom, safety, and divine connections.
GIVE – your generosity fuels this mission. Every dollar helps us equip local churches, build temporary structures, and send volunteers where the need is greatest.
GO – we’re already preparing to send volunteer teams in the coming months. If God is stirring your heart to serve, now is the time to say yes.

Stay updated on our scouting trip to Jamaica this week by following @adventuresrelief or @adventuresinmissions on social media.

It’s been just one week since we started our Hurricane Melissa updates —and already, your generosity is making a powerful impact.

Because of supporters like you, we’ve raised over half of our $40,000 goal to equip local churches with the resources they need most: food, clean water, medical supplies, and emergency shelter.

Pastors and volunteers across the island are stepping out in faith, serving their neighbors in the midst of loss. Together, we’re not only rebuilding homes—we’re rebuilding hope.

What’s Next

As our local partners continue responding to urgent needs, our Adventures Relief team is preparing to send assessment and logistics teams to support recovery efforts next week.

We’re also compiling a Volunteer Interest List for those who feel called to serve alongside Jamaican pastors in the coming months.

Every act of generosity—every prayer, every dollar, every “yes”—becomes part of Jamaica’s recovery story and a testimony of Jesus’ love in action.

Thank you for being part of this movement of hope.

P.S. We’d love for you to follow along and pray with us as our team travels to Jamaica next week. Stay updated on stories of hope and progress by following @adventuresrelief or @adventuresinmissions on social media.

Volunteer Interest List ->

Each day, updates from our trusted ministry partners in Jamaica grow more urgent. After Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic destruction, emergency rations are nearly gone. Families are desperate for food, clean water, baby formula, and fuel.

One pastor shared through tears,

“We’ve never experienced anything like this before. Hurricane Gilbert was a Category 4, but this… this is different. We have nothing. Everything in our homes is gone—roofs are gone, and even the grocery stores were ruined.”

Entire communities are still cut off, with power and communication limited. Families are rationing food, parents are putting their children first, and babies are without formula. Yet even in this hardship, the Church is rising up to meet needs—one meal, one prayer, one act of love at a time.

Yet through it all, faith remains. Our ministry partners on the ground continue to serve tirelessly—handing out hot meals, solar lanterns, and hope, while covering their neighbors in prayer. The Church is being the hands and feet of Jesus in the middle of chaos.

Thanks to early generosity from people like you, over $5,000 has already been raised, allowing local churches to meet immediate needs. But compared to the scale of devastation, that’s only a fraction of what’s needed. Thousands of families are still waiting for help, praying for food, water, and hope.

How You Can Help Right Now

Your generosity today can bring life-saving relief to families who have lost everything:

$50 keeps a family fed and hydrated for seven critical days $100 powers community kitchens and charging stations through local churches $250 supplies construction materials and transportation for recovery teams reaching remote areas

Every dollar given goes directly to local partners bringing both physical relief and spiritual hope across Jamaica.

Our Adventures Relief team is preparing to travel to Jamaica to assess needs firsthand and strengthen partnerships for the long road ahead. As we go, your giving fuels their hands—and extends God’s compassion to the suffering.

Even when everything seems lost, God is near. Through your prayers and partnership, hope is breaking through the rubble. Thank you for standing with the people of Jamaica when they need it most.