Emergency Response

September 10, 2007

Relief and reconstruction efforts by Caribbean partners of The United Church of Canada are well underway. Immediately after Hurricane Dean swept through the Caribbean, Belize , and Mexico 's Yucatan peninsula in late August, the United Church sent $5,000 to the United Church of Jamaica and Cayman Islands (UCJCI) and a similar amount to the Methodist Church in the Caribbean (MCCA), which has congregations in the whole region, including Belize . We will attend to specific requests from partners in the weeks ahead, and provide more information as it becomes available.

On August 27, the UCJCI provided the following update:

Jamaica has once again suffered the effects of a hurricane; we give thanks that the Cayman Islands were spared. Hurricane Dean, a category 4 storm packing winds of 145 miles per hour, initially threatened a direct hit of the island but spared the nation the full impact as the eye of the hurricane passed some 50 miles off Jamaica's south coast and even further away from the Cayman Islands. The effects, however, have been devastating especially for the eastern and southern sections of Jamaica where many buildings and communities have been either totally or partially destroyed by the heavy winds and storm surges as high as 50 feet. Just over 5,000 persons used the shelters organized by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) but many others have had to seek refuge with friends and family.

The hurricane also claimed the lives of four persons. Other areas affected are infrastructure such as roadways, bridges, water supply and electricity. The agricultural sector, especially bananas and vegetables, has been severely affected.

In assessing the damage sustained by the UCJCI, reports to date indicate that approximately 40 of our buildings (churches, manses, schools) have been affected. Roofs mainly have been affected but there has also been other structural damage, windows and doors blown out, and damage due to flooding. Our Hurricane Task Forces in the regions are still assessing the damage and are to give a detailed report of damage and estimated cost of repairs to the Synodical Task Force. We anticipate that the cost of repairs, while not reaching the level experienced from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, will be significant.

The country has suffered tremendous loss and many have been traumatized by the events of August 19 but we give God thanks for his mercies, which are new every morning. As people of hope we have to pick up the pieces and rebuild both our lives and our buildings and continue to live in the assurance that God is with us.

We are thankful to our partners who continue to journey with us at times like these and to accompany us in prayerful support and in other practical ways that facilitate the restoration effort.

Rose Wedderburn
Deputy General Secretary
The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

For more information, please contact:

Jim Hodgson
Caribbean/Central America Regional Program Coordinator
Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit (JGER)
The United Church of Canada
Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4013
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4013
E-mail: Jim Hodgson