Jamaica
Category 5 Hurricane Melissa has left Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica facing a lengthy recovery.
The international nonprofit, which serves children and adults with disabilities who have been abandoned, is focused on restoring 12 homes damaged by the storm.
On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. The Category 5 storm, hitting Jamaica with winds up to 185 mph, tore across the island for more than 12 hours. The government declared a national disaster as communities faced widespread damage and displacement.
Amid the destruction, Mustard Seed Communities (MSC) continued to provide non-stop protection and care for nearly 500 children and adults with disabilities who could not be evacuated.
Right now, MSC’s homes are still without power and water due to the hurricane’s damage. In the weeks since Hurricane Melissa’s landfall, it has become clear that the road to recovery will be long and will require the love of our entire MSC Family.
the storm’s path
The final week of October delivered a series of challenges for Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica. Staff documented the lead-up to Hurricane Melissa, the efforts to keep residents safe during the storm, and the ongoing recovery now underway.
Monday, October 20 | The storm’s beginning
Tropical Storm Melissa was identified moving slowly through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. Over the following days, the storm steadily organized, with pressure dropping, winds accelerating, and rainfall surging.
Saturday, October 25 | Tropical storm becomes Hurricane Melissa
Sustaining wind speeds of over 105 mph, the storm was identified as a hurricane. With a slow west-northwest motion, Hurricane Melissa headed directly for Jamaica.
MSC caregivers made the choice to move into the apostolates––leaving their homes for the duration of the storm––so that the children and adults with disabilities living at MSC would never experience a gap in care.
Monday, October 27 | Escalation to historic Category 5
Hurricane Melissa underwent rapid intensification, reaching Category 5 strength as it neared Jamaica.
At Mustard Seed Communities’ homes, preparations were underway for what AP News called “one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.” Across MSC’s 12 properties, teams ensured the residents’ homes were safe in various ways: structural securing, like boarding up windows and doors; tree-cutting; sandbagging flood-prone areas; stocking supplies like water, food, and emergency kits.
Tuesday, October 28 | The hurricane makes landfall
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica with sustained winds of 186 mph. It tied for the strongest storm documented since 1850 in terms of barometric pressure, or how harshly the hurricane pushes on land. Carving a path towards the island’s north, the storm unleashed catastrophic wind and rainfall. Widespread power outages, flooding, landslides, and road blockages were reported.
Through the howling winds and battering rain, MSC homes sustained power outages and damages. Residents, staff, and caregivers sheltered together, doing everything possible to keep everyone safe and dry at every home.
The team at Jacob’s Ladder documented the storm in the following video:
Wednesday, October 29 | Facing the storm’s aftermath
Hurricane Melissa fully passed through the island, leaving many communities isolated and without resources. The western side of the island sustained the most critical damage.
Attention shifted to response, recovery, and damage assessment.
MSC was thankful to report that no children or staff were injured during the storm. Teams began to determine the extent of damage; restoration of communications and utilities remained intermittent.
Caregivers at My Father’s House in Kingston at last changed shifts, going home to their families for the first time in five days.
At Sophie’s Place in Gordon Town, 11 team members remained in action, continuing to provide care to the home’s 25 residents.
Blessed Assurance, MSC’s home for 33 children and adults with disabilities directly in Hurricane Melissa’s path, flooded and experienced a complete communications blackout. Caregivers, staff, and residents remained safe and secure in a previously-stocked dry shelter.
We documented some of the damage following the storm:
Thursday, October 30 | Assuring all are safe and well
With power and communication lines down, Blessed Assurance became the only MSC home still out of contact after Hurricane Melissa. Determined to confirm everyone’s safety, Fr. Ernest and Br. Beke traveled from Jacob’s Ladder to Montego Bay. They drove as far as possible before walking the final nine miles through flooded, debris-covered roads.
When they arrived at Blessed Assurance, they thanked God––all were safe.
Moving Forward into Recovery
Two weeks out from Hurricane Melissa’s landfall, our teams have been able to account for the extent of damages in more detail across our 12 homes.
Blessed Assurance (Montego Bay): Still no power or running water. Major damage to buildings and infrastructure. Residents remain on-site and safe, with staff providing continuous care amid difficult conditions.
Jacob’s Ladder (Moneague): No power. Operating on generators and solar power. Water available from a well. Greenhouses and crops were destroyed, increasing our food expenses across our communities.
Sophie’s Place (Kingston): Clean up from landslide.
Jerusalem! (Spanish Town): Roof leaks in several areas.
My Father’s House (Kingston): Roof damage. Interior repairs needed to prevent further water intrusion.
Gift of Hope (Mandeville): Partial roof loss on one building.
Mary’s Child (Kingston): Major roof leaks leading to water damage.
Matthew 25 (Kingston): Minor wall damage being repaired.
Ongoing challenges post-hurricane include access to water and electricity. We need these resources to meet the urgent needs of the children and adults with disabilities whom we hold in our care.
We thank God that He remains with us through these trying times.