A Fire, 86 Children and a $150 Million Bill: Rebuilding the Methodist Church’s Children’s Home in Papine

• Fire destroyed sections of the Jamaica National Children’s Home in August 2019
• The Methodist Church owns and manages the Papine home
• Full restoration was estimated at $150 million
• United Way of Jamaica had raised $7.5 million towards a $10 million target

On a Friday evening in August 2019, a fire of unknown origin tore through sections of the Jamaica National Children’s Home in Papine, St Andrew. The home, owned and managed by the Methodist Church, cares for orphans, abandoned children and children with severe mental or physical disabilities whose parents cannot look after them, the Jamaica Observer reported.

In the days after the fire, the Methodist Church said the children were “comfortably housed at a temporary facility where they are being offered counselling and other services.” The Jamaica Methodist District Office opened donation accounts in Jamaican, US, Canadian and British currency at JN Bank. It also appealed for underwear, nightgowns, clothes, shoes, bags and school supplies for children who had lost all their personal belongings.

By mid-September, the scale of the job was clearer. The Observer reported that full restoration of the home, established in 1972 and housing about 86 children, was estimated to cost $150 million. United Way of Jamaica had raised $7.5 million and was aiming for $10 million by the end of the month.

“We are still inviting donations towards the home to drive us to our $10-million mark. Your donation matters and your donation will make a difference,” said Dr Marcia Forbes, United Way of Jamaica’s chairperson.

The gap between those numbers tells the story. Even a successful $10 million appeal would cover only a small part of the estimated restoration cost, leaving the church to find the rest through other donors, partners or its own reserves.

For church property committees, the Papine fire raises questions that usually wait until after a disaster: how much a residential building is insured for, whether that figure reflects today’s rebuilding costs, and where children or elderly residents will sleep while the work is done. Many Jamaican denominations hold homes, hostels and schools that were built decades ago and have not been revalued. Getting replacement cost right in advance, rather than relying on a public appeal afterwards, may be the most practical form of stewardship. For the diaspora, whose members often support homes like this one, the case shows that capital rebuilding costs, not just Christmas treats, are where a gift can make the difference.

Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com